Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi

LEMONGRASS CHICKEN BANH MI

This lemongrass chicken banh mi is one of the best sandwiches you’ll ever eat.

There is no way I could pass up the opportunity to have pho when dining at a Vietnamese restaurant; therefore, I rarely opt for banh mi.

However, these excellent sandwiches changed my mind about banh mi in all its varieties the moment I put them together and tasted one.

This lemongrass chicken banh mi was a big hit with everyone who attended our blogging day, and we made and photographed seven other recipes that day.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE CARROT & DAIKON SALAD:

• 2 carrots
• 1 cup of daikon radish
• 2 tbsp. of sugar
• 1/2 tsp. of salt
• 3 tbsp. of rice wine vinegar
• 2 tsp. of sesame oil

FOR THE CHICKEN & MARINADE:

• 4 tbsp. of vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp. of fish sauce
• 1 tbsp. of oyster sauce
• 1/2 tsp. of red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp. of sugar
• 2 shallots
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 stalks of fresh lemongrass (chopped)
• 2 tsp. of lime zest
• 6 chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)

TO ASSEMBLE THE SANDWICHES:

• 1/4 cup of mayonnaise
• 2 tsp. of Sriracha
• 1 tbsp. of lime juice
• 1 baguette (cut into 4 equal pieces)
• 1 jalapeño (de-seeded and thinly sliced)
• 1 cup of cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Carrots and daikon radishes should be prepped before moving on to other ingredients. Toss the carrots and daikon with the sugar, salt, vinegar, and sesame oil in a large bowl. Stirring occasionally, let sit for one hour.
2. The chicken should then be prepared. When you’re ready to assemble your dish, combine all ingredients except the oil in a food processor and process until smooth. Make sure to process until it’s silky-smooth. Toss the marinade with the chicken in a bowl before serving. To marinate, cover and refrigerate for up to four hours.
3. In a 12-inch ovenproof pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. When the chicken is cooked, sauté it for about 5 minutes on each side.
4. Combine the mayonnaise, Sriracha, and lime juice to make the sandwiches.
5. Sriracha mayonnaise should be smeared on both sides of the toast. Toss in the pickled vegetables. Make sandwiches by slicing the cooked chicken and adding jalapenos and cilantro. Serve!