Chicken Banh Mi
Crispy baguette filled with lemongrass chicken, pickled vegetables, and Vietnamese condiments. A bright, balanced sandwich that tastes like a trip to Saigon.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 578
- Protein
- 38g
Ingredients
- ¾ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 stalks fresh lemongrass, white and pale green parts only, minced
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- ⅓ cup daikon radish, peeled
- ⅓ cup carrot, peeled
- ⅓ cup white vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 whole baguette, 12 inches long
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
- 1 whole jalapeño, sliced into thin rings
- ⅓ whole cucumber, sliced lengthwise into thin strips
Instructions
- 1
Cut the daikon and carrot into matchstick pieces roughly 2 inches long and the thickness of a toothpick by using a vegetable peeler or knife to slice them lengthwise, then cutting those thin slices into thin sticks.
- 2
Pour the white vinegar and 0.33 cup water into a small bowl, then stir in 1 tablespoon sugar until the sugar dissolves, about 30 seconds.
- 3
Add the daikon and carrot sticks to the vinegar mixture, stir to coat, and let sit at room temperature while you cook the chicken, about 20 minutes.
- 4
Chop the lemongrass stalks into pieces smaller than a grain of rice by placing them on a cutting board and using a sharp knife to mince them repeatedly until they are light and fluffy, about 2 minutes total.
- 5
Place the minced lemongrass, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, and 1 tablespoon honey into a small bowl and stir until blended, about 20 seconds.
- 6
Pat the chicken thighs dry on both sides using paper towels, which helps them brown better and cook through evenly.
- 7
Rub the lemongrass-fish sauce paste all over both sides of each chicken thigh until completely coated, using your fingers to work it into any crevices.
- 8
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.
- 9
Place the chicken thighs skin-side down in the hot skillet and do not move them for 5 minutes until the surface turns deep golden brown.
- 10
Flip each chicken thigh over using tongs and cook the other side for 5 more minutes until that side also turns deep golden brown.
- 11
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the skillet with a lid, and cook for 4 more minutes until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F when tested with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center without touching bone.
- 12
Remove the skillet from heat and let the chicken rest in the pan for 2 minutes, which allows the juices to settle and keeps the meat moist.
- 13
Transfer the chicken thighs to a cutting board and slice each one against the grain (perpendicular to the long muscle fibers) into strips about 0.25 inch thick.
- 14
Split the baguette in half lengthwise (top to bottom) by cutting parallel to the long axis, then open it like a book.
- 15
Spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise on the inside of the bottom baguette half in a thin, even layer.
- 16
Arrange half the sliced lemongrass chicken in a single layer on top of the mayonnaise, covering the length of the baguette.
- 17
Using tongs or a fork, lift the pickled daikon and carrot from the vinegar, allow excess liquid to drip off, then arrange them over the chicken in a single even layer.
- 18
Scatter half of the cilantro leaves over the vegetables, pressing gently so they stick to the moist surfaces.
- 19
Scatter half of the mint leaves over the cilantro in the same way.
- 20
Arrange half of the jalapeño rings in a single scattered layer over the herbs.
- 21
Arrange half of the cucumber strips over the jalapeños, laying them at a slight angle to create visual interest.
- 22
Spread the remaining 1 tablespoon mayonnaise on the inside of the top baguette half in a thin, even layer.
- 23
Close the sandwich by pressing the top baguette half down onto the filling, then cut the sandwich in half diagonally to create two triangular halves.
- 24
Repeat steps 15–23 with the remaining baguette half and remaining filling to create a second sandwich.
Tools you’ll need
- small bowl
- paper towels
- 10-inch skillet with lid
- tongs
- instant-read thermometer
- cutting board
- sharp knife
- vegetable peeler
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
