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Bánh mì gà Nướng from Vietnam

Bánh mì gà Nướng

Vietnamese baguette sandwich of lemongrass- and fish-sauce-marinated grilled chicken, served with pickled carrot… · Vietnam

Also known as bánh mì gà, grilled chicken bánh mì, lemongrass chicken baguette

📍 Nationwide Vietnam; global Vietnamese diaspora ★ 4.0
Last updated Aug 13, 2026 · Reviewed by the WhatWhereVacay editorial team

Vietnamese baguette sandwich of lemongrass- and fish-sauce-marinated grilled chicken, served with pickled carrot, daikon, cucumber and chilli.

About Bánh mì gà Nướng

Bánh mì gà nướng is the grilled-chicken baguette that became one of the most widely exported bánh mì variants after Vietnamese bakeries opened across North America, Europe and Australia. The chicken is marinated in a sweet-savory blend of lemongrass, fish sauce, palm sugar, garlic, shallot, turmeric and a touch of five-spice, then threaded onto skewers and grilled over charcoal until the edges char and the sugars caramelise.

The cooked chicken is rested, sliced across the grain, and tucked into a crackling-light Vietnamese baguette with a near cottony interior. Standard accompaniments include pickled carrot and daikon (đồ chua), sliced cucumber, fresh coriander, sliced red chilli and either a slick of mayonnaise or a swipe of chicken-liver pâté. Some stalls add a thin layer of Maggi seasoning for umami.

The sandwich is a daily staple at Sài Gòn street carts in District 1, Phú Nhuận and Bình Thạnh, and is the form most commonly found at Vietnamese bakeries abroad, from Paris's 13th arrondissement to Sydney's Cabramatta and Richmond, Melbourne.

🏛️ History & Culture

The bánh mì sandwich itself traces its roots to French colonial rule in Vietnam, when the baguette was introduced and later adapted with local seasonings and fillings. The grilled chicken version, with its lemongrass marinade, became a popular street-food staple in southern Vietnam, particularly around Saigon, as vendors riffed on the classic pork and pâté fillings with lighter, sweeter flavors.

While the classic bánh mì often centers on pork preparations, the lemongrass chicken variant gained global recognition as Vietnamese diaspora communities opened bakeries across North America, Europe, and Australia. Its cultural significance lies in how it fuses French breadmaking with Vietnamese ingredients—pickled carrots and daikon, fresh cilantro, cucumber, and chili—making it a symbol of the country's layered culinary history and a beloved everyday meal worldwide.

🍳 How to make Bánh mì gà Nướng

AI-assisted, not kitchen-tested

Bánh mì gà nướng (Vietnamese grilled lemongrass chicken baguette)

A Saigon-style grilled chicken baguette with lemongrass-marinated thighs, pickled carrot and daikon, cucumber, coriander and chilli. The marinade leans sweet-savory; the key is a hot grill so the palm sugar caramelises before the chicken dries out.

Prep
40 min
Cook
15 min
Total
55 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
Medium

Recipe ingredients

  • 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, tender inner bulbs only, finely minced
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 0.5 tsp five-spice powder
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp palm sugar, finely chopped; soft brown sugar works
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil, plus more for grilling
  • 1 tsp ground white pepper
  • 4 small bánh mì baguettes, Vietnamese-style, light and crackling; a thin crusty French baguette is the closest home substitute
  • 200 g (7 oz) pickled carrot and daikon (đồ chua), drained; see step note
  • 1 small Lebanese cucumber, cut into 5 cm / 2 in spears
  • 1 small bunch coriander, sprigs with stems
  • 1 fresh red chilli, thinly sliced, optional
  • 4 tbsp mayonnaise, Vietnamese mayo if possible
  • 1 tsp Maggi seasoning, optional, brushed inside the baguette
  • 1 tsp salt, for the pickle brine, if making

Steps

  1. 1 Make the đồ chua if not already prepared: toss 1 medium carrot and 100 g / 3½ oz daikon, both julienned, with 1 tsp salt, then rinse. Pack into a jar and cover with a hot brine of 60 ml rice vinegar, 60 g sugar and 120 ml water. Cool, then chill at least 30 minutes; it keeps a week in the fridge.
  2. 2 Pound or mince the lemongrass, garlic and shallot to a coarse paste. Combine in a bowl with turmeric, five-spice, fish sauce, palm sugar, oil and white pepper. Stir until the sugar mostly dissolves.
  3. 3 Slice each chicken thigh into 2 or 3 long strips so they grill quickly and evenly. Add to the marinade, toss to coat, and rest 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 12 hours refrigerated.
  4. 4 Heat a charcoal grill or a cast-iron grill pan on high until very hot. If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes first to prevent burning. Thread the chicken onto skewers in loose waves.
  5. 5 Brush the grill grates with oil. Grill the chicken 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning often, until the edges char, the sugar caramelises and the juices run clear.
  6. 6 Doneness cue: the thickest part of the thigh should feel firm (not soft or squishy) when pressed, register 74°C / 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, and show no pink when sliced at the centre. Rest the chicken 5 minutes off the heat so the juices redistribute.
  7. 7 Lightly warm the baguettes on the grill for 20 to 30 seconds, turning, just to crisp the crust. Split lengthwise, leaving a hinge.
  8. 8 Brush the inside of each baguette with a thin layer of mayonnaise and, if using, a few drops of Maggi seasoning.
  9. 9 Slice the rested chicken across the grain into 1 cm / ½ in pieces. Layer into the baguette with a generous pinch of drained pickled carrot and daikon, cucumber spears, a small handful of coriander sprigs and sliced red chilli to taste.
  10. 10 Press the sandwich closed briefly so the crust cracks and the fillings compress, then serve immediately while the bread is still crackling and the chicken is hot.
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Ingredients
Steps

Bánh mì gà Nướng — frequently asked questions

What is Bánh mì gà Nướng?

Bánh mì gà nướng is the grilled-chicken baguette that became one of the most widely exported bánh mì variants after Vietnamese bakeries opened across North America, Europe and Australia. The chicken is marinated in a sweet-savory blend of lemongrass, fish sauce, palm sugar, garlic, shallot, turmeric and a touch of…

What is Bánh mì gà Nướng made of?

Bánh mì gà Nướng is made with boneless chicken thigh, lemongrass, fish sauce, palm sugar, garlic and shallot. Recipes vary by region and by cook, but those are the core ingredients.

Where does Bánh mì gà Nướng come from?

Bánh mì gà Nướng comes from Vietnam, and is especially associated with Nationwide Vietnam; global Vietnamese diaspora. The bánh mì sandwich itself traces its roots to French colonial rule in Vietnam, when the baguette was introduced and later adapted with local seasonings and fillings.

Where can I eat Bánh mì gà Nướng?

Sài Gòn / Hồ Chí Minh City (District 1, Phú Nhuận, Bình Thạnh street carts); Hà Nội (Old Quarter bakeries); diaspora: Paris 13e, Cabramatta and Marrickville (Sydney), Richmond and Springvale (Melbourne), Vancouver's Commercial Drive.

How do you make Bánh mì gà Nướng?

Making Bánh mì gà Nướng at home takes about 40 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking. The recipe on this page serves 4 and is rated medium. Full ingredient list and step-by-step method are in the recipe section above.

What else is Bánh mì gà Nướng called?

Bánh mì gà Nướng is also known as bánh mì gà, grilled chicken bánh mì, lemongrass chicken baguette.

→ More traditional dishes from Vietnam

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