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Banh Mi with mint chicken herbs and cucumber - birds eye view

Banh Mi Recipe

Daryl and Mindi Hirsch
Vietnam's banh mi is one of the world's most famous sandwiches This recipe will show you how to make a great chicken version in your home regardless of where you live.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 15 minutes
Assembly Time 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Sandwiches
Cuisine Vietnamese
Servings 4
Calories 532 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

Carrot and Daikon Pickle

  • 1 daikon (medium to large, julienned into long strips using a sharp knife or mandoline)
  • 2 carrots (large, julienned into long strips using a sharp knife or mandoline)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 10 grams table salt
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup rice vinegar (white rice wine vinegar)

Marinated Pan Grilled Chicken

  • 1 chicken breast (medium to large, boneless and skinless)
  • 1 stalk lemongrass (Lightly pounded and thinly sliced)
  • 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 shallot (large, sliced widthwise into medium slices)
  • 2 lime zest (coin sized pieces, finely julienned)
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice (freshly squeezed)
  • 4 sprigs cilantro (including stems)
  • 6 white peppercorns (whole)
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 2 cloves garlic (medium, cut into small pieces)
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (plus an additional tablespoon of oil for cooking)
  • 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

Final Sandwich Assembly

  • 1 baguette (16" baguette or two small baguettes)
  • 50 grams pâté (chicken or any other type of liver based)
  • 2 cups daikon and carrot slaw
  • 1 chicken breast (pan grilled and marinated, sliced in 1/2" slices)
  • 1 cup fresh herbs (cilantro and mint recommended)
  • 1 cucumber (thinly sliced, optional)
  • 1 green chili pepper (thinly sliced, optional)

Equipment

Instructions
 

Carrot and Daikon Pickle

  • Mix the julienned carrot and daikon in a bowl with sugar and salt until well combined.
  • Pour and mix the vinegar and water into the bowl and mix well.
  • Pour the mixed ingredients into a 1 quart (1,000 ml) maison jar, cover tightly and place in the refrigerator for at least one day and as long as one month. Twist off the top of the jar every four days to release any air.

Marinated Pan Grilled Chicken

  • Pound and mix the lemongrass, soy sauces, garlic, shallot, white peppercorns, cilantro, salt and vegetable oil using a mortar and pestle until mixed and well incorporated. You can also use a food processor for this step.
  • Pour the marinade and the raw chicken breast into an airtight bag and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to a day.
  • When you're ready to cook the chicken, heat a cast iron pan over medium heat. Pour a tablespoon of oil into the heated pan. Once the oil is heated and shimmering, pour in the entire chicken breast with the marinade and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes on each side until the chicken is firm and cooked - about 150°f / 66°c. After the chicken is cooked, brush it with hoisin sauce and cook it for one more minute. Deglaze the pan with a 1/4 cup of water if the bottom of the pan starts getting too brown. (Don't let the marinade burn and scorch.) Rest the cooked chicken on a cutting board.
  • After the chicken is cooked, deglaze the pan with another quarter cup of water and scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Cook the marinade until it gets slightly thick and forms a dark yet flavorful sauce. Pour that sauce into a small bowl
  • Slice the chicken on a bias into 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) slices. Set the chicken and sauce aside for final sandwich assembly.

Building the Banh Mi Sandwich

  • Slice and unhinge the baguette. Do NOT slice it all the way through.
  • Build the sandwich by adding the pâté as the base sandwich layer followed by the daikon/carrot slaw.
  • Add the sliced chicken and pour the sauce over the chicken. Optionally add sliced cucumber and a few green chili slices. Complete the sandwich by garnishing it with fresh herbs.

Notes

  • You can substitute the chicken with cooked proteins like roast pork or even steak. If you replace the chicken with shrimp or tofu, consider replacing the pâté with spreadable cheese..
  • While the finished sandwich will easily feed four for lunch, it can also be served in generous dinner portions for two.

Nutrition

Calories: 532kcalCarbohydrates: 82gProtein: 34gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 2067mgPotassium: 1105mgFiber: 6gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 6536IUVitamin C: 59mgCalcium: 164mgIron: 5mg
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