Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken Stir-Fry

a plate of Vietnamese lemongrass chicken

5 from 2 votes

Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken Stir-Fry

Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken Stir-Fry (Ga Xao Sa Ot) perfectly combines tender and juicy chicken, fragrant lemongrass, chili peppers, and fish sauce. This dish is super quick and easy to make for daily meals.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Keyword: gà xào sả ớt, lemongrass chicken

Servings: people

Calories: 255kcal

Author: Sophie

Equipment

1 large heavy-bottomed stir-fry pan

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (450g)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic, divided
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons cooking oil (plus more to cook)
6 medium lemongrass stalks, white parts only, sliced very thinly (about 2/3 cup or 40-45g sliced)
1 tablespoon julienned ginger
1 tablespoon oyster sauce (to taste)
1 teaspoon fish sauce (to taste)
2 red banana peppers, or any non/mildly-spicy red chili peppers, seeds removed and thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup or 25g sliced)
1 bird's-eye chili, seeds removed and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (optional)

US Customary - Grams

Instructions

Cut chicken thighs into thin slices or strips. Toss with ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon five-spice powder, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, ½ tablespoon minced garlic and 1 tablespoon water. Then add 2 teaspoons oil and mix to combine. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.
Place a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add cooking oil to coat the bottom. Add lemongrass slices once the oil is hot, stir and cook for about 2 minutes until lemongrass has reduced in volume and looked slightly golden and it smells aromatic. Transfer most of the lemongrass to a clean bowl.
Add julienned ginger and sauté until fragrant and softened, up to a minute. Then add the remaining minced garlic and sauté briefly until fragrant.
Increase the heat to medium-high, then add chicken and let them cook undisturbed for about 30 seconds to give them a nice sear. Then stir and cook for another 6-7 minutes.
Add back lemongrass and also add oyster sauce, fish sauce and all the chili peppers. Stir and toss for 1-2 more minutes until chicken is fully cooked and flavors are combined. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Drizzle sesame oil over the chicken and give everything a final stir. Transfer to clean plates and serve.

Notes

You can also add bell peppers to the stir-fry if desired. Adjust the amount of bird’s-eye chili depending on how spicy you want the stir-fry to be.

The most traditional way to serve Vietnamese lemongrass chicken stir-fry is with steamed rice. In addition, here are some creative options:

With rice vermicelli noodles: create your noodle bowl with the stir-fried chicken, lettuce, and fresh herbs.
With banh mi (Vietnamese baguette): stuff the bread with the stir-fried chicken and add several slices of fresh or pickled cucumber and carrots, and cilantro.

Nutrition