Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken Rice Noodle Bowl

Ingredients

• 2 boneless chicken thighs
• 2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 8 oz rice vermicelli noodles
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 1 cup cucumber, julienned
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• Fresh mint, basil, and cilantro leaves
• 3 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp fish sauce (for dressing)
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar (for dressing)
• 1 bird's eye chili, sliced
• Crushed roasted peanuts

Instructions

1. Combine lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Marinate chicken for 20 minutes.
2. Grill or pan-fry chicken thighs over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes per side until charred and cooked through. Rest 5 minutes, then slice.
3. Cook rice vermicelli per package instructions. Rinse under cold water and drain.
4. Make nuoc cham dressing: whisk lime juice, fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and chili with 3 tbsp water.
5. Divide noodles into bowls. Arrange cucumber, carrots, and bean sprouts around the noodles.
6. Top with sliced lemongrass chicken and a generous pile of fresh herbs.
7. Drizzle nuoc cham dressing over everything and finish with crushed peanuts.