Stir-Fried Chicken with Lemongrass
on Aug 19, 2025
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This Vietnamese-inspired Stir-Fried Chicken with Lemongrass (Gà Xào Sả Ớt) is an under-half-an-hour, flavorful, pop-in-the-kisser meal. Tender chicken coated in a fragrant glaze of lemongrass, garlic, chiles, and fish sauce. Aromatic, simple, and unforgettable, as well as easy enough for weeknight cooking.
This is a Vietnamese-inspired stir-fry (gà xào sả ớt) featuring chicken and aromatic, distinctive lemongrass, one of the most delightful ingredients used in much Southeast Asian cooking. Lemongrass has a perfumy element that adds a hauntingly appealing element to any dish it’s added to. Here, it’s chunks of chicken and some aromatics in a glazey sauce that you’ll want to sop up every drop. Like something you would happily order at a Vietnamese restaurant (in fact, it’s a very popular dish on many Vietnamese menus).
Even though the flavors of this stir-fry are complex, it comes together very quickly, especially if you prep the ingredients ahead of time. You can cube the chicken, chop or slice the vegetables, and tuck them in the fridge. The chicken can also be marinated in the fridge for several hours instead of quickly at room temperature. Then, once you start the stir-fry process, it will be about 15 minutes until dinner is on the table.
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Definitely start the rice (if making) before you heat the pan for the stir-fry, since the stir-fry goes quickly! You can also serve this over rice noodles (please link). It would be terrific paired with Vietnamese Mango Salad with Shrimp. And for those who are craving even more flavor, think about passing around a little bowl of Nuoc Mam Chanh for drizzling and dipping.
Ingredients
- Cornstarch – When mixed with water, this makes a slurry that will help thicken the sauce once the broth is added.
- Chicken – You can choose between cubed boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs. Thigh meat will take another couple of minutes to cook.
- Oil – Used to sauté the chicken and then the aromatics. Any neutral-flavored oil, such as grapeseed, vegetable, or canola oil, is fine.
- Onions – Halved and thinly sliced of any color.
- Garlic – Here’s how to mince garlic — fresh is always best!
- Chili pepper – Use Thai or serrano peppers and mince them up. If you leave the seeds in the dish, it will be spicier, but if you want a milder stir-fry, you can seed the chiles before chopping them.
- Lemongrass stalks – You want to use the tender inner white part only. The rest of the more fibrous lemongrass can be saved and added to flavor broths and stocks for other Southeast Asian recipes.
For the Love of Lemongrass
Read more on lemongrass and how to cook with it. And if you get into the lemongrass thing (which you will!), try this Lemongrass Cocktail!
- Broth – You can use chicken or vegetable broth, and I prefer to use less-sodium broth to have more control over the salt content of the dish.
- Scallions – These are cut into 1-inch pieces (both the white and green parts), and add both flavor and color to the dish.
- Fish sauce – Another ingredient that immediately signals you are in Southeast Asian territory!
- Sugar – Just a touch, which balances all the flavors without adding any perceptible sweetness
- Fresh cilantro leaves – Unless you really don’t like cilantro, please don’t skip this herb! It brings a fresh flavor to the stir-fry.
- Hot cooked rice – Optional, of course, but this stir-fry has such good flavor you’ll be happy for the base to soak it all up.
How to Make Lemongrass Chicken
- Marinate the chicken: Combine the cornstarch and water in a large bowl until blended. Add the chicken, toss, and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- Stir-fry: Cook the chicken in the oil in two batches, and set aside. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan over high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes until the onions start to soften. Add garlic, chilis, and lemongrass and stir for just 15 seconds until you can smell the aromatics.
- Add sauce ingredients: Pour in the broth and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened and the sauce reduces by about half, about 4 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan along with the scallions, fish sauce, and sugar. Cook, stirring, for another 3 to 4 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve: Serve hot, with the cilantro sprinkled on top and over rice, if desired.
Variations and Substitutions
- If you want to try another protein in place of the chicken, go for it.
- Shrimp will take significantly less time to cook, while cubed beef and pork will take roughly the same amount of time.
- Cubed pork chops or pork loin are a good choice.
- If you decide to go with beef, make sure you pick a quick-cooking cut. Choose a steak cut like filet mignon, sirloin, or strip steak and cube the meat yourself for the best flavor. This also allows you to maintain control over the size of the cubes, so that the meat is done to your liking at the same time.
- You can use 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes if you don’t have fresh chilies, or sub in jalapeño pepper.
- You can add other vegetables like small broccoli florets, sliced bell pepper, and 1-inch pieces of asparagus. Add them when you return the cooked chicken to the pan.
What to Serve With Stir-Fried Chicken and Lemongrass
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Stir-Fried Chicken with Lemongrass
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs (cubed)
- 5 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil (divided)
- 2 onions (halved and thinly sliced)
- 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
- 2 small Thai or serrano chiles (minced; see Note)
- 2 lemongrass stalks (tender inner white part only; minced; about 1/4 cup)
- 1 cup less-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 3 scallions (cut into 1-inch pieces; white and green parts)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- Hot cooked rice (to serve; optional)
Instructions
- Combine the cornstarch and water in a large bowl until blended. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add half the marinated chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until the outside is mostly white. Turn the chicken onto a plate. Repeat with 2 more tablespoons of oil and the remaining chicken, then add that to the first batch of partially cooked chicken.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan over high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes until the onions start to soften. Add garlic, chilis, and lemongrass and stir for just 15 seconds until you can smell the aromatics.
- Pour in the broth and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened and the sauce reduces by about half, about 4 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan along with the scallions, fish sauce, and sugar. Cook, stirring, for another 3 to 4 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve hot, with the cilantro sprinkled on top and over rice, if desired.
