Summery, citrusy lemongrass combines with umami rich fish sauce to infuse mouthwatering flavor into wings. Char them on the grill for amazing bbq wings you'll love.
Total carbs 4g
I love the vivid colors, bright flavors and fresh aroma of Vietnamese food. Lemongrass marinade is common in Vietnamese cooking. Lemongrass is used as an aromatic to add fragrance. It is also chopped finely to add texture to dishes. This keto-friendly recipe uses less sugar than traditional lemongrass marinades. It also uses lemongrass paste, instead of fresh lemongrass, to keep things simple for the average home cook.
Share with 3 friends for a snack at about 4 grams of carbs per serving or have it all to yourself as a meal at 14 grams of carbs per meal.
Ingredients you'll need:
lemongrass
Lemongrass is a classic Vietnamese flavoring. There is really no substitute for lemongrass. It is citrusy more than lemony.
I cut a corner here by using ready made lemongrass paste instead of fresh lemongrass for two reasons:
- Fresh lemongrass isn't always available.
- It can be a lot of work to break down fresh lemongrass stalks. They can be tough and fibrous and require a bit of elbow grease to chop up, which is why this recipe calls for lemongrass paste.
You can find tubes of lemongrass paste next to the herbs in the produce section. Otherwise check the frozen herbs section of the supermarket.
chicken
This recipe calls for wings because I love char-grilled wings on the bbq, but you can substitute with chicken breast or thigh meat.
(Image credit: Sachiko Goodyear)
brown sugar
Sugar helps the wings caramelize and develop nice grill marks. Don't worry about the added sugar since it is a very small amount. If you are on a very strict keto diet, you can leave out the sugar and still enjoy the beautiful flavor of lemongrass marinade.
garlic and shallots for a little spice
fish sauce
Adds salty umami flavor and an appetizing deep brown color.
oil
Add a splash of oil to the marinade to keep the wings from sticking to the grill.
Equipment you'll need
A charcoal grill is the best way to cook these wings, giving a lovely smoky char-grilled flavor. If you don't have a charcoal grill, no worries, a gas grill will do the trick. You can also arrange these wings in a single layer on a greased baking sheet and bake these in the oven at 400°F for 20-25 minutes.
Make ahead
You can marinate the wings up to 24 hours ahead of time.
Serving suggestions
Serve with fresh, raw vegetables like lettuce, sliced radishes or daikon radish, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, sliced red chili peppers, cilantro, mint, basil and lime.
Serve with a dipping sauce made of a 1:3 ratio of fish sauce to water with a squeeze of lime to dip veggies in.
Frequently asked questions
Studies suggest that lemongrass can help reduce blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. Lemongrass is antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, aids digestion, relieves nausea, reduces cholesterol, relieves pain, stress and anxiety.
Grilled lemongrass chicken wings
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 1 pound of wings 1x
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
I love the vivid colors, bright flavors and fresh aroma of Vietnamese food. Summery, citrusy lemongrass combines with umami rich fish sauce to infuse mouthwatering flavor into the wings. Char them on the grill for amazing bbq wings you'll love.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup lemongrass paste
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon shallot, minced
- ¼ cup fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon neutral-flavored oil, such as canola, avocado or grape seed
- 1 pound chicken wings
Instructions
- Mix marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly until sugar dissolves.
- Add wings. toss to coat. Cover and store in fridge to marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
- When it’s time to eat. Take the wings out of the fridge, toss them to redistribute the marinade, and allow them come to room temperature while you get the grill ready. Heat the grill to medium heat. Place wings on the grill and cook. For a gas grill cook wings covered, over low heat for 10 minutes on each side. For a charcoal grill cook wings covered over indirect heat for 10 minutes on each side.
Notes
To get indirect heat on a charcoal grill, push coals to one side.
If you want more pronounced grill marks place chicken over direct heat for the final 2-3 minutes of cooking on each side.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Keywords: Grilled lemongrass chicken wings low-carb keto snack
Bradley Mohr says
Totally one of my favorite wecountcarbs.com recipes! So easy and so delicious. My kids go nuts for these.
★★★★★
Sachi says
I love this! I'm so happy that this recipe is a hit with your family! Enjoy!