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Home » Recipe » Bun Ga Nuong Recipe | Vermicelli Noodle Bowl with Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

Nov 12, 2019 · Last Updated: Apr 1, 2020 by Calleigh ~

Bun Ga Nuong Recipe | Vermicelli Noodle Bowl with Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

Jump to Recipe

Bun Ga Nuong aka Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken or Vermicelli Noodle Bowl is just one of the mouth-watering Vietnamese recipes. Topped with your favorite veggies, Vietnamese lemongrass chicken and laced with Nuoc Cham, the famous dipping sauce that’s served with everything in Vietnam.

Bun Ga Nuong
This Vietnamese noodle bowl is so refreshing

Jump to:
  • Vermicelli Bowl
  • Textures and Flavors
  • Ingredients
  • Step by step instructions
  • Tips on How to Store the Lemongrass
  • Other Asian Salad Recipes:
  • Full Recipe

When I step out of our house and decide to have a healthy meal, my immediate choice is to go to the row of Asian restaurants in the neighborhood.

There, you would most likely get tons of fresh, pungent vegetables and herbs. Yes, there will be choices of meats, but they would surely be cooked with vegetables as well.

One of the healthiest cuisines you could ever experience is Vietnamese. Have you ever been to Vietnam? As you make your way through Vietnam’s streets, your nasal passages are filled with the aromatic smells of fish sauce and fresh herbs.

Balance is the key to all Vietnamese recipes. Vietnam has a collection of different lands, yet its food has a stunning balance of saltiness, pungency, sweetness, heat, cold, and sourness. All these flavor components are present in this Bun Ga Nuong recipe.

Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken
Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken drizzled with Nuoc Cham dippings

It is expected for the Vietnamese Noodle soup, pho, to take the stage. It’s a delicious, hot dish, perfect for cold or rainy days. Yet, when the day is quite warm, the Vietnamese salad dish called bun ga nuong, is the optimal choice.

Vermicelli Bowl

Vietnamese Noodle Bowl is light and full of fresh flavors. Its main characters are fresh Vietnamese herbs, lemongrass, fresh vegetables, rice noodles, chicken, and that mouth-watering dressing or dipping sauce (nuoc cham).

It may look complicated, but this dish is incredibly easy to prepare for either lunch or dinner. What’s more, it’s gluten-free.

Ga Nuong Recipe

Many years have passed since we visited Vietnam. While I did some organizing, I found my folder of compiled recipes. In it, I found the crumpled and stained recipe pages from a cooking class we attended there.

It could probably be the most flavorful, most fun, and most memorable cooking classes we have had abroad. The Hoa Sua Vocational Training School ran the classes in Hanoi. The proceeds go to the training and education of the local disadvantaged kids.

The beautiful instructor was a stern, trans-gender chef. She taught us how to make lemongrass chicken, fresh spring rolls, and grilled turmeric fish. The seasoned chef also introduced is to the unconventional use of marjoram and dill in Vietnamese cuisine.

She introduced us to stinkweed or sawtooth coriander and stinkweed galangal juice as well. We all learned how tastier food becomes when it is grilled over charcoal than over a barbecue.

There are times when a really great recipe is not really about the recipe itself but the gathering and assembly of the right ingredients. When I made this dish in Vietnam, I didn’t measure the ingredients at all. I just cooked according to my taste, which is exactly what I would like you to do as well.

Textures and Flavors

The variations in textures and temperatures of this recipe are unique. They appeal to me. The heat of the grilled Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken combined with the crunchy and cool vegetables such as daikon, cucumber, bean sprouts, and carrots.

The piquant Vietnamese Nuoc Cham dressing, refreshing herbs, and vermicelli rice noodles just make this recipe a complete feast, stimulating all your senses.

Vietnamese Noodle Bowl Recipe
Lemongrass Chicken recipe

Ingredients

Bun Ga Nuong is often assembled in a bowl. You can make it with grilled prawns or chicken, which should be marinated in lemongrass first.

Though the recipe called for vermicelli (traditional), you can substitute it with shirataki or daikon noodles to make the dish low-carb.

The star of the recipe is the lemongrass. It’s aromatic and zesty. You cannot use anything else to duplicate its flavor profile.

