I ordered from my favorite Vietnamese spot last week and was so inspired by the flavors that I immediately wanted to develop this Air Fryer Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi Bowl.
There are two things I love in this world: a dinner bowl (or ideally, a blate) and an Asian-inspired recipe. And this recipe checks both of those boxes.
It starts with a bit of rice and then a beautiful marinated and air-fried lemongrass chicken thigh. Pair it with quick-pickled carrot and daikon radish. Then top it with a homemade sriracha mayo and a bunch of fresh cilantro.
All the flavors you love from a banh mi but made into a healthy, high-protein dinner bowl (in under 30 minutes, might I add).
For more simple asian-inspired dinner bowls:
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Why You’ll Love It
- High-protein. Nutritionally balanced with 40g of protein per bowl from the chicken thigh and accompanying ingredients. Designed to support your goals, whether that’s weight loss, muscle growth, or just satisfaction.
- 25 minutes from start to finish. This recipe is designed to be easy and use the minimal amount of fussy ingredients and plates, which means dinner is on the table in under 30 minutes and there isn’t a sink full of dishes to clean at the end.
- It tastes like takeout. The lemongrass chicken is the real deal, and the air fryer takes it over the top and makes it super easy.
- Meal-prep friendly. You can make a big batch and eat it every day of the week without getting sick of it.
Love this? My Air Fryer Salmon Bowls with Bang Bang Sauce is another one I return to often. Crispy salmon bites, over rice with quick-pickled veggies and a creamy bang bang sauce.
Key Ingredients
This air fryer lemongrass chicken bowl comes together with just a couple of main ingredients.
- Chicken thighs. I like to use boneless skinless. They get marinated in a delicious Vietnamese lemongrass marinade and then air-fried so they stay juicy and get a little crispy on the outside.
- Lemongrass, garlic, and shallot. These are essential for that distinct lemongrass chicken flavor. I throw them all in the food processor to keep things simple and save you from cleaning up a bunch of dishes and kitchen tools.
- Fish sauce. This is an unskippable ingredient. It’s salty, umami, and essential for the marinade.
- Brown sugar. This helps balance the marinade and gives you those caramelized edges in the air fryer.
- Carrot and daikon. These get quick-pickled for a nice bright veggie contrast that brings that signature banh mi flavor.
- Sriracha mayo. Just mayo, sriracha, and some lime juice for a simple drizzle that adds a bunch of flavor.
- Jasmine rice. Make it fresh or use a microwave pouch or frozen rice to keep things simple. This is the base of the bowl.
Looking for more asian-inspired recipes? Try my Sticky Miso Glazed Salmon Bowl. It adapts the famous Nobu miso cod into a weeknight-friendly air fryer dinner (using salmon).
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How to Make This Air Fryer Lemongrass Chicken Bowl
This recipe is designed to be easy. Although there are a couple of steps involved, it’s all done in about 25 minutes and the flavors will make the effort totally worth it.
Make the marinade
Throw lemongrass, garlic, and shallot into a food processor and pulse until finely minced. Then add your fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, and lime zest and pulse a few more times until well combined.
Marinate your chicken
Pour the marinade over your chicken thighs in a bowl or Ziploc bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, but 24 hours is ideal.
Quick-pickle your veggies
Whisk rice vinegar with warm water, sugar, and salt until everything is dissolved. Then add julienned carrot and daikon and let them sit at room temp while the chicken cooks.
Air fry your chicken
Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Air fry the chicken for 15 minutes, flipping halfway, until the edges are charred and you hit an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C). Let rest for a couple of minutes, then slice.
Mix your sriracha mayo
Simply stir together mayo, sriracha, and lime juice until smooth.
Build your bowl
Rice as the base, topped with your sliced chicken, your drained pickled veggies, a bunch of fresh cilantro, a drizzle of sriracha mayo, and a fresh squeeze of lime.
If you often make dinner for two, my Healthy Air Fryer Meals for Two roundup was made for you.
Victoria’s Tips
A couple of small things that make this bowl go from good to great.
- Marinate overnight if you can. Although 30 minutes works in a pinch, the flavor gets so much better if you have a little longer to marinate.
- Let it get a little char in the air fryer. Don’t be afraid of a bit of color. Leave the chicken in just long enough so that the edges are deeply browned and slightly charred. You’re going to get a delicious caramelized crust that has that distinct lemongrass chicken flavor.
