Get the Recipe: Vietnamese Chicken Thighs
Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs cooked with Vietnamese flavours and served with an easy cucumber salad.
Ingredients
- 5-6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 1 - 1 1/2 lbs.
Vietnamese Marinade:
- 1/4 cup soy sauce, low-sodium recommended
- 1/4 cup Asian fish sauce
- 1/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, or similar neutral-tasting cooking oil
- 2 Tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, minced or ginger paste
- 1-2 teaspoons Sambal oelek, or Asian Chili Garlic Paste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
For serving:
- Sliced limes and chopped cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs in a large plastic zipper bag. In a medium bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients, then pour over the chicken in the zipper bag. Seal the bag and shake to toss well. Place into the refrigerator and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours.
- Preheat oven to 425°F (non-convection/not fan-assisted). Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Remove the chicken from bag, allowing excess marinade to drip off back into the bag. Place the chicken thighs onto the baking pan skin-side up. Bake the chicken until cooked through (160F internal temperature), about 30-35 minutes. If the chicken isn't brown enough, turn the oven broiler on briefly to brown the skin.
- Transfer the marinade to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer at least 3-4 minutes.
- Serve the chicken garnished with lime slices and cilantro and with the heated marinade for drizzling.
- This chicken is lovely served with a cucumber salad, Asian coleslaw or quick-pickled cucumbers. Rice is another nice addition to the plate.
Notes
Tips!
The leftover chicken marinade must be boiled before using, as it will have raw chicken juices in it. Bringing the marinade to a boil and simmering for 3-4 minutes will sufficiently cook the chicken juices.
This chicken would also be lovely cooked on the BBQ. You can use the marinade (without boiling first) to baste/glaze the chicken for the first part of cooking. Be sure the chicken will cook for at least 5 minutes after the last basting to be sure the marinade liquid is thoroughly cooked.
The recipe specifies a marinating time of up to 6 hours. A longer marinating time isn't recommended due to the presence of lime juice in the marinade, which can negatively affect the texture of the chicken over time. If you'd like to marinate longer, you could leave out the lime initially and add near the end of marinating instead.
Be sure to read the notes above this Recipe Card for substitution suggestions, serving suggestions and step-by-step photos that you might find helpful.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 295kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 92mg, Sodium: 1235mg, Potassium: 288mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 87IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 26mg, Iron: 1mg
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