This air-fryer Vietnamese lemongrass chicken is one of my favourite dishes to make when it’s super hot in summer! It features crispy, juicy chicken marinated with fragrant lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, lime and a bit of sugar, then served with fresh and crunchy veggies, herbs and rice vermicelli noodles. My favourite part is that it’s finished with a savoury, tangy and sweet nuoc cham. It’s light, refreshing and comes together in less than 30 minutes!
Table of Contents
- What is Air Fryer Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken?
- Why I Love This Recipe
- Ingredients for This Dish
- How to Make Air Fryer Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken
- Karen’s Top Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is Air Fryer Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken?
Vietnamese lemongrass chicken is a popular dish made with chicken marinated in lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, lime and sugar, creating a perfect balance of savoury, tangy and slightly sweet flavours.
It’s traditionally grilled over charcoal, but I love making it in the air fryer because it’s a lot quicker and more convenient, and still gives you juicy chicken with lightly charred skin.
I love serving it with rice vermicelli noodles, crunchy veggies like carrots and cucumber, and fresh herbs like coriander. Everything is then finished with a generous drizzle of homemade nuoc cham, a classic Vietnamese dipping sauce that brings the whole dish together.
This is honestly one of my favourite meals to make during summer because of how light, refreshing and delicious it is!
Why I Love This Recipe
● Ready in under 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights when you want something quick, refreshing and flavourful!
● Light & refreshing. The combination of juicy lemongrass chicken, fresh veggies, herbs and rice noodles makes this the perfect summer noodle salad.
● So flavourful! The chicken is juicy and fragrant, and the savoury, sweet, tangy nuoc cham brings everything together.
Ingredients for This Dish
Here are a few key ingredients to note. You’ll find the full ingredient list and quantities in the recipe card below.
Chicken thighs
I always use skin-on, deboned chicken thighs for this recipe because they stay much juicier than chicken breast. Chicken breast can dry out quite easily in the air fryer, and I love how chicken thigh skin gives you a golden, crispy slightly charred finish.
Rice vermicelli noodles
Traditionally, this dish is served with rice vermicelli noodles, which are thin noodles made with rice flour and water. They have a light, soft and slightly chewy texture, and you see it used in a lot of Southeast Asian dishes including Vietnamese noodle salads like this, spring rolls and noodle soups.
You can find rice vermicelli noodles in most Asian supermarkets, and I’d recommend choosing the thinnest variety as they have the best texture for this dish and are perfect for soaking up all the delicious nuoc cham.
Once cooked, make sure to rinse them under cold water to remove any excess starch and keep them nice and bouncy.
Crunchy veggies
Traditionally, Vietnamese vermicelli bowls are usually served with pickled carrots and daikon, which adds a nice tangy crunchy.
However, I usually don’t have homemade pickles ready in the fridge, so I simply use fresh julienned carrots and cucumber instead.
Any kind of crunchy and refreshing vegetable will go perfectly with the juicy chicken, herbs and noodles. I also like to add lettuce for extra veg!
Nuoc cham
Nuoc cham is a classic Vietnamese dipping sauce that’s often served alongside grilled meats, spring rolls and vermicelli bowls.
It’s made with fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, garlic, chilli and water, creating a savoury, tangy, sweet and slightly spicy dipping sauce.
This sauce really brings the entire dish together, so I recommend drizzling generously over the chicken, noodles and veg just before serving.
How to Make Air Fryer Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken
1) Marinate the chicken
In a bowl, combine the chicken thighs with lemongrass, fish sauce, sugar, light soy sauce, garlic, cornstarch and lime juice. Massage the marinade into the chicken until evenly coated. Set aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
2) Prepare the noodles, vegetables and Nuoc Cham
Cook the rice vermicelli noodles according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain and rinse under cold water to remove any excess starch and keep the noodles bouncy and chewy. Julienne the cucumber and carrot, shred the lettuce and prepare the coriander.
To make the Nuoc Cham, combine the fish sauce, brown sugar, garlic, chilli, lime juice and warm water in a small bowl. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
3) Air-fry the chicken
Place the chicken thighs skin-side down in the air fryer basket. Air-fry at 185°C for 13–15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is golden, crispy and slightly charred.
4) Assemble and serve
Slice the chicken thighs and serve with the rice vermicelli noodles, fresh vegetables and herbs. Finish with a generous drizzle of homemade Nuoc Cham and enjoy!
Karen’s Top Tips
1) Use chicken thighs
I highly recommend using skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe. They stay much more tender and juicy compared to chicken breast, which can dry out easily in the air fryer. Keeping the skin on also gives you that beautiful golden, crispy and slightly charred finish.
2) Don’t skip rinsing the noodles
After cooking the noodles, rinse them under cold water to remove excess starch. Rinsing the noodles also stops it from overcooking, and keep the noodles bouncy and chewy instead of sticky.
3) Adjust the nuoc cham to your taste
Nuoc Cham is savoury, sweet, tangy and slightly spicy. Taste it before serving and adjust the lime juice, sugar or chilli depending on your preference. I personally love mine on the tangy and spicy side!
More Noodle Salads You’ll Love
- Thai Glass Noodle Salad (yum woon sen)
- Spicy Korean Cold Noodle Salad
- Cold Sesame Chicken Noodle Salad
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes you can use chicken breast, but I prefer chicken thighs for this recipe because they stay much juicier and are less likely to dry out in the air fryer. If using chicken breast, be careful not to overcook it and adjust the cooking time depending on the thickness.
Of course! You can grill the chicken on a barbecue, cook it on a grill pan or pan-fry it on the stove. Cook until the chicken is golden, slightly charred and cooked through.
Yes of course! While this is meant to be a quick 20-30 minute recipe, you can definitely marinate the chicken ahead of time for even more flavour. Keep it covered in the fridge and cook within 24 hours.
Yes, Nuoc Cham can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Yes. Store the cooked chicken, noodles and vegetables separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the chicken in the air fryer or microwave before serving, and add fresh Nuoc Cham just before eating.
Air-fryer Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken
2
servings10
minutes15
minutesThis air fryer Vietnamese lemongrass chicken is one of my favourite summer recipes! Juicy, crispy chicken with fragrant lemongrass, fresh herbs and veggies, rice vermicelli and homemade nuoc cham in under 20 minutes.
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Ingredients
4 chicken thighs, skin-on & deboned
1/2 cucumber, julienned
1/2 carrot, julienned
1 gem lettuce
A handful of coriander
- Chicken marinade:
1 lemongrass, minced
3 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 lime, juiced
- Nuoc cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce):
4 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 bird’s eye chilli, chopped
1 lime, juiced
1/3 cup warm water
Directions
- Marinate the chicken: In a bowl, combine the chicken thighs with lemongrass, fish sauce, sugar, light soy sauce, garlic, cornstarch and lime juice. Massage the marinade into the chicken until evenly coated. Set aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Prepare the noodles and vegetables: Cook the rice vermicelli noodles according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain and rinse under cold water to remove excess starch and keep the noodles bouncy and chewy. Julienne the cucumber and carrot, shred the lettuce and prepare the coriander.
- Make the nuoc cham: In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, brown sugar, garlic, chilli, lime juice and warm water. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
- Air-fry the chicken: Place the chicken thighs skin-side down in the air fryer basket. Air-fry at 185°C for 13–15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is golden, crispy and slightly charred.
- Serve: Slice the chicken thighs and serve with the rice vermicelli noodles, fresh vegetables and herbs. Drizzle generously with homemade nuoc cham and enjoy!
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