Com Ga Nuong (Vietnamese Grilled Chicken with Rice)

Ingredients

• 1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2 cup jasmine rice (broken rice if available)
• 4 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 4 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp lemongrass, minced
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cucumber, sliced (optional)
• 1 tomato, sliced (optional)
• ¼ cup fresh mint or cilantro, chopped (optional)
• ½ cup nuoc cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce) (optional)

Steps

1. In a bowl, whisk together fish sauce, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, minced garlic, minced lemongrass, sesame oil, and black pepper to create the marinade.
2. Add chicken thighs to the marinade, ensuring they are fully coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours.
3. While chicken marinates, rinse the jasmine rice and cook according to package directions. Keep warm.
4. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grates.
5. Remove chicken from marinade, discarding any excess. Grill chicken for 5-7 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and chicken is nicely charred.
6. Let the grilled chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain into 1/2-inch thick pieces.
7. Serve the sliced grilled chicken over the cooked rice. Garnish with fresh cucumber, tomato, and herbs if desired. Offer nuoc cham on the side for dipping.