Ingredients:

    • 1.5 lb chicken thigh fillets

Chicken Marinade:

    • 1 tablespoon garlic chopped
    • ½ sliced of medium-size onion/shallot
    • 2 tablespoon brown sugar
    • 1 stalk of lemongrass trimmed and chopped
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 ½ teaspoon dark soy sauce
    • 1 ½ tablespoon fish sauce
    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Nouc Cham (Vietnamese dip Sauce):

    • ½ cup fish sauce
    • ¼ cup rice vinegar
    • 5 tablespoon water
    • 3 tablespoon brown sugar
    • 1 small garlic clove finely chopped
    • 1 Thai red chili finely chopped
    • ¼ cup fresh lime juice

the Toppings:

    • 7 oz dried vermicelli noodles
    • 2 cucumber julienned
    • 2 carrots julienned
    • 5 cups iceberg lettuce finely sliced
    • 3 cups bean sprouts
    • A handful of mint leaves
    • A handful of cilantro/coriander

Garnish:

  • Sliced red chili optional
  • 2 Lime wedges

Step by step instructions

Prep the Marinade:

① In a blender, combine sugar, garlic, shallots, and lemongrass and process to a fine mixture. Then, add the pepper, soy sauce, fish sauce, and oil. Blend to combine well to get that smooth texture.
② Vermicelli noodles topped with your favorite veggies and Vietnamese lemongrass chicken. Laced with Nuoc Cham, the famous dipping sauce that’s served with everything in Vietnam.

③ Place the chicken in a ziplock bag, pour the marinade mixture. Toss and turn to coat the chicken well. Seal the ziplock bag and marinate for about an hour or refrigerate up to 24 hours (recommended).

Grill the Chicken:

④ Once ready to use, let the marinated chicken sit at room temperature or 30 minutes to remove some chill before grilling.
⑤ Preheat a grill to medium-high. Grill the chicken for 6-8 minutes turning them on both sides or until cooked.
Nick with a knife to test the doneness and transfer to a plate once ready.

Nuoc Cham Sauce:

⑥ In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir well to dissolve the sugar. You can adjust the spiciness, the sweetness and lime according to your taste. Set aside for 20 minutes to let the ingredients mend together.

Assemble:

⑦ Soak the vermicelli noodles in hot water (or check the package instructions). But I cooked the vermicelli for 7 minutes as per package instructions. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the noodles from sticking together.
⑧ Arrange the noodles in a bowl, top with the toppings and the sliced chicken. Drizzle with the Nuoc Cham sauce (2-3 tablespoon or more according to your taste) and serve with lime wedges.

Vietnamese Chicken recipe
Vietnamese Chicken Recipe

Tips on How to Store the Lemongrass

I grow lemongrass in our backyard garden. It loves water, but always monitor its growth because it can take over the entire yard easily. If you don’t have lemongrass, or if it’s struggling in dry soil like mine, you can acquire it from your nearest Asian market.

Each time I purchase a bunch of lemongrass, I make sure to peel the outer layer of the stalks. I also separate the light green, green, and white portions.

The green parts are the ones I freeze and use in making rice, soups, or tea. I use the light green and white parts in making lemongrass paste.

  1. For the paste, I slice the light green and white parts into fine pieces. I then grind them with just a pinch of coarse salt.
  2. Use at least six lemongrass stems to make the paste work better. The time to make it depends on the lumpiness of the stalk. You can freeze the lemongrass pulp in your empty ice tray.
  3. Then, transfer the lemongrass cubes in a jar and freeze them. Just get one or two cubes for each use.

Lemongrass pulp is also available in your local supermarket but expect it to be filled with additives. Citric acid can affect the lemongrass taste significantly.

I wouldn’t use dried lemongrass powder either, because it tastes similar to wood shavings and not like lemongrass.

If you’re looking for a light, satisfying, healthy meal, packed with that distinct flavor explosion, you should try this recipe. There is no doubt that this Bun Ga Nuong recipe will change your life with every bite.

Other Asian Salad Recipes:

  • Thai Beef Salad
  • Vietnamese Cold Noodle Salad
  • Thai Cucumber Salad
  • Thai Green Papaya Salad | Som Tam

Full Recipe

Vermicelli noodles (Bun Ga Nuong) topped with your favorite veggies and Vietnamese lemongrass chicken. Laced with Nuoc Cham, the famous dipping sauce that’s served with everything in Vietnam.

Vermicelli Noodle Bowl | Bun Ga Nuong Recipe

3.67 from 12 votes
Pin Recipe
Vermicelli noodles (Bun Ga Nuong) topped with your favorite veggies and Vietnamese lemongrass chicken. Laced with Nuoc Cham, the famous dipping sauce that’s served with everything in Vietnam.
Servings: 5
Prep Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 lb chicken thigh fillets

Chicken Marinade:

  • 1 tablespoon garlic chopped
  • ½ sliced of medium-size onion/shallot
  • 2 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 stalk of lemongrass trimmed and chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 ½ teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 ½ tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Nouc Cham (Vietnamese Sauce):

  • ½ cup fish sauce
  • ¼ cup rice vinegar
  • 5 tablespoon water
  • 3 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 small garlic clove finely chopped
  • 1 Thai red chili finely chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh lime juice

Vietnamese Noodle Bowl Toppings:

  • 7 oz dried vermicelli noodles
  • 2 cucumber julienned
  • 2 carrots julienned
  • 5 cups iceberg lettuce finely sliced
  • 3 cups bean sprouts
  • A handful of mint leaves
  • A handful of cilantro/coriander

Garnish:

  • Sliced red chili optional
  • 2 Lime wedges

Instructions:

Prep the Marinade:

  • In a blender, combine sugar, garlic, shallots, and lemongrass and process to a fine mixture. Then, add the pepper, soy sauce, fish sauce, and oil. Blend to combine well to get that smooth texture.
    Vermicelli noodles topped with your favorite veggies and Vietnamese lemongrass chicken. Laced with Nuoc Cham, the famous dipping sauce that’s served with everything in Vietnam.
  • Place the chicken in a ziplock bag, pour the marinade mixture. Toss and turn to coat the chicken well. Seal the ziplock bag and marinate for about an hour or refrigerate up to 24 hours (recommended).

