Lemongrass-Honey Grilled Chicken Platter with Rice Noodles and Nuoc Cham

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A build-your-own Vietnamese platter: honey-lacquered lemongrass chicken thighs seared on a grill pan, piled next to soft rice vermicelli, crunchy daikon-carrot pickles, a heap of herbs and lettuce, and a bowl of nuoc cham for dipping. Everything comes together in about an hour, and the table does the assembly.

Ingredients

• 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 3 stalks fresh lemongrass, tough outer layers removed
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 shallots
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp neutral oil, plus more for the pan
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 1/3 cup warm water
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 clove garlic, finely grated
• 1 Thai chile or red jalapeño, thinly sliced

• 1 cup carrot, julienned or coarsely grated
• 1 cup daikon radish, julienned
• 1/2 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 10 oz bánh hỏi (woven vermicelli sheets) or thin rice vermicelli
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil or scallion oil
• 1 head butter lettuce or red leaf lettuce, leaves separated
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1 cup fresh cilantro sprigs
• 1 cup Thai basil leaves
• 1 English cucumber, cut into matchsticks
• 1/3 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Trim the lemongrass to the pale bottom 4 to 5 inches, then slice very thinly crosswise. Combine the lemongrass, garlic, and shallots in a food processor and pulse to a rough paste, scraping down the sides twice, about 30 seconds total. (No processor? Mince everything as finely as you can by hand.)
2. Scrape the paste into a large bowl and whisk in the fish sauce, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons oil, and black pepper. Add the chicken thighs, turn to coat every surface, and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate up to 12 hours.
3. Make the pickles: whisk the rice vinegar, 1/4 cup warm water, 3 tablespoons sugar, and salt in a bowl or jar until dissolved. Add the carrot and daikon, press them under the liquid, and let sit at least 20 minutes while you work. They keep 1 week refrigerated.
4. Make the nuoc cham: stir 1/3 cup warm water with 3 tablespoons sugar until fully dissolved, then add the fish sauce, lime juice, grated garlic, and sliced chile. Taste — it should read salty-sour-sweet in equal measure; adjust with a splash more water if it's too sharp. Set aside.
5. Cook the noodles: if using bánh hỏi sheets, soak or steam according to the package (usually 3 to 4 minutes over simmering water) until soft and pliable. For rice vermicelli, boil in unsalted water for 3 to 4 minutes, drain, and rinse under cold water until the strands are no longer sticky. Toss the noodles with the sesame oil and half the scallions and mound them on the serving platter.
6. Heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high for 4 to 5 minutes, until a drop of water skitters and evaporates instantly. Brush the ridges lightly with oil. Lift the chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off but leaving the clinging lemongrass, and lay the thighs down without crowding — work in two batches.
7. Grill undisturbed for 5 to 6 minutes, until deep grill marks form and the edges look caramelized, then flip and cook 4 to 6 minutes more, until the thickest part registers 175°F on an instant-read thermometer. The honey will char in spots; that's the flavor. Lower the heat to medium if the pan starts smoking heavily.
8. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and rest 5 minutes, then slice across the grain into 1/2-inch strips. Pour any board juices back over the slices.
9. Build the platter: pile the sliced chicken next to the noodles, then arrange the drained pickles, lettuce leaves, mint, cilantro, Thai basil, and cucumber matchsticks around them. Scatter the peanuts and remaining scallions over the chicken and tuck in the lime wedges.
10. Serve with the nuoc cham in small individual bowls. To eat, lay a lettuce leaf in your palm, add a tangle of noodles, a few slices of chicken, pickles, herbs, and cucumber, roll it up, and dip.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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