Air Fryer Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken
Why this recipe works
- Aromatic marinade: Lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, soy and brown sugar create a savoury-sweet coating with plenty of fragrance.
- Better browning: Cooking the thighs skin side up in the air fryer helps the surface brown while the meat stays juicy.
- Bright finish: Fresh lime added after cooking cuts through the rich chicken skin and sharpens the lemongrass flavour.
Get the most out of this recipe
Ingredient notes
- Use the tender lemongrass centre: Trim away the tough outer layers and use the pale inner stalks, slicing them very finely so they cling to the chicken and soften as they cook.
- Watch the salty elements: Fish sauce and soy sauce both bring salt as well as savoury depth, so avoid adding extra salty condiments until you have tasted the finished chicken.
- Add lime at the end: Squeezing lime over the chicken just before serving keeps the flavour fresh and prevents the citrus from dulling during cooking.
Common mistakes
- Overfilling the basket: Arrange the thighs in a single layer. If they overlap, the chicken will steam rather than brown properly.
- Leaving on too much marinade: Let excess marinade drip back into the bowl before cooking. The sugar helps the glaze brown, but pooled marinade can catch too quickly.
- Not checking bone-in thighs: Bone-in pieces can vary in size, so cook until the thickest part releases clear juices when pierced.
Make-ahead tips
- Marinate safely if preparing early: For longer preparation, keep the coated chicken covered in the fridge rather than at room temperature, then let the chill ease slightly before air frying.
- Reheat in the air fryer: Reheat leftovers at 180°C (355°F) until piping hot, then finish with fresh lime after reheating.
- Freezer-friendly: Cool the cooked chicken quickly, freeze in a sealed container, and defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- Trim the lemongrass, then finely slice the tender inner part; peel and crush the garlic. In a mixing bowl, stir together the lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, light soy sauce, brown sugar, black pepper and vegetable oil until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the chicken thighs and turn well to coat, working the marinade into the skin side. Marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature.
- Preheat the air fryer to 200°C (390°F) for 3 minutes. Lift the chicken from the marinade, letting any excess drip back into the bowl.
- Arrange the chicken in the air fryer basket in a single layer, skin side up. Air fry for 10 minutes, then turn and cook for 8 to 12 minutes more, until deeply browned and the juices run clear when the thickest part is pierced.
- Rest the chicken for 3 minutes. Cut the lime and squeeze over the chicken just before serving.
Recipe notes
Tips
- For the best flavour, slice the lemongrass as finely as you can so it clings to the chicken and perfumes the glaze.
- If your air fryer is small, cook in batches so the chicken browns rather than steams; keep the first batch warm on a plate while the rest cooks.
Substitutions
- Replace Light soy sauce with Fish sauce for a punchier, saltier finish (reduce Fish sauce to 1.5 tbsp overall).
- Replace Brown sugar with Caster sugar for a cleaner sweetness, keeping the same amount.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 3 days
- Cool quickly, then refrigerate in a sealed container. Reheat in the air fryer at 180°C (355°F) for 6 to 10 minutes until piping hot; squeeze fresh lime over after reheating. Freeze for up to 2 months and defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 3 servings
- Total time: 45min (20min active)
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
-
Allergens:
Soybeans
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