Grill the Chicken:

  • Once ready to use, let the marinated chicken sit at room temperature or 30 minutes to remove some chill before grilling.
  • Preheat a grill to medium-high. Grill the chicken for 6-8 minutes turning them on both sides or until cooked.
  • Nick with a knife to test the doneness and transfer to a plate once ready.

Nuoc Cham Sauce:

  • In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir well to dissolve the sugar. You can adjust the spiciness, the sweetness and lime according to your taste. Set aside for 20 minutes to let the ingredients mend together.

Assemble:

  • Soak the vermicelli noodles in hot water (or check the package instructions). But I cooked the vermicelli for 7 minutes as per package instructions. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the noodles from sticking together.
  • Arrange the noodles in a bowl, top with the toppings and the sliced chicken. Drizzle with the Nuoc Cham sauce (2-3 tablespoon or more according to your taste) and serve with lime wedges.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 756.71kcal | Carbohydrates: 73.76g | Protein: 42.52g | Fat: 33.61g | Saturated Fat: 8.23g | Sodium: 3652.98mg | Fiber: 7.62g | Sugar: 24.37g

Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.

Did you make this?I would love seeing what you've made! Tag me on Instagram @theforkbitedotcom or leave me a comment or rating below.
Course: Main Course, Recipe
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Keywords: Bun Ga nuong, Bun Ga Nuong recipe, Ga Nuong recipe, Vietnamese chicken, Vietnamese Lemongrass chicken, Vietnamese noodle bowl recipe, Vietnamese Vermicelli

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Danielle Wolter says

    November 15, 2019 at 3:51 am

    I am a huge fan of vietnamese cooking and this looks incredible. I love all the flavors used - lemongrass is one of my favorites (besides fish sauce of course). Great recipe!

  2. Dannii says

    November 15, 2019 at 1:40 am

    That looks super comforting. I love a noodle bowl.

  3. Adriana says

    November 15, 2019 at 12:06 am

    Absolutely love Vietnamese food and this recipe I need to make definitely saving for later.

  4. Sadia Malik says

    November 14, 2019 at 9:26 pm

    This looks so delicious and yum. I like the lemongrass.

  5. Gabi says

    November 13, 2019 at 8:48 am

    I love it how you describe the balance in Vietnamese recipes. I can easily imagine how this Bun Ga Nuong ticks all taste buds. Well done! Can't wait to travel to Vietnam:)

  6. Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says

    November 13, 2019 at 7:24 am

    The flavors in this are seriously sensational!! I love this dish.

  7. Alisa Infanti says

    November 13, 2019 at 7:24 am

    This looks delicious. I am off to Bali in a few weeks and you have inspired me to check out a local cooking class. Sounded like a wonderful experience!

  8. Ashley says

    November 13, 2019 at 7:20 am

    I cannot wait to make this!!!! All of my favorite flavors in a bowl!!

  9. Michelle says

    November 13, 2019 at 6:50 am

    Love the marinade and all the fresh veggies. So yummy

  10. Neha says

    November 12, 2019 at 9:31 pm

    This chicken looks super yum, tender and juicy! I will have to try it very soon.

  11. Morgan Eisenberg says

    November 12, 2019 at 6:48 pm

    lemongrass, thai chili, and plenty of fresh herbs. all my favorite Vietnamese flavors!

  12. Cindy Gordon says

    November 12, 2019 at 6:40 pm

    Oh it was the lemongrass that caught my eye! Such a tasty recipe! Thanks for sharing your creation!

  13. Adrianne says

    November 12, 2019 at 6:05 pm

    This looks like a seriously delicious chicken dish!! I love how juicy that chicken meat looks and so very tender too. I love Asian style chicken dishes and can't wait to try this one. Cheers

  14. Anita says

    November 12, 2019 at 5:00 pm

    This is one of our favorite Vietnamese dish to order whenever we go to a Vietnamese restaurant. So happy to see how easy it is to make at home. 🙂

3.67 from 12 votes (12 ratings without comment)

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abt me 150x150 Hi there, my name is Calleigh. Glad you're here, you will find recipes that are easy to make and taste fantastic. You’ll also find some of my personal favorite foods, ones I’ve eaten in restaurants. Thank you for stopping by.

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