I may be overloading on Vietnamese dishes this week, having just shared Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls a couple of days ago. But I’m not going to apologise because it’s one of my favourite cuisines and this dish epitomises what my blog is all about – sharing easy to make, amazing food from around the world. The marinade for these wings is a classic base for many Vietnamese dishes and is a great balance of sweet, salty, spicy and tang that epitomises the food of this cuisine. Lemongrass is a herb that is commonly used in many Vietnamese dishes. It has a very unique smell, lemony but with a distinct earthiness and turns an otherwise ordinary marinade into something really special. A great tip I learnt from a Vietnamese friend is to stock up on frozen lemongrass which you can get from large Asian grocery stores. I didn’t think that would be “acceptable” but apparently it is! This was a great tip I used for years when I had to make the trek to Asian grocery stores just to get lemongrass. Nowadays lemongrass is sold in large grocery stores, and surprisingly good value too (for the Aussie readers, Harris Farms is my tip, usually about $1.00 a stalk). Lemongrass is quite tough, so you need to either cut it into pieces large enough to pick out later after you have infused the marinade with the flavours, or finely chop it. Frozen lemongrass usually comes finely chopped which is fine to use for this recipe instead of the slices as per the recipe directions. If you can’t find lemongrass, substituting with just lemon won’t do it I’m afraid. You simply won’t get the “Vietnamese” flavour in this without it, it will end up being more of a Thai flavour. If you don’t have lemongrass but still really want to try this, add the zest of 1 lime to the marinade and call it Thai Chicken Wings! I cooked this on the outdoor grill because I really love the charcoal flavour. However, it can also be cooked in the oven so I’ve provided directions for both. A great summer grilling recipe to add to your rotation! – Nagi x
Get your Vietnamese fix!
Bun Cha – Vietnamese Meatballs (Noodle Bowl) Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls Vietnamese Caramel Pork – and the Chicken version! Lemongrass Chicken – one of my favourite things to grill! Vietnamese Noodle Salad Vietnamese Caramel Pork Bowls – super quick! Browse all Vietnamese recipes
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