• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Short Order Cook

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Food & Fun
  • Travel & Dining
  • Meet Angela
  • Work with Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Food & Fun
    • Travel & Dining
    • Meet Angela
    • Work with Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Keto, Paleo, or Gluten Free

    Published: Jul 15, 2019 · Modified: Jul 29, 2021 by Angela · This post may contain affiliate links · 33 Comments

    Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Breasts

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Grilled chicken breasts are crazy good and crazy easy thanks to a salty, sweet, sour, and slightly spicy marinade and later basted in an Asian-inspired sauce.  The ingredients epitomize the flavors of Vietnamese cuisine.  If you like boneless skinless chicken breasts but want something new to make on the barbecue, this is the best recipe.

    This recipe packs a punch thanks to a rich marinade that adds acid, salt, and heat.  With the combination of spicy chili garlic paste, tamari, sesame, fish sauce, lime, and ginger this chicken is anything but boring. The final step of a sweet and tangy basting sauce that levels it all out for a combination that satisfies all the taste buds.  It will make you think this is a difficult recipe to make but it is simple and complex at the same time.

     

    How Easy is this Chicken Breast Recipe?

    Easy as 1 - 2 -3 - 4...

    • Prepare the marinade and pour over thin chicken breasts
    • Warm the grill & mix together the basting sauce
    • Grill the chicken & baste in the final minutes
    • Plate and top with cilantro

     

    Why use Thin Chicken Breasts?

    1. The result is a quicker marinade as the chicken takes on the flavor faster
    2. The grilling time is faster and we find it easier to time, to ensure juicy results
    3. They are easier to cut and that helps if you have kids that are mastering their knife skills
    4. Thin chicken is great to add to salads and this is fantastic in salads

     

    How to Make Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Breasts

    In a single layer, place chicken breasts in a deep baking dish.  Ensure it is deep enough to hold the marinade once poured in.

    Chicken and marinade ingredients

    Chicken and marinade ingredients

     

    Combine marinade ingredients in a pourable glass measuring cup or bowl.  Whisk to combine and then pour over the chicken breasts.  Let marinade 30 minutes, flip chicken, and then let marinade for a final 30 minutes.  This can be marinated for longer but the beauty of this recipe is it can be ready quickly. The deep flavors in the marinade are able to infuse into the thin chicken breast cutlets fast and be ready to cook in just one hour. 

    Pour marinade over chicken breasts

    Pour marinade over chicken breasts

     

    Basting sauce ingredients

    Basting sauce ingredients

     

    Combine basting ingredients in a bowl and whisk. Set aside for later when grilling.

    If you do not have sesame oil, here are SUBSTITUTES FOR SESAME OIL that you can use instead and this will still be super flavorful and amazing. 

    Warm up your gas grill or start the charcoal for your grill. Once it is at medium heat, the chicken is ready to go on the grill. 

    Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Breasts in marinade & basting sauce ready

    Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Breasts in marinade & basting sauce ready

     

    Grill 5 minutes on each side on medium heat.  Keep the lid open since these will cook fast. The chicken should separate from the grill and no longer stick when it is ready to be flipped to the other side. Grill another 5 minutes on the other side. 

    To learn more about why and when you girl with the lid open or closed, read my post -

    Grilling with the Lid On or Off - All You Need to Know

    Baste with sauce and grill one minute longer so the sauce caramelizes but does not burn.  Do not leave unattended as the sugar from the sauce will brown quickly. Flip to the second side, baste, and cook for 1 final minute.

    chicken breasts ready for the basting sauce

    chicken breasts ready for the basting sauce

     

    Chicken should read 165° when cooked.   Remove to a serving platter and top with fresh cilantro.

    These are great served with pickled vegetables.   These pictured below were made recently with my daughter Miley and are super easy and fun to make.  They are quick refrigerator pickles and the recipe link is below. It was part of a recent Kids in the Kitchen post.  I highly suggest making this not just for this meal but they also are great along with seafood, in salads, and as a sandwich topper - think Bahn Mi!

    Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Breast & Pickled Vegetables

    Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Breast & Pickled Vegetables

     

    What to Serve with Grilled Chicken Breasts -

    • QUICK PICKLED VEGETABLES 
    • INSTANT POT STEAMED BROCCOLI
    • AMAZING ROASTED GREEN BEANS WITH EVERYTHING BUT THE BAGEL SESAME SEASONING 

     

    PIN THIS RECIPE FOR SAFEKEEPING & SHARING!

