Ga Nuong Sa (Vietnamese Lemongrass Roast Chicken)

About This Recipe

Ga nuong sa takes the classic Vietnamese lemongrass marinade -- built on fish sauce, garlic, chile, and fresh lemongrass -- and applies it to a whole roast chicken instead of the more common grilled skewers or wings. The result is a bird with deeply savory, caramelized skin and meat that's infused with citrusy, herbal lemongrass all the way through, thanks to a marinade that's rubbed both over and under the skin. The technique that makes this work is time and contact: the chicken needs at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, for the fish sauce and lemongrass paste to properly season the meat rather than just coat the surface. A touch of honey or sugar in the marinade helps the skin caramelize to a deep mahogany color in the oven, similar to the char you'd get from a charcoal grill, while a foil tent partway through roasting keeps the breast meat from drying out before the thighs finish cooking. Served with a side of rice, pickled vegetables, and extra nuoc cham for dipping, ga nuong sa turns an everyday roast chicken into something distinctly Vietnamese -- a family Sunday dinner mainstay in many households.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1.6 kgwhole chicken
• 3 stalkslemongrass(minced (tender part only))
• 5 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 3 tbspfish sauce
• 2 tbsphoney
• 1 tbspsoy sauce
• 1 tbspneutral oil
• 1 tspblack pepper
• 1shallot(minced)
• 1Thai chile(minced, optional)
• 2 cupscooked rice(for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the marinade

   Combine lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, honey, soy sauce, oil, pepper, shallot, and chile into a thick paste.

2. 2

   Season the chicken

   Pat chicken dry and loosen the skin over the breast and thighs with your fingers. Rub half the paste under the skin and the rest all over the outside and cavity.

3. 3

   Marinate

   Refrigerate uncovered at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, so the marinade penetrates and the skin dries slightly for better crisping.

4. 4

   Roast

   Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Place chicken breast-side up on a rack over a roasting pan. Roast 20 minutes, then tent loosely with foil and continue roasting 45-55 minutes.

5. 5

   Check doneness

   Remove foil for the last 10 minutes to deepen the color. Chicken is done when a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh reads 74C/165F.

6. 6

   Rest and serve

   Rest 10 minutes before carving. Serve with rice and pan juices spooned over.

Variations

• •

  Spatchcock the chicken before marinating to cut roasting time to about 45 minutes and get more even browning.

• •

  Grill the chicken in pieces over charcoal instead of roasting whole for a smokier, more traditional result.

• •

  Add a tablespoon of curry powder to the marinade for a golden, Vietnamese-Indian-influenced variation.

Storage

Refrigerate leftover chicken up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat in a 180C/350F oven for 10-15 minutes to keep the skin from going soggy; avoid microwaving if possible.

Frequently Asked Questions