A Vietnamese sandwich filled with grilled lemongrass marinated chicken thighs and topped with pickled vegetables and fresh herbs.
Banh mi was one Vietnamese dish my mom did not make when I was younger. I saw it on TV one day and knew I needed to try it! Banh mi is the only sandwich I ever crave. It is definitely one of my favorite Vietnamese dishes, after pho, of course. The first time I had this delicious sandwich was at a Vietnamese fusion restaurant in Barcelona, Spain. Shocker, right?! It was seriously love at first bite.
Since then, I am always on the lookout for banh mi on the menu at Vietnamese restaurants. If it’s on there you know I’m going to be ordering it! I also have made it at home countless times. After making my Vietnamese Pork Chops, I knew that the lemongrass marinade would make the perfect marinade for chicken in a banh mi. Boy, I was not disappointed! Traditional banh mi usually consist of some sort of pork filling, whether its pate or grilled pork, but chicken thighs are so good in this sandwich! It’s tender and the lemongrass marinade makes it so flavorful!
But let’s talk about the real star of the sandwich, the pickled daikon and carrots. This is what makes a banh mi a banh mi. Without the pickled vegetables, you’re just eating a pork or chicken sandwich. In my book, you can never have too much pickled veggies in a banh mi. I like mine to be piled high with pickled vegetables! Traditional Vietnamese pickled vegetables are sweetened with white sugar. I use a small amount of honey instead to counterbalance the vinegar. It’s so easy to make, but if you live near a big Asian market you might be able to find it premade.
Tidbits
- Meat– Chicken thighs or pork are my go-to proteins for banh mi. You can also use chicken breast, just be careful not to overcook it. I use a grill pan during the winter, but when it is warm enough outside, grilling the meat on the outdoor grill is the way to go!
- Pickled Vegetables– Traditional Vietnamese pickled vegetables consist of daikon and carrots. If you are making it at home make sure you prepare it at least the day before. I like to make mine at least 2 or 3 days in advance. The longer it sits in the vinegar, the better the flavors get. Salting the vegetables before adding them into the vinegar mixture softens them a bit by drawing out some of the water. You know when it’s ready when you are able to bend the julienned vegetables without it breaking. *See picture above. When assembling your sandwich don’t skip out on the veggies. Remember, this is what turns a plain chicken sandwich into a banh mi.
- Bread– I always use a French baguette for my banh mi. The baguette provides a nice crispy crust and chewy interior. Other recipes might call for sub rolls or other breads, but nothing compares to the French baguette. Trust me, there is no better bread for this sandwich.
Condiments
- Mayonnaise- This is one of the condiments that is needed for an authentic banh mi. Make sure you use a good mayo that you already love. Although not traditional, if you like a spicier sandwich, mix some sriracha with the mayo before spreading it on your bread. Are you a mayo hater? Don’t worry, I live with a mayo hater 😉 We use butter in place of the mayo for his banh mi.
- Maggi Seasoning Sauce– This is the other condiment that you would typically find in a traditional banh mi. Maggi seasoning is made out of soy and is similar to soy sauce, but less salty. I usually find it in the Asian section or the seasoning section of a large grocery store. If you can find it, don’t worry! Bragg liquid aminos has a similar flavor profile, you can use this instead if you can’t find the Maggi seasoning. I’ve also had banh mi without Maggi or the liquid aminos and it came out great!
Chicken Banh Mi
Ingredients
- 1 20-inch French baguette
Lemongrass Chicken- Marinate Overnight
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 3-inch lemongrass stalk cut in thirds and sliced
- 1 shallot thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Pickled Vegetables- Make at least the day before
- ½ large daikon (approximately 1/2 lb) peeled and julienned
- 2 large carrots peeled and julienned
- 2 teaspoon salt divided
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 cups water warm
- 1 cup white distilled vinegar
Condiments and Toppings
- Mayonnaise
- Maggi Seasoning Sauce
- Jalapenos sliced
- Fresh cilantro leaves chopped
Instructions
Chicken Marinade
- In a gallon size resealable bag combined the chicken marinade ingredients (lemongrass, shallot, garlic, fish sauce, coconut aminos, avocado oil, sesame oil, honey, and black pepper). Seal the bag, shake well to combine ingredients, then add the chicken. Reseal it (removing as much air as possible), shake the bag to coat all the chicken thighs in the marinade. Place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 2 hours or as long as overnight (the longer the better! I marinate mine overnight). Flip the bag over once half way through marinating time.
Pickled Vegetables
- Place julienned daikon and carrots into a colander over the sink. Sprinkle with 1 tsp of salt and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large measuring cup or bowl, mix honey into warm water until the honey has been fully incorporated. Add vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine.
- Check to see if you are able to bend the vegetable without it breaking. *See above for pictures. Once the vegetables have softened, run cold water over the vegetables to remove the salt. Drain well.
- Transfer vegetables to a large container with a lid. I use a large mason jar. Poor vinegar mixture over vegetables. Seal and refrigerate. *See notes below.
Cooking the Chicken
- Heat a grill pan on medium heat. Once heated evenly, add chicken thighs ensuring you leave the shallots and lemon grass behind in the marinade (discard marinade) and cook 5 minutes on each side, until browned and cooked through. Remove chicken from grill pan and set aside.
Assembling Sandwiches
- Split the French baguette lengthwise and then cut it to 4 or 5 equal servings. Optional- Warm baguettes in the oven preheated to 400F for 3-4 minutes. (I always warm my baguettes before assembling the sandwich.)
- Spread mayonnaise on one half of each individual baguette.
- Slice chicken thighs and a fill each baguette with the sliced chicken, pickled vegetables, jalapenos, cilantro, and a few splashes of Maggi Seasoning sauce.
- For best results, serve immediately while the chicken is still warm.