They’re real crowd-pleasers (watch out, Super Bowl food competitors, this one’s in the running!), but they’re so good that you’ll want to put them on the menu every week! Vietnamese cooking, like many Southeast Asian cuisines, is all about balance. These skewers have palm sugar for sweetness and fish sauce for salt and umami (don’t worry, the fish sauce really does blend in with the rest of the flavors). Chili sauce and ginger bring some heat, bright acidity comes from rice wine vinegar, and then it’s all topped off with some pungent cilantro. Fresh mint or Thai basil are also good. There’s more than enough here to excite your palate and make you reach for just one more skewer. Roadside stands all over Vietnam sell grilled meats and fish, and they always, always serve them with rice – either in the form of rice noodles or cooked rice. I suggest you do the same! If I’m making this for a weeknight dinner, I like to remove the meat from the skewers and serve it on top of a bed of rice noodles that I’ve tossed with a little rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and soy sauce. A crunchy salad served alongside completes the meal. You can do the same for a party, or just serve them left on the skewer. Really, you can serve these any way you like—the only thing that matters is that you make them!
Tips for Success!
Look for specialized ingredients such as rice wine vinegar and fish sauce at Asian groceries or large urban markets. If you have trouble finding palm sugar, then brown sugar is a fine substitute.Chicken thighs are practically impossible to overcook, so they stand up nicely to the intense heat of the grill or in the oven. I don’t recommend substituting chicken breasts for this recipe.If you use bamboo skewers, they need to be soaked first. That said, I find they almost always scorch a little. You can also use metal skewers if you prefer.
Grilling Instructions: Light a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill to medium-high. Grill the chicken 4 to 6 minutes on a side, or until cooked through (an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken should register 165 degrees F). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Lightly oil or spray it with vegetable oil. (This is important—the marinade tends to burn on the pan, but not on the chicken, and you will save yourself from a tedious cleaning job.) Transfer the skewers to the baking sheet. Pour the excess marinade into a small skillet. Brush the chicken all over with the reduced marinade. Broil for another 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned on the other side and cooked all the way through. Exact time will depend on the heat of your particular broiler; when done, the chicken should no longer be pink in the middle.