     

    Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Breast

     

    Product Recommendations for this Recipe:

     

    The Short Order Cook is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission on the sale at no additional cost to you. This helps with the costs of running the blog. Thank you! 

     

    Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Breasts

    Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Breasts

    Angela
    Thin chicken breasts are marinated for at least one hour in a salty, tangy, and sour marinade. When grilled the Asian basting sauce adds the final punch of flavor.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 1 hr
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 15 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Vietnamese
    Servings 3

    Equipment

    • Outdoor grill

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 thin boneless skinless chicken breasts

    Marinade Ingredients:

    • ¼ C Tamari gluten-free soy sauce
    • ¼ C light or dark brown sugar
    • 2 TB fish sauce
    • ½ teaspoon ginger powder
    • 1 teaspoon hot chili-garlic paste
    • 1 ½ TB fresh lime juice
    • 3 teaspoon garlic minced

    Basting Sauce Ingredients:

    • ⅓ C ketchup
    • 3 TB light or dark brown sugar
    • 3 TB rice vinegar
    • 1 TB sesame oil
    • 1 TB water
    • 1 teaspoon hot chili-garlic paste
    • fresh minced cilantro optional for topping

    Instructions
     

    • In a single layer, place chicken breasts in a deep baking dish. Ensure it is deep enough to hold the marinade once poured in.
    • Combine marinade ingredients in a pourable glass measuring cup. Next, whisk to combine and then pour over the chicken breasts. Let marinade 30 minutes, flip chicken, and then let marinade for a final 30 minutes
    • Combine basting ingredients in a bowl and whisk. Set aside for later when grilling. Turn on a gas grill to warm it up or start a charcoal grill. Once it is at medium heat, the chicken is ready to go on the grill.
    • Grill 5 minutes on each side on medium heat, with the lid open. The chicken should separate from the grill and no longer stick when it is ready to be flipped to the other side. Grill another 5 minutes on the other side.
    • Baste with sauce and grill one minute longer so the sauce caramelizes but does not burn. Do not leave unattended as the sugar from the sauce will brown quickly. Flip to the second side, baste, and cook 1 final minute.
    • Chicken should read 165° when cooked. Remove to a serving platter and top with fresh cilantro.
    Keyword barbecue, dairy-free, easy, gluten-free, grain-free, grill, sour, spicy

     

    Did you make this The Short Order Cook Recipe?

    Tag @theshortordercookblog (Instagram & Facebook) or @shortorder_cook (Twitter). 

    I would love to see your latest creations and kitchen adventures.

     

    THIS RECIPE WAS FEATURED IN A GRILLING ROUND UP WITH MEALS & MILE MARKERS

    « French Potato Salad
    Watermelon Mint Martini »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. TIffany says

      July 22, 2019 at 9:41 am

      This looks tasty - and love the simple ingredients - need to add this to our menu ASAP!

      Reply
    2. Haley Kelley says

      July 22, 2019 at 10:45 am

      These look sooooo good... I am adding them to my pinterest board so I can make them soon!

      Reply
    3. Katie says

      July 22, 2019 at 12:41 pm

      The sweet, sour and spicy combo sounds awesome!

      Reply
      • Angela says

        July 22, 2019 at 6:42 pm

        It is pretty awesome in every sort of way.

        Reply
    4. Nikki says

      July 22, 2019 at 12:55 pm

      This sure looks Yummy! and not too hard! I'm always on the look out for super easy recipes. I'll will have to give this a try!

      Reply
      • Angela says

        July 22, 2019 at 6:42 pm

        It is super easy and super DELICIOUS!

        Reply
    5. Suzan | It's My Sustainable Life says

      July 22, 2019 at 1:34 pm

      Love, love, love this. It's dinner time as I'm writing this, so now I'm thinking maybe I still have time to make this tonite! Thanks for sharing & looking forward to enjoying 🙂

      Reply
      • Angela says

        July 22, 2019 at 6:41 pm

        Thanks a ton! It is so quick to make, you probably could make it tonight! Let me know what you think!

        Reply
    6. Lisa Manderino says

      July 22, 2019 at 1:42 pm

      This looks delicious, I love grilling in the summer!

      Reply
    7. Beth Balberchak says

      July 22, 2019 at 4:04 pm

      Looks delicious! I'm definitely pinning this for later.

      Reply
      • Angela says

        July 22, 2019 at 6:40 pm

        Thank you

        Reply
    8. Elizabeth says

      July 22, 2019 at 6:21 pm

      Wow, this looks so delicious. I'll have to give it a try!

      Reply
    9. Melissa Jones says

      July 22, 2019 at 6:22 pm

      That looks great!

