Vietnamese-style lemongrass chicken baguette
Chicken thighs marinated with lemongrass, garlic and fish sauce, pan-fried and stuffed into a crusty baguette with pickled carrot and radish, cucumber and coriander — fresh and appetising.
- 30 min
- Serves 2
- Pan-fry
- Medium
Why it suits you: Qi-stagnant types are prone to low moods, a tight chest and bloating, and Liqiu's heat and humidity make them especially irritable and off their food. Lemongrass is fragrant and pungent, moving qi and easing bloating, the sweet-sour pickles revive the appetite, and coriander's aroma lifts constraint. Fresh, fragrant and not spicy, the smell alone lightens the mood.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 15 min- 1The night before, toss the shredded carrot and radish with the vinegar and half the sugar and leave in the fridge.
- 2Prick the chicken with the tip of a knife and mix with the lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, remaining sugar and half the oil. Marinate in the fridge overnight too.
- 3Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and cook the chicken skin-side down over a medium heat for 5–6 minutes until golden, then turn and cook for 4 minutes until done. Slice.
- 4Crisp the baguette in the oven, split it lengthways and fill with the chicken, drained pickles, cucumber and coriander.
Cautions
- Fish sauce is very salty, so halve it if you have high blood pressure; make sure the chicken is cooked through.
Chef's tips
- Make a big batch of pickles — they keep for three or four days in the fridge; use only the tender white base of the lemongrass and simmer the tough outer leaves for tea.
The TCM view
Lemongrass is pungent and warm, moving qi, easing bloating and settling the stomach — used across South-East Asia and southern China to relieve heat and stir the appetite. White radish is pungent, sweet and cool, sending qi downward and aiding digestion; carrot is sweet and neutral, supporting the spleen; coriander is pungent, warm and aromatic; chicken is sweet and warm, boosting qi. Together they relieve constraint and stagnation.
