Grilled chicken banh mi
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Vietnamese chicken banh mi with marinated grilled chicken, pickled carrot and daikon, cilantro Maggi aioli and spicy sriracha.
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients
For the pickled carrot & daikon
  • 1 medium daikon
  • 1 large carrot
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. plus ½ cup sugar
  • 1¼ cups distilled white vinegar
  • 1 cup lukewarm water
For the aioli
  • A handful of cilantro sprigs
  • ½ small shallot
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp. Maggi seasoning sauce
  • 1 cup canola oil
For the sandwiches
  • 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • ¼ tsp. sugar
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 1¼ tsp. black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. fish sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
  • 1½ Tbsp. canola oil
  • 6 baguette buns, each 6-8 inches long
  • Thinly sliced cucumbers
  • Cilantro sprigs
  • Sriracha
Instructions
  1. To make the pickle, peel and cut the daikon and carrot into sticks about 3 inches long and ¼ inch thick. Put in a bowl and toss with the salt and 2 tsp. sugar. Massage the salt and sugar into the vegetables for about 3 minutes or until you can bend a piece of daikon and the tips touch without breaking. Flush with running water and drain. Transfer to a quart jar.
  2. For the brine, stir together the ½ cup sugar with the vinegar and water until dissolved. Pour into the jar to cover. Discard any extra brine that won't fit in the jar. Refrigerate for one hour and store up to one month.
  3. To make the aioli, pulse the cilantro and shallot in a food processor until minced. Add the egg yolk, Maggi, and lemon juice. Run the food processor for about a minute until you have a creamy mixture.
  4. With the machine running, pour in the oil in a thin steady stream (the stream should be about as thick as a strand of angel hair pasta. The mixture will emulsify and have the consistency of mayonnaise. Store refrigerated in a airtight container for up to a week. Tastes best if it sits for at least an hour.
  5. Trim any visible fat off the chicken thighs. In a bowl, stir together the sugar, salt, pepper, fish sauce, and lime juice. Add the oil and chicken and cover and let marinate for 30 minutes or more.
  6. Preheat a grill over high heat, then grill the chicken thighs until cooked through and the juices run clear, about 10 minutes.
  7. To make the banh mi, spread some of the aioli on the bread. When slightly cooled, slice the chicken across the grain. Pile some chicken into each bun, along with a few cucumber slices. Top with some of the pickle, a few cilantro sprigs and a few drops of sriracha.
Recipe by white plate blank slate at https://whiteplateblankslate.com/grilled-chicken-banh-mi/