Ga Nuong, also known as Vietnamese Grilled Chicken, is a traditional street food sold by vendors from Hanoi to Saigon.

Barbecued Vietnamese Chicken is one of our favourite meaty mains to cook during the summer grilling season.

Our easy homemade recipe features bone-in skin-on chicken thighs that are marinated in a sweet and sticky lemongrass sauce then grilled on a barbecue or roasted in an oven.

Impress guests at your next summer barbecue by making this crowd-pleasing Ga Nuong recipe. Serve a platter of mouth-watering crispy chicken thighs alongside your favourite Vietnamese pickled vegetables, steamed rice and spring rolls.

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What Is Ga Nuong?

Ga Nuong is the local name for Vietnamese Grilled Chicken.

The popular street food in Vietnam is traditionally prepared with bone-in and skin-on chicken cuts like legs, thighs, wings and drumsticks. Since the dish is often eaten casually on the roadside, bone-in cuts make it easy to eat with your hands.

The raw chicken is typically allowed to marinate overnight in a sweet and spicy sauce that gives the grilled chicken its unique amber hue and addictive sticky, finger-licking-good texture.

While Ga Nuong is traditionally prepared on a grill or barbecue, it can also easily be prepared in an oven by placing the marinated meat in a large roasting pan.

Traditional Ga Nuong Vietnamese Grilled Chicken recipe ingredients.

Travel to Vietnam by Cooking Ga Nuong at Home

I love traveling through Asia.

My first visit to Asia had me living in South Korea for a year as a teacher and it’s where I was first introduced to fermented vegetables like kimchi.

After my contract ended in Seoul I travelled throughout southeast Asia for 6 months, visiting the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

I spent over a month traveling by bus through Vietnam. I started in the south, spending a few days in Saigon before exploring the floating markets in the nearby Mekong Delta. I then took a series of night buses north making stops in Nha Trang, Hoi An, Hue, Halong Bay and Hanoi.

What I found most fascinating is Vietnam’s distinct regional food cultures. Much like the regional cuisines found in France, Germany, Italy or Spain, each town in Vietnam had its own local speciality.

I fell in love with the exciting street food culture in Vietnam. In Saigon I’ll never forget the first time I ate Ga Nuong. I ordered Vietnamese Grilled Chicken from a street food vendor and sat on a plastic chair on the sidewalk overlooking a busy intersection while gnawing to the bone. The sweet and spicy marinade clung to the crispy skin, which was flecked with crunchy lemongrass.

Ga Nuong in Vietnam is enjoyed as a main course at lunch or dinner, often served alongside other street food favourites like grilled corn, spring rolls, or noodle soup.

Coat chicken thighs in the marinade for 30 minutes or overnight.

My Family Loves Vietnamese Ga Nuong

I love cooking delicious dishes inspired by my travels for friends and family.

After returning from a road trip of Vietnam I was excited to cook my new favourite dish, Vietnamese Grilled Chicken!

I knew my parents would enjoy this recipe because they love tender chicken thighs, sweet and sticky meat marinades, and dishes you can easily grill on the barbecue in the summer.

We love preparing this dish in July and August when it seems like every meal is cooked outdoors on our backyard barbecue. Don’t fret, if your barbecue is out of commission in the winter you can prepare the dish indoors by roasting the chicken in your oven.

Cook chicken thighs in a roasting pan in your oven, or on a grill in your barbecue.

Ga Nuong Recipe Ingredients

We like to make this recipe during the summer on the barbecue but don’t fret you can prepare the dish all year round by roasting the chicken in your oven instead of over a hot grill.

While there are many ways to prepare this simple recipe our favourite ingredients offer the perfect balance of lightly charred chicken thighs, sweet and spicy chicken skin and unique Vietnamese flavourings like lemongrass, chili and fish sauce.

