Sometimes you need to shake things up. Grilled chicken can be a trap. You get into a rut – making the same 3 dishes over and over.
Vietnamese grilled chicken is a new take on backyard grilling
If you’re stuck there, Vietnamese grilled chicken is for you. Bright citrusy flavours. A bit of smoke. A hint of chili. The tang of ginger. It all comes together in this dish. Vietnamese grilled chicken is a great way to bust out of your grilled chicken funk with a bang.
Charcoal grilling makes it better
I’m a charcoal fan. I am actually a huge charcoal fan. Don’t own a gas barbecue. Haven’t for years. A decade. Maybe longer. Charcoal adds a flavour that gas barbecues just can’t. Smouldering wood chips over propane is not the same thing as charcoal. If you don’t believe me you haven’t had anything cooked over charcoal in a while. If you are in the market for a new grill I urge you to try something like a weber kettle. It costs less than all but the cheapest gas grill and it will last a lifetime. Good value IMO. Great flavour too. Vietnamese grilled chicken is great over charcoal. I’m sure it will work over gas – but I don’t think it will be quite as good. Sorry. Don’t let that stop you though. It will still be better than chicken and barbecue sauce.
This recipe is adapted for grilling from a couple chicken recipes in May Pham’s The Best of Vietnamese and Thai Cooking. That book is a little jewel. Worth seeking out in second hand book stores. The ginger lime dipping sauce is pretty close to the hers as well. The noodle salad is all me.
Serve Vietnamese grilled chicken family style
Serve it up plated individually or family style. It’s a perfect dish to share at the table. The noodles are a bit slippery but that’s part of the fun. You could also serve this as a great small plate in a bigger menu. Couple bites of noodles with a bit of chicken on top. If you’re doing it small plate style think about boneless, skin-on thighs or breasts cut into smaller pieces. This Vietnamese grilled chicken may not be on any Vietnamese restaurant menus yet. But if should be.
