Recipes Dinner Poultry Dishes Chicken Main Course One-Pot Lemongrass Chicken with Rice 4.6 (5) 4 Reviews Cooking a whole chicken and rice in one pot with with garlic, lemongrass, chiles, and coconut gives you a stunning dinner any night of the week. By Liz Mervosh Liz Mervosh Elizabeth Mervosh is a recipe tester and developer for Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in Birmingham, Alabama. She creates and fine-tunes recipes for brands including Southern Living, Real Simple, Food & Wine, People, and EatingWell. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on January 23, 2024 Tested by Marianne Williams Tested by Marianne Williams Marianne Williams has been a test kitchen professional for Dotdash Meredith since 2016. Her recipes have been featured in many publications, including Food & Wine, Real Simple, Southern Living, Health, Rachael Ray and other print and digital brands. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: VICTOR PROTASIO / FOOD STYLING BY MARGARET MONROE DICKEY / PROP STYLING BY CLAIRE SPOLLEN Active Time: 50 mins Chill Time: 12 hrs Total Time: 14 hrs 15 mins Yield: 8 servings Jump to recipe The flavors of Vietnamese lemongrass chicken inspired this easy one-pot dinner from F&W recipe developer Liz Mervosh. Mervosh roasts a whole chicken with aromatics such as garlic, lemongrass, and chiles inside a Dutch oven. With its thick walls, the Dutch oven retains and evenly distributes the heat, keeping the chicken moist. Toward the end of the roasting, coconut rice cooks in the same pot as the chicken, allowing the chicken to impart a rich, savory flavor on the grains. Trimming any extra skin around the neck and cavity of the chicken is a great way to reduce the amount of rendered fat and maximize the richness of coconut milk. Frequently asked questions Where can I buy lemongrass? You can find whole lemongrass stalks in the produce section of most grocery stores. Additionally, it may be sold in small sections inside packages near the packaged herbs. What size Dutch oven do I need for a whole chicken? We recommend a large Dutch oven (7 to 9 quarts) for a 4-pound chicken, so you can fit both the chicken and the rice without overcrowding. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen It is important to trim excess fat around the chicken's neck and cavity in order to reduce the amount of rendered fat. By doing so, the dish will not become greasy or excessively rich. Suggested pairing A stone fruit–scented, racy white like Hermann J. Wiemer HJW Vineyard Riesling is a wonderful accompaniment to complement the citrusy notes from the lemongrass and add brightness to the umami from the rice. Make ahead The chicken can marinate covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1/4 cup lemongrass (white parts only, dark green parts reserved for trussing) (about 2 stalks) 3 tablespoons fish sauce 3 tablespoons light brown sugar 3 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil, divided 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 (4-pound) chicken, patted dry, excess skin around neck and cavity trimmed 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 1 1/2 cups plus 1/3 cup coconut water, divided 1 1/4 cups uncooked jasmine rice 1/3 cup unsweetened toasted coconut flakes, plus more for garnish Thinly sliced scallions and sliced red Fresno chiles, for garnish Directions Combine lemongrass, fish sauce, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons coconut oil, garlic, and black pepper in a blender; process until smooth, about 30 seconds. (Marinade will be loose and not emulsified.) Tuck chicken wing tips behind shoulders. Run your fingers under chicken breast and thigh skin to loosen; lift skin, and spoon lemongrass mixture under skin, spreading evenly. Transfer chicken to a wire rack placed inside a rimmed baking sheet, and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Chill chicken in refrigerator at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours. Preheat oven to 375°F. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Tie legs using the reserved dark green part of lemongrass or a piece of kitchen twine. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a large Dutch oven over medium. Place chicken, breast side down, in Dutch oven. Cook until deeply browned in spots, about 6 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken breast side up. Pour 1 1/2 cups coconut water around chicken, and bring to a simmer over high. Cover and transfer to preheated oven; roast until chicken is cooked through, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, rinse jasmine rice with cold water, gently stirring rice with your fingers, until water runs clear, about 1 minute; set aside. Uncover Dutch oven. Stir coconut flakes, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/3 cup coconut water into mixture around chicken. Spoon rice evenly around edge of Dutch oven, making sure rice doesn’t stick to chicken. Gently shake Dutch oven to redistribute rice. Cover and return to oven. Bake at 375°F until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and let stand 10 minutes. Fluff rice around chicken with a fork. Garnish with additional coconut flakes, scallions, and chiles. Transfer chicken to a cutting board, and cut into pieces. Serve with rice. Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, February 2024 Rate It Print