Chili: adds a spicy kick of heat to the marinade.
Ginger: gives the marinade a distinct Southeast Asia flavour.
Garlic: ward off vampires with plenty of finely minced garlic.
Soy Sauce: adds savouriness to the marinade thanks to this umami-forward condiment.
Fish Sauce: gives the marinade it’s unique Vietnamese flavouring. It’s salty and has a funky seafood smell, which pairs perfectly with lemongrass.
Oyster Sauce: is a thick and sweet condiment that imparts an additional fishy flavour to the chicken.
Chinese Rice Wine: a few glugs of rice wine adds acidity to the dish.
Chinese Five Spice Powder: this spice mixture is used in almost all branches of Chinese cuisine, and in neighbouring countries like Vietnam. Authentic recipes typically include star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns and fennel seeds.
Lemongrass: another distinct Vietnamese ingredient, the finely chopped herb also adds texture to the dish as its gets crunchy when grilled or roasted.
Chicken: we like to use bone-in skin-on chicken thighs but you can also use a combination of wings, drumsticks or legs.
Butter: use unsalted butter since fish sauce and soy sauce are already salty.
Honey: the chicken is basted in honey butter before serving, giving the skin a sweet flavour that also makes the skin shimmer.

Ga Nuong is a crispy chicken recipe from Vietnam featuring a sweet and sticky marinade flavoured with lemongrass and honey.

How To Make Traditional Vietnamese Grilled Chicken

Follow our detailed recipe card below for easy step-by-step instructions.

In a medium bowl, mix together the chili, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, Chinese rice wine, Chinese Five Spice, and lemongrass.
Coat the chicken pieces in the marinade then store in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Arrange the marinated chicken thighs on a roasting pan then bake in the middle rack of the oven for 15-25 minutes.
After 25 minutes, take out the chicken and pour any juices into a small saucepan. Flip the chicken then return to the oven for another 15 minutes.
Add the butter to the saucepan with the honey. Reduce for a few minutes until it has been reduced by a third and is a thicker sauce.
Take the chicken back out and pour the honey sauce evenly over the chicken, then cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until the juices run clear when pierced at the thickest point. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve hot with steamed rice.

Ga Nuong Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Photo Image.

Cooking Tips

This traditional Vietnamese Ga Nuong recipe is quick and easy to make during summer grilling season. Here are a few tips and tricks to get you started: ‘

In the summer we suggest grilling the chicken on your barbecue. During the cooler months of the year when your barbecue may be out of service feel free to prepare the dish in a roasting pan in the oven.
Use a light soy sauce rather than a dark soy sauce, as the oyster sauce and honey will already make the dish sweet and sticky.
We typically add 2 finely chopped green or red chili to give the dish some heat. If you don’t like spicy food remove the seeds as they are the source of heat. If you like spicy food you can add a few dashes of chili powder or your favourite hot sauce.
If you don’t have Chinese rice wine in your kitchen cupboards you can substitute with dry sherry.
Feel free to substitute bone-in skin-on chicken thighs with legs, wings or drumsticks.

Serve Ga Nuong with Vietnamese pickled vegetables and steamed rice.

Serving Suggestions

We love serving Vietnamese Grilled Chicken at family backyard barbecues during the hot summer months.

It can be enjoyed on it’s own as a quick & easy lunch, or served alongside other barbecue favourites like Oklahoma Fried Onion Burger, Brandy Caramelized Onion French Burger, Bratwurst, and Filet Mignon.

We like to simply serve Ga Nuong on a plate with steamed rice and Vietnamese pickled carrots and daikon radish. The meat can also be removed from the bone and served in a rice noodle bowl similar to Grilled Pork Bun Thit Nuong or a Bun Cha Noodle Bowl.

If you’re hosting a Vietnamese-inspired potluck or dinner party you may also like to also make these popular recipes:

Spice up your chicken dinner game by flavouring thighs with our delicious Vietnamese-inspired marinade.

Health Benefits

Our homemade Vietnamese Ga Nuong recipe is packed full of wholesome ingredients!

Chili has been proven to help reduce the duration of sickness, prevent heart disease, and promote weight loss.

It is only recently that scientists have begun to identify the components responsible for garlic’s myriad health benefits. Rich in phytochemicals and potassium, garlic helps boost your immune system, fight cancer and protect your heart.

Ginger contains at least 14 phytochemicals, many of which have impressive antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It also has a good source of copper, which supports your bones, blood and nervous system.

Lemongrass is a rich source of antioxidants. It’s an effective antibacterial and anti-fungal agent.

Chicken is high in protein and provides B vitamins such as niacin, which helps your body access the energy in foods.

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How To Make Ga Nuong Vietnamese Grilled Chicken

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