      Reply
    10. Jody says

      July 22, 2019 at 7:51 pm

      Wow this looks amazing I will have to give it a try. Spice is always good

      Reply
    11. Leigh Ann says

      July 22, 2019 at 8:08 pm

      These look so good! I'm going to have to give them a try.

      Reply
    12. Robin Frields says

      July 23, 2019 at 6:06 am

      Your recipes always look so delicious! We eat a lot of chicken here and I can't wait to try this one!

      Reply
      • Angela says

        July 23, 2019 at 4:24 pm

        You are so kind, thanks!

        Reply
    13. Shirley says

      July 23, 2019 at 6:19 am

      This looks absolutely delicious! And easy! I like that. Thank you for sharing this recipe.

      Reply
    14. T.M. Brown says

      July 23, 2019 at 8:17 am

      This looks delicious! I read this when hungry, so now I'm rethinking what we might have for dinner tonight. This would be a hit in our house!

      Reply
    15. Stacey says

      July 23, 2019 at 11:38 am

      I love grilling chicken, and this sauce sounds so good! I need to persuade my husband to fire up the grill. Yum!

      Reply
    16. Amy says

      July 23, 2019 at 12:00 pm

      I love Vietnamese food so I'm excited to try this recipe out. My best friend own a Vietnamese restaurant so I usually just go to his place but maybe I'll make this and invite him over 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Angela says

        July 23, 2019 at 4:25 pm

        Oh wow, great. Now that will put it to the test!

        Reply
    17. Tricia Snow says

      July 23, 2019 at 4:27 pm

      Looks like a nice switch from regular BBQ! Thanks!

      Reply
    18. Magan says

      July 23, 2019 at 4:52 pm

      Looks so good!

      Reply
    19. Karla Petersen says

      July 24, 2019 at 7:27 am

      These look amazing. I have such a hard time grilling chicken. I ALWAYS burn it. I think I get impatient and don't let the charcoal get to a "medium" heat. But I keep trying. This will be next, I hope.

      Reply
    20. Liz says

      July 24, 2019 at 9:34 am

      This looks so good! I'm not a huge fan of cilantro, so I would leave that out, but the rest sounds great!

      Reply
    21. Ruth Iaela-Pukahi says

      July 29, 2019 at 1:44 am

      Oh, that looks sooooo delicious!!!

      Reply
      • Angela says

        July 29, 2019 at 6:58 am

        Ruth, Thank you!

        Reply
    22. Monica says

      July 29, 2019 at 7:07 am

      I'm going to make this marinade this week so the hubby and I can start grilling!

      Reply
    23. SOTERIA Loadedpenvibes says

      December 29, 2019 at 11:06 am

      wow.... i sure love this website

      Reply
      • Angela says

        December 29, 2019 at 11:24 am

        Thank you so much for saying that! Glad you love it and hope you continue to visit and find new things often.

        Reply
    24. Toon says

      August 04, 2021 at 10:55 am

      5 stars
      This looks so good! I pinned it so I can make it later on!

      Reply
      • Angela says

        August 04, 2021 at 11:55 am

        Thank you.

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Angela the short order cook on a step stool reaching into the top kitchen cupboard.

    Hi, I'm Angela I’m Angela, a petite mom that loves to cook, eat, drink, & explore all things food. I have been cooking since I could pull up a stool to finally reach the counter. I still rely on my trusty stool every day. I am a former personal chef turned blogger that hopes you find something new & tasty to love while you are here.

    More about me →

    This site has links to products/services that may make us a commission. #ad

    Popular

    • Air Fryer Broccolini with Lemon & Parmesan
    • Toaster Oven Bacon
    • Best Pots & Pans for Gas Stove
    • Teriyaki Chicken on a Stick
    • Homemade Snickers Bars
    • Creamy Coconut Chicken 
    • 3-Ingredient Sloppy Joes (Gluten-Free)
    • Collard Greens Seasoning

    The Short Order Cook LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

    #ad The Short Order Cook LLC is an affiliate of ButcherBox. I have been a customer for years and cannot recommend it enough. Great prices & even better meat! Sign up today.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Terms of Service
    • Disclosure Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work With Me
    • Meet Angela
    • Meet the Family

    Copyright © 2023 The Short Order Cook LLC All recipes, photos, and articles on this site are the property of The Short Order Cook LLC. You are welcome to share a photo ONLY with an accompanied do-follow link back to this site. Publishing any items as if they were your own is prohibited.

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptReject Read Privacy Policy
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT