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–+ servings
This colorful lemongrass grilled chicken bowl setup is perfect for a make-your-own dinner! Packed with vibrant veggies, rice noodles, herbs, and bold Vietnamese flavors. A fun and healthy way to feed a crowd or prep lunches for the week!
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5 from 2 votes

📝 Lemongrass Grilled Chicken Bowls

These Lemongrass Grilled Chicken Bowls are bursting with bright, bold flavor! The chicken is marinated in a lemongrass-ginger mixture, grilled until golden and juicy, then served with rice or noodles, crisp veggies, and a zesty Vietnamese-style nuoc cham sauce.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: Vietnamese-inspired
Keyword: easy grilled chicken recipe, grilled lemongrass chicken breasts, grilled lemongrass chicken thighs, lemongrass chicken marinade, lemongrass grilled chicken, Vietnamese chicken bowl, Vietnamese grilled chicken
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 253kcal
Author: Chris Scheuer

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

  • 1¾ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)

For the Marinade:

  • ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons neutral oil like avocado or vegetable
  • ⅓ cup finely minced lemongrass or lemongrass paste
  • 1 ounce fresh ginger finely minced (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 8 garlic cloves

For the Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce):

  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon chili garlic paste adjust to taste
  • 1 garlic clove finely minced

Optional Garnishes:

  • Fresh lime wedges
  • Julienned or shredded carrots
  • Shredded red and green cabbage
  • Julienned daikon radish
  • Sliced cucumber
  • Crushed peanuts
  • Fresh cilantro mint, and basil leaves
  • Cooked rice or noodles jasmine, basmati, ramen, or rice noodles
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the Chicken:

  • Place the chicken in a zip-top bag or shallow dish. Pound the thick ends slightly to even out the thickness for more consistent grilling.1¾ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)

Make the Marinade:

  • Combine all marinade ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. ⅓ cup brown sugar, ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce, 33 tablespoons neutral oil ⅓ cup finely minced lemongrass 1 ounce fresh ginger, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 8 garlic cloves
  • Reserve 3 tablespoons of the marinade for basting.

Marinate the Chicken:

  • Pour the remaining marinade over the chicken. Seal the bag and massage to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

Grill the Chicken:

  • Preheat grill to medium-high heat and oil the grates. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard excess. Grill for 3-4 minutes or until the chicken releases easily from the grill.
  • Repeat the 3-4 minutes on the other side and begin basting with the reserved marinade. Once both sides have been grilled, flip every 1-2 minutes and keep basting.
  • Grill until the chicken reaches 150-155˚F internal temperature. If it's nice and golden but the temp has not reached 150-155, lower the heat a bit and cover the grill, checking the temp every minute.
  • Tent the chicken loosely with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Make the Nuoc Cham:

  • Combine all ingredients in a small jar and shake well until sugar is dissolved. Adjust heat level to taste. 2 tablespoons fish sauce 3 tablespoons rice vinegar 3 tablespoons sugar 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice ¼ cup water, ½ to 1 teaspoon chili garlic paste 1 garlic clove

Assemble the Bowls:

  • Serve sliced chicken over rice or noodles with your choice of garnishes. Drizzle with nuoc cham and serve additional sauce on the side. A spoonful of hoisin sauce is also delicious! Fresh lime wedges Julienned or shredded carrots Shredded red and green cabbage Julienned daikon radish Sliced cucumber Crushed peanuts Fresh cilantro Cooked rice or noodles

Notes

Café Tips for making this Lemongrass Grilled Chicken
  • Lemongrass paste is a great shortcut and works well in this marinade.
  • No grill? Use a grill pan or cook the chicken under the broiler.
  • For meal prep, store ingredients separately and assemble bowls when ready to serve.
  • Lemongrass and fresh ginger can be a bit fibrous. A food processor makes quick work of the marinade and ensures all those bright flavors are evenly blended.
  • Don't skimp on the marinade time. While an hour works in a pinch, giving the chicken 4 to 24 hours to soak up the marinade makes a big difference in flavor and tenderness.
  • Lemongrass marinade has natural sugars that can stick. Be sure to clean and oil your grill grates thoroughly to prevent sticking and encourage those golden grill marks.
  • For juicy, perfectly cooked chicken, grill until the thickest part reaches 160˚F, then let it rest. The temperature will rise slightly as it rests, locking in all those juices.
  • This is a great meal prep recipe. Grill extra chicken and store it in slices for wraps, bowls, or salads throughout the week.

Nutrition

Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 1575mg | Potassium: 472mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 37IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg