BrÛlÉed Chicken Breast Vietnamese Style Recipes

GRILLED VIETNAMESE CHICKEN

Steps:

• PREPARE CHICKEN: Trim larger pieces of fat from chicken (don't worry about smaller ones - they'll burn off). Pound chicken to even thickness for even cooking. I use the bottom of a pot or heal of my hand.
• MARINATE CHICKEN: Place all marinade ingredients in a ziploc bag or sealed container. Mix or squish bag to combine well. Add chicken, Seal bag/container and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or overnight in fridge.
• HEAT GRILL to medium-high. Oil grill with paper towel or spray.
• GRILL CHICKEN AND SERVE: Remove chicken from marinade (reserve marinade for sauce if desired Note 2). If using low salt soy sauce, lightly sprinkle chicken with salt. Grill chicken for 3-5 minutes per side, depending on thickness of chicken. Instant thermometer should read 160F. Add green onions for last 2-3 minutes if using. Transfer chicken to plate. Cover loosely with foil and let rest 5 minutes. Garnish with green onions and chopped fresh cilantro if desired. Note 3 to bake.

VIETNAMESE LEMONGRASS CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine the lime juice, fish sauce, maple syrup, oil, soy sauce, black pepper, garlic, lemongrass and shallot in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth.
• Combine the chicken and marinade in a large bowl. Toss until the chicken is evenly coated. Cover the bowl and let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. (If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 15 minutes before using.) Thread the chicken evenly onto the skewers.
• Once the grill is hot, place the chicken kabobs evenly on the grill. Cook for 10-14 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through (no longer pink on the inside).
• Transfer the kabobs to a clean plate, and loosely tent with aluminum foil. Let the chicken rest for at least 5-10 minutes.
• Then serve warm while the chicken is hot and juicy, sprinkled with an extra squeeze of fresh lime juice (plus some thinly-sliced green onions) if desired. Or, refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

BASIC BROILED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source. Rub olive oil over each chicken breast, then season both sides with salt and black pepper. Place the chicken skin-side down on a broiling pan.
• Broil in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then flip the chicken breast skin-side up. Continue broiling the chicken until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 10 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove from the oven and allow meat to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

EASY BROILED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Combine butter, vegetable oil, onion, garlic, lemon juice, salt, paprika, and ginger in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until butter is completely melted, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer until onion is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Place chicken in a baking dish and baste with the butter sauce.
• Broil in the preheated oven, basting and turning every 10 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 30 to 40 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

VIETNAMESE NOODLES WITH LEMONGRASS CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine Chicken and Marinade ingredients and set aside for at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours. (Note 4)
• Heat 1/2 tbsp oil in a fry pan over medium heat (or heat the BBQ). Remove chicken from marinade, shaking off large bits of lemongrass (small bits should fall off during cooking).
• Place chicken in the pan and cook each side until dark golden brown and chicken is just cooked through - about 6 to 8 minutes in total.
• Remove from pan, shaking off any remaining bits of visible lemongrass and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. Then slice into thin pieces.
• Combine the Nuoc Cham ingredients and mix well to dissolve the sugar. Adjust to your taste (spiciness, lime, sweetness) and set aside for at least 20 minutes.
• Soak the vermicelli noodles in hot water for 3 minutes (or according to packet instructions), then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the noodles from sticking together.
• Individual servings: Place noodles in bowl. Top with vegetables and herbs, and sliced chicken pieces. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of Nuoc Cham Sauce (be generous, ~ 4 tbsp per serving) and serve with lime wedges.
• DIY (my preferred way): Place chicken, vegetables, herbs, noodles and sauce in separate bowls / piled on platters. Then let everyone make their own bowls!

VIETNAMESE-STYLE CARAMELIZED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a large cast-iron skillet or other heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and add to the skillet; cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
• Remove and discard 3 tablespoons rendered fat from the skillet; reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic, shallot and ginger and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the coconut water, fish sauce and brown sugar and stir until the sugar is melted. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens (the bubbles will begin to slow as it thickens), 4 to 5 minutes.
• Return the chicken and any collected juices to the skillet and stir to coat the chicken. Cook, reducing the heat if the sauce starts thickening too much, until the chicken is cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the jalapeños. Serve the chicken over the rice and top with cilantro leaves.

BRÛLÉED CHICKEN BREAST, VIETNAMESE-STYLE

Steps:

• 1. In a large bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, water, shallots, garlic, chile, granulated sugar and pepper until the sugar dissolves. Add the chicken breasts, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours. 2. Preheat the oven to 400°. Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry with a paper towel. Reserve the marinating liquid and aromatics. Heat a large, ovenproof skillet over high heat for 2 minutes and then add 1 tablespoon of oil. Place the chicken in the pan skin-side down, cook for 1 minute and then transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until cooked through, 18 to 20 minutes. 3. Set a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl and strain the reserved liquid into the bowl. In a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, add the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil and the strained aromatics. Cook until sizzling and softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the liquid and simmer until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat. 4. Remove the chicken breasts from the oven and transfer them skin-side up to a sheet pan lined with a wire rack. Adjust an oven rack to the upper-middle position and heat the broiler to high. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar evenly over the breasts and place the breasts under the broiler, cooking until the chickens' skin is glossy and the sugar is browned, 2 to 3 minutes (watch the broiler carefully as broiler times do vary; the sugar can also be brûléed using a handheld kitchen torch). 5. To serve, slice each breast crosswise into ½-inch-thick pieces. Divide the sauce between 4 plates, place a few slices of chicken on each plate and then sprinkle with cilantro. Serve.