Sometimes the simplest things can come together and be amazing.
That is how I feel about Vietnamese noodle dishes. Each component on its own seems rather mundane – noodles, vegetables, herbs, chicken. However, when you put them all together and add in a sauce that is all about complexity and balance, you get a taste extravaganza.
Vietnamese grilled chicken with rice vermicelli noodles is warm and cool, sweet and salty, fresh and tart all at once. It’s complex without being fussy.
The Secret Sauce in Vietnamese Noodle Bowls
An important part of Vietnamese grilled chicken noodle bowls is the dipping sauce (also known as fish sauce or Nuoc Cham). The term “fish sauce” can be a little confusing because it refers to both the concentrated stuff you buy in the bottle as well as the sauce you make using the concentrated fish sauce.
Although the sauce you make to eat with the chicken and noodles is not really a dipping sauce (you pour the sauce over the noodles), that is how the sauce is commonly referred so I decided to use the same naming convention here. Like so much of Vietnamese cooking, this sauce balances sweet, salty, and sour flavors. It ties all the other ingredients together so don’t skip that part of the recipe.
I am not particularly loyal to the brands shown in these photos. I wanted to include pictures of these ingredients in case this is your first time working with them. Given the choice, I usually buy the Red Boat brand fish sauce. However, the last time I needed fish sauce, the store where I was only had the Thai Kitchen brand and it has been fine. Most grocery stores nowadays will carry these items in their Asian or Ethnic Cooking aisle. If your store does not carry them, it is time for an adventurous outing to your local Asian grocery store.
How to Cook Rice Vermicelli Noodles
Cooking rice vermicelli noodles does not take long so do not get distracted and forget about them or you will quickly end up with a mess of mushy tasteless noodles.
I set a timer for 6 minutes once I add the noodles to the boiling water. I also turn down the heat so the water is at a low simmer. As the noodles soften, stir them gently to prevent sticking. You do not want to stir too aggressively which can cause the noodles to break.
When the timer goes off, take some noodles from the pot, rinse them under cool water and taste them. The noodles should be firm-tender. Depending on the brand, some noodles may take longer than 6 minutes. I have just found that 6 minutes is a good time to start checking.
Once the noodles are cooked to your liking, drain them in a strainer and rinse with cool water. Unlike Italian pastas, rice noodles need to be rinsed.
Note that rice vermicelli noodles are sometimes called rice stick noodles or pad thai noodles. Do not confuse these with mung bean noodles which are thinner and more clear looking.
This chicken tastes best when it is grilled. However, my husband is the grill expert in our family and he was not available when I needed to take these pictures. So, I roasted the chicken in the oven until it was almost cooked through and then finished cooking it under the broiler to get some nice charring. It worked great.
Noodles bowls are extremely flexible so feel free to get creative with the vegetable toppings. Cucumber, fresh Thai basil, and pickled radishes are all great additions. Just don’t skip the secret sauce.
Vietnamese Grilled Chicken with Rice Vermicelli Noodles
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus marinating time)
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grilled
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Description
Chargrilled chicken served with rice vermicelli noodles, fresh vegetables and herbs, and classic Vietnamese dipping sauce.
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 5–6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
For the Vietnamese dipping sauce (Nuoc Cham)
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
- 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic, optional
- 4 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
For serving
- Shredded carrots, lettuce, and cucumbers
- Chopped cilantro leaves
- Chopped mint leaves
- Cooked Vietnamese rice vermicelli noodles (about 8 ounces)
Instructions
For the chicken
- Marinate chicken: Whisk lime juice, fish sauce, garlic, chili garlic sauce, sugar and oil in a small bowl. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the marinade for basting later. Pour the remainder into a large resealable plastic bag. Add chicken pieces to the bag and turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to 1 hour, turning occasionally.
- Heat grill: Prepare grill for medium-high heat and oil the grill rack.
- Cook chicken: Grill the chicken, covered, turning several times and basting the browned sides with the reserved marinade, until well browned and slightly charred, and cooked through (internal temperature of 165 degrees F).
For the Vietnamese dipping sauce (Nuoc Cham)
- Make sauce: Mix the sugar and water together in a medium bowl until all the sugar is dissolved. Stir in remaining ingredients.
For serving
- Serve: Slice the grilled chicken. Place desired amount of noodles, fresh vegetables, cilantro, and mint in a bowl. Top with sliced chicken. Pour in desired amount of dipping sauce and enjoy.
Notes
- You can also cook the chicken in the oven rather than cooking it on the grill. Roast at 375 degrees until the chicken is almost cooked through, 15-20 minutes, turning at least once. Then turn on the broiler and broil the chicken about 4-5 inches from the heat, turning and basting the chicken until cooked through and lightly charred.
- Recipe for chicken adapted from Eating Well.
Keywords: Vietnamese grilled chicken, vermicelli noodle bowls, fish sauce, Vietnamese dipping sauce, Vietnamese noodle bowl
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So excited for dinner tonight! The marinade smells amazing and nuoc cham is just right. Thanks!
Just finished…wow!! The chicken marinade was incredible.
I am so happy you enjoyed it. Thanks for letting me know.
I love Bun. Can’t wait to try this tomorrow. Thanks for posting!
Thanks for the comment. I hope you like it.
good food, horrible smelling marinade. Has to stove top the chicken, my kids decided they need gas masks to eat the food. It’s not that they don’t like it, just the smell is hard to get past.
Fish sauce can be pretty strong. Sorry this recipe didn’t work for you.
I LOVE it making it again
I’m so glad you liked it, Meg. Thank you for coming back to leave a comment.
My Vietnamese friend adviced me how to cook vermicelli and they do not need to be rinsed. Just leave them overnight soaking in water and cook for a few minutes! I tried and it’s much better!
Thanks for the tip, Ewelina. I’ve never tried that method. I learned the cooking and rinsing method from my mother and it’s always worked well for me.
I really love this salad from Vietnamese stores, looking forward to making it at home 🙂 Thank you so much for posting the recipe! I don’t suppose you have any idea what the crispy bits are they put on traditional Vietnamese salads? (normally with peanuts).
I would guess the crispy bits are fried shallots. They are essentially thinly sliced shallots that are deep fried. You can buy them at most asian grocery stores if you don’t want to fry your own.
The Vietnamese chicken dish came out excellent. My husband loved it. i did too!
Thanks, Denine! So glad you liked it.
I wasn’t sure about this… but it was delicious! My family loved it, authentic flavour, thank you!
So glad you tried it and loved it! Thanks for letting me know.
I made this yesterday and it was really so good! Thank you so much for sharing this!!
★★★★★
Thank you for an awesome recipe! I have tried this a few times and my family loves it.
★★★★★
You’re so welcome Ali! Thank you for your lovely comment and 5-star review.
Have made this too many times to count and just about to do it again. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe.
★★★★★
Thanks, Jamie! I’m honored to be part of your regular recipe rotation!