- Let the chicken rest before slicing. Just a couple of minutes on the cutting board will keep the chicken juicy.
- Don’t skip the cilantro and fresh lime. Finishing your bowl with a large handful of fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice brings so much flavor. You don’t want to miss it.
Lazy Girl Version
If you’re feeling extra lazy, here’s what you can do to make this recipe super low-effort.
- Use prepared pastes for the marinade. Skip the food processor altogether and buy garlic, ginger, and lemongrass paste. Then simply whisk all the ingredients together and marinate your chicken. For an even lazier version, you can buy a Vietnamese-style marinade like a sweet chili sauce or a lemongrass marinade and throw your chicken straight in.
- Buy pre-made sriracha mayo. I like the Kewpie brand, but Trader Joe’s also makes a good one.
- Skip the quick pickle. Simply buy some shredded carrots and throw them in the bowl. It’s not quite as good, but it definitely gets the job done.
Storage & Meal Prep
Store all components separately in airtight containers. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheats best in the air fryer at 375°F for 4 to 5 minutes to re-crisp.
FAQ
Totally, just pan-sear the chicken thighs over medium-high heat in a hot oiled skillet for 5 to 6 minutes per side until they’re caramelized at the edges and cooked through. A hot grill works really well, too, if you want that smoky char that lemongrass chicken is known for.
Easily can be. Two swaps and you’re set: sub tamari or coconut aminos for the soy sauce, and double-check the label on your fish sauce since not all of them are gluten-free.
Yep! Pork tenderloin or boneless pork chops are actually the traditional move for Vietnamese lemongrass marinades and work really well. Shrimp or extra-firm tofu work too, just adjust the cook time based on thickness.
This one is great for meal prep. The marinade actually gets better after 24 hours, the pickled veggies keep for a week, and the sriracha mayo holds for days. Just store each component separately and assemble when you’re ready to eat.
Air Fryer Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi Bowl
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Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
- Add 2 stalks lemongrass (whites only), 3 cloves garlic, and 1 small shallot to a food processor and pulse until finely minced, scraping down the sides as needed. Add 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp brown sugar, and 1 tsp lime zest then pulse a few more times to combine into a loose paste.
- Add 12 oz boneless skinless chicken thighs to a zip-top bag or bowl, pour the marinade over the top, and toss to coat. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Arrange the marinated chicken thighs in a single layer and air fry for 15 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and 165°F internal. Let rest 5 minutes, then slice.
- While the chicken cooks, whisk ¼ cup rice vinegar, 1 tbsp warm water, 1 tsp sugar, and ½ tsp salt in a medium bowl until dissolved. Add ½ cup julienned carrot and ½ cup julienned daikon radish and let sit at room temperature.
- Stir 2 tbsp mayonnaise with 2 tsp sriracha and 1 tbsp lime juice until smooth.
- Heat 2 cups cooked jasmine rice in the microwave according to package directions. Divide rice between two bowls, top with sliced chicken, drained pickled vegetables, and a handful of cilantro. Drizzle with sriracha mayo and serve with lime wedges.
Nutrition
Notes
- No air fryer: Pan-sear the thighs over medium-high heat in a hot oiled skillet for 5 to 6 minutes per side.
- Make-ahead: The chicken can marinate up to 24 hours, and the pickled vegetables hold in the fridge for up to a week. This is a great Sunday-prep bowl.
- Storage: Leftovers store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Lemongrass shortcut: Frozen minced lemongrass (Trader Joe’s or H Mart) works just as well as fresh and skips the prep entirely.
- Lazy version: Skip the food processor entirely. Sub the fresh lemongrass, garlic, and shallot for 1 tablespoon each of lemongrass paste, garlic paste, and ginger paste (all sold in tubes in the produce section), then whisk the marinade together in a bowl. Grab a bottle of pre-made sriracha mayo (Kewpie or Trader Joe’s) and you’re down to one step.
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More Recipes To Try
- 17 Easy Air Fryer Dinner Ideas (High-Protein & Ready in 30)
- 10 Healthy Air Fryer Meals for Two with 30+ Grams of Protein
- 7 High-Protein Meals with 50 Grams of Protein
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ridiculously tasty
Delicious! Very good explications!
Thank you!!
Hi Claude, very happy to hear from you. I’m glad you enjoyed!