Make Honey Lemongrass Chicken

While lemongrass is a key component in Southeast Asian dishes such as Beef Rendang or Satay Skewers it almost always comes in a larger bunch than I can use in any of these dishes. That's why I've come up with several ways of using up leftover lemongrass.

With a gingery citrus aroma that's both floral and herbaceous, lemongrass pairs marvelously with honey. In fact, one way I often use up leftover lemongrass is to make a lemongrass and honey tea. Hot out of the teapot, It's great for warming up in the winter months and served chilled over ice, it's even better for cooling off during the summer months.

For this dish, the lemongrass and honey are the stars of the dish. First the chicken is marinated with lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce and salt, giving it a fragrant savory base. Then it's pan fried before being steamed in a mixture of honey and Chinese rice wine. Finally the liquid is boiled off and the honey is caramelized to make a sweet shiny glaze that sticks to the chicken.

The resulting chicken is juicy and savory, redolent of lemongrass, and coated in a caramelized honey glaze. Because the chicken is first marinated in umami rich fish sauce, it's deeply flavorful and provides a wonderful contrast that balances out the sweet glaze.