Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Vermicelli Noodle Bowl

A white bowl of rice vermicelli with grilled chicken, quick pickled cucumber and red onion and all the garnishes.

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Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Vermicelli Noodle Bowl

Smoky fish sauce-marinated grilled chicken sits over rice vermicelli noodles with a quick pickled cucumber and onion, peanuts, and a drizzle of homemade peanut sauce and hoisin for a fresh, flavor-packed bowl.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Marinate Time2

Total Time2 40

Course: Main Course, Meal Prep

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Servings: Bowls

Calories: 1005kcal

Author: Jessica

Ingredients

Fish Sauce Chicken Marinade

8 Chicken Thighs boneless & skinless
2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Honey
2 teaspoons Lime Juice
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
1 Tablespoon Avocado Oil
½ teaspoon Black Pepper
¼ teaspoon Ginger Powder

Quick Pickled Veggies

1 cup Cucumber thinly sliced
½ small Red Onion thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Sugar or Maple Syrup
1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
Pinch of Salt

Peanut Sauce

½ cup Natural Peanut Butter
¼ cup Hoisin
2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
2 teaspoons Sesame Oil
1 teaspoon Soy Sauce
½ teaspoon Ginger Powder
½ teaspoon Sambal Oelek
¼ - ½ cup Water
Lime Juice optional, to taste

Bowl Ingredients & Toppings

227 grams Rice Vermicelli Noodles dry
⅓ cup Peanuts
Hoisin Sauce for topping
2 Green Onions finely diced
Microgreens
Fresh Basil

Instructions

Marinate the Chicken

In a small bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, soy sauce, honey, lime juice, onion powder, avocado oil, black pepper and ginger powder. Place all of the chicken thighs in a large ziptop bag and pour the marinade over top. Give everything a good squish around the bag so the chicken is completely coated with the marinade. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

Quick Pickle the Vegetables

While the chicken marinates, toss your sliced cucumber and red onion with rice vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil, and a pinch of salt for a quick pickle. Cover and pop it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Make the Peanut Sauce

This is also a good time to make the peanut sauce. In a tall jar, combine the peanut butter, hoisin, rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger powder, sambal oelek, water, and lime juice (if using). Blend until smooth with an immersion blender, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
👉 See the full peanut sauce recipe for detailed instructions

Grill the Chicken and Cook the Noodles

When you're ready to cook, fire up the grill to 450℉ and grill the chicken for 15-20 minutes, flipping regularly, until it is cooked through and hits 165℉ internally. Let it rest under a foil tent for 5 minutes before slicing into strips.
This is also the perfect window to cook your vermicelli noodles. Cook them according to the package instructions, or add them to a pot of boiling water for 3-4 minutes until they are tender. After they are done cooking, rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking and keep them from clumping together.

Assemble the Bowls

To build the bowls, layer noodles at the bottom, then top with sliced chicken, the quick pickled vegetables, microgreens, and peanuts. Finish everything with a generous drizzle of peanut sauce and hoisin, a scattering of green onions, and a fresh basil leaf for garnish.

Notes

Chicken: Chicken breast, shredded roast chicken, rotisserie chicken or velveted chicken can be substituted for the chicken thighs, if preferred. If you don't want to grill the chicken, it can be baked, cooked in an air fryer, or pan-fried, just ensure the internal temperature is above 165°F.
Fish Sauce: This is what gives the marinade its deep, rich, and complex flavor. If you don't have fish sauce, you can use a 1:1 mixture of rice vinegar and soy sauce (this will get you the closest), Worcestershire sauce, or coconut aminos.
Vermicelli Noodles: Can be swapped for brown rice, sushi rice, or any other noodles you like.
Peanut Sauce: There is nothing like a good homemade peanut sauce, don't skip this sauce!

You must rinse the vermicelli noodles under cold water when they are done cooking. If you don't, they will stick together in a giant gummy mass.
Making the components like the pickled veggies, peanut sauce, and chicken marinade will only get better as it sits, so making those three and letting them sit for 2-3 hours before cooking and assembling the bowls will give you an unbelievable flavor!
How to store: The vermicelli bowls can be fully assembled without the sauces in airtight containers and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Add the sauces right before serving, and enjoy the bowls cold, or pop just the chicken into the microwave for a few seconds.
The nutrition calculator accounts for adding 2 Tablespoons of Peanut Sauce to each bowl.

Nutrition