Hanoi Grilled Chicken Banh Mi

By ltrodrigu

—Adapted from "The Banh Mi Handbook" by Andrea Nguyen

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
• 6 mini-baguettes or 6-inch baguette sections
• mayonnaise, to taste
• soy sauce, to taste
• salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 1/2 cups drained pickled vegetables
• 18-24 thin slices Fresno or other medium-hot chili
• 12-18 thinly sliced cucumber rounds
• 6-12 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro sprigs

Details

Adapted from online.wsj.com

Preparation

Step 1

Trim and discard fat from chicken thighs. If thighs are large and/or very uneven in thickness, butterfly them.

In a bowl, stir together sugar, salt, black pepper, fish sauce and lime juice and canola oil. Add chicken, turning pieces to coat well. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate at room temperature 30 minutes.

Grill Chicken:
Heat a grill to medium, or set a grill pan on the stove top over medium-high heat. Brush a little canola oil over grate or pan. Lay chicken on grate or pan and cook, turning several times, until nicely browned all over and juices flow clear when you pierce the flesh with the tip of a knife, 6-10 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, then slice chicken across the grain into slices about ¼-inch-thick. (Chicken will keep up to 3 days in the refrigerator.)

Make Sandwiches:
Use a serrated knife to halve mini-baguettes, leaving bread attached on one side to hold sandwich together. Use your fingers to scoop out some of the insides from one or both halves of the bread, depending on how bready you want your sandwiches to be. Spread mayonnaise on both cut sides of bread. Drizzle soy sauce over mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper. Layer on each sandwich: about ¼ pound sliced chicken, ¼ cup drained pickled vegetables, 3-4 thin slices Fresno or other medium-hot chili, 4-6 thinly sliced cucumber rounds and 1-2 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro sprigs. Close sandwiches and cut in half crosswise.