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Vermicelli noodles, crisp veggies, and loads of herbs are the MVPs of these Vietnamese-Inspired Chicken and Noodle Bowls. A Nuoc cham-style sauce doubles as marinade, which minimizes prep work and maximizes flavor. Complete with grilled chicken thighs, this refreshing summer dinner will quickly become your family’s favorite.
One of my favorite things about this dish is that it has a make-ahead component, which means that you can get dinner on the table faster than ever. Prepare the marinade the night before and let the chicken thighs sit in it overnight to build warm heat, tartness, and umami-rich flavors. With a combination of coconut aminos, fish sauce, Thai chiles, a whole lot of lime, and a few other flavorful ingredients, this chicken will be anything but boring.
When it’s time to serve dinner, all you need to do is grill the chicken and serve it over cooked rice noodles with chopped veggies. I like to use carrots, cucumbers, and lots of fresh herbs, but feel free to use whatever you have in your fridge. These chicken noodle bowls are so colorful and nourishing that I hope your family loves them as much as mine does!
Ingredients:
- Avocado Oil
- Coconut Aminos
- Coconut Sugar
- Fish Sauce
- Shallots
- Garlic
- Thai Chiles
- Fresh Ginger
- Lime Zest
- Lime Juice
- Fresh Cilantro
- Kosher Salt
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
- Rice Noodles
- Spring Greens
- Cucumbers
- Carrots
- Fresh Herbs (Thai Basil, Mint, and/or Cilantro)
Step-by-Step:
Step One: Marinate the Chicken
In a medium bowl, whisk together the avocado oil, coconut aminos, coconut sugar, fish sauce, shallots, garlic, Thai chiles, ginger, lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, and salt until well combined.
Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl or zip-top bag. Pour in half of the marinade (reserve the rest for serving) and toss to coat the chicken thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight for best flavor.
step two: grill the chicken
Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, remove the chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off, and grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until the chicken is deeply caramelized and cooked through (internal temperature should reach 165°F). Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
step three: assemble the bowls and serve
Divide the rice noodles, spring greens, cucumber, and carrots among shallow bowls. Top with the sliced grilled chicken and drizzle with the reserved marinade. Garnish with plenty of fresh herbs and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs:
You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead! You may need to adjust the cook time accordingly, as chicken breasts tend to cook more quickly than chicken thighs.
I love to use coconut aminos as a delicious, low-sodium, paleo-friendly substitute for soy sauce or tamari. They’re made from the sap of coconut palms and have an umami flavor that’s similar to teriyaki sauce.
Did you try this recipe? Comment below and let me know how it came out!
Looking for more CHICKEN RECIPES? Try these!
Seared Chicken Thighs with Garlic-Ginger Broth and Rice
Gochujang Ground Chicken Glass Noodle Skillet
Spicy Coconut Grilled Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Vietnamese-Inspired Chicken and Noodle Bowls
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 shallots, halved and thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2-4 Thai chiles, minced (depending on heat preference)
- 2 teaspoons peeled and freshly grated ginger
- Zest of 1 lime
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
For Serving:
- prepared rice noodles
- spring greens
- sliced cucumbers
- matchstick carrots
- chopped fresh herbs, such as Thai basil, mint, and/or cilantro
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the avocado oil, coconut aminos, coconut sugar, fish sauce, shallots, garlic, Thai chiles, ginger, lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, and salt until well combined.
- Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl or zip-top bag. Pour in half of the marinade (reserve the rest for serving) and toss to coat the chicken thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight for best flavor.
To Grill the Chicken:
- Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, remove the chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off, and grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until the chicken is deeply caramelized and cooked through (internal temperature should reach 165°F). Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
To Serve:
- Divide the rice noodles, spring greens, cucumbers, and carrots among shallow bowls. Top with the sliced grilled chicken and drizzle with the reserved marinade. Garnish with plenty of fresh herbs and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography and styling by Eat Love Eats.
Incredibly flavorful and fresh! Loved how quickly this came together once I marinated the chicken the night before. Will be adding to our meal rotation!
This was a winner in my house!! My boyfriend could not stop saying how much he loved it. And it was so easy to put together I’ll definitely be adding this to our rotation.
Better than takeout!
Absolutely delicious! The flavor profile on this is sooooo good. Stunning recipe I’ll be making over and over again.
So so good! This sauce is sooooo good, will definitely be making this again, such an easy way to get in some vegetables without compromising flavor. For a lighter/fresher take try it with cold vermicelli noodles!
Is it safe to drizzle the marinade that was soaking in the raw chicken?
Pull a portion of the sauce before you add the chicken, it’s what the recipe calls for! It definitely wouldnt be safe to use the marinade after soaking the raw chicken.
This was so delicious! Very refreshing for summertime and I especially loved the dressing/marinade. Alex’s flavors are always a hit in our house.
An easy 5⭐️. This were simple, fresh and delicious! Everyone in my house polished their plates!
Never mind last question: read that 3 times and saw it on the fourth. 40yo brain here!
About to make this but had a question: is pouring the remainder of the marinade over the bowls safe since it was in contact with raw chicken? Should it be heated first?