1stalklemongrass, white part only **bruise them & slice them into 3-4 pieces so it's easier to pick out later.
2tbspfresh lime juice
2tbspfish sauce
2tbspbrown sugar
1tbspsoy sauce
1tbspvegetable oil
2largecloves of garlic, minced
Other Ingredients:
Nuoc cham**Click the link up above for the recipe
3cupsiceberg lettuce, finely chopped, to taste
2cupsbean sprouts
2 largecarrots, julienned
1largeEnglish cucumber, julienned**Remove seeds if preferred
A handful of fresh cilantro leaves
A handful of fresh mint leaves
Lime wedges
7ozvery thin rice noodles**called Maifun or vermicelli
Instructions
Make the marinade by combining the bruised lemongrass pieces along with the lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, vegetable oil, and minced garlic together in a large zip lock bag. Add the chicken thighs, seal the bag, and smoosh around until evenly coated. Place into the refrigerator to marinate for at least 1 hour up to 24 hours. Side Note: Mine marinated for 24 hours.
Prepare the nuoc cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce) - click the link for the recipe. Side Note: Prepare the sauce at least 20 minutes prior to serving. I made my nuoc cham when I prepared the marinade so the flavors had time to mingle overnight.
Prep all of the vegetables, herbs, and lime wedges; set them aside in the refrigerator until assembly.
Next, soak the rice noodles in hot water, per package instructions; drain and set aside to cool until needed.
Grill the chicken by heating your grill pan over medium-high heat until HOT. Spray well with cooking spray or brush vegetable oil on the grill pan.
Shake off the excess marinade and any lemongrass pieces from the chicken and place the thighs on the hot grill pan, cooking in batches as needed so you don't overcrowd the grill pan, for 4-5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Remove from the grill pan and set on a serving plate.
Assemble the lemongrass chicken rice noodle bowls by putting some rice noodles in the bottom of the bowl then top with some sliced chicken, lettuce, bean sprouts, cucumber, carrots, cilantro, and mint.
Drizzle the top with some nuoc cham, to taste & toss to coat evenly. Serve with lime wedges and extra nuoc cham. Enjoy!
Side Note: Store any extra nuoc cham in a clean airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.