My kid first introduced me to Vietnamese fare. 

Pho.  Coffee.  Bakeries.  And Banh Mi.  Each worthy of their own post. 

Our Vietnamese Beef Pho post continues to be one of my favorites. 

Vietnamese Iced Coffee was incorporated into a great day spent with one of my favorite peeps, as we explored various iced coffees. 

Shelby and I set out on Chinese New Year a couple years back, we headed to Buford Highway, an Asian infusion corridor just outside the hustle and bustle that is Atlanta.

We celebrated with Dim Sum at Canton House.  Then began the slow crawl up the corridor, making our way to Asian Square.  Home to Shelby’s favorite Pho spot, Banh Mi joint, and Vietnamese Bakery.

The Pickles

A signature ingredient in a Banh Mi Sandwich is pickled carrot and daikon radish. 

I added thinly sliced jalapeno to the mix, with a quick refrigerator pickle marinade.  1/2 cup rice wine vinegar, 1 Tbl. sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt.  We went overnight, but in as little as 30 minutes you can infuse pickle flavor.

The Protein

The protein in Banh Mi Sandwiches varies greatly.  I’m not certain there are signature choices, instead a chance to make them your own.  For ours, think chicken burgers or better yet, kicked up chicken meatloaf.

Fresh ground chicken, scallion, red onion, cilantro, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic powder, black pepper and kosher salt.  Form into patties or meatballs (we did both, Banh Mi Bites were like a party in your mouth).

The Fresh Herbs & Mayo

Fresh herbs elevate any dish, but in these sandwiches, they bring one more layer of freshness.  Cilantro is classic, however basil and mint pair perfectly as well.  Don’t be shy, pile on the herbs.

Then there is the spicy mayo.  I infused our mayo with soy sauce, sriracha hot sauce, sesame oil and fish sauce.  It had a mild kick and smooth finish.

On this day, I introduce the Vietnamese Banh Mi Chicken Sandwich to the pages of Lemony Thyme.  This savory sandwich has so much flavor with the juicy chicken, the punchy pickles and fresh herbs and the sweet and spicy mayo. I made a few extra Banh Mi Bites to hold us over while I pictured the sandwich.

Are there recipes that remind you of a favorite vacation that you’d like to see us recreate? I’d love for you to comment below. Your feedback is so important to me (and keeps the recipe love fresh).

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All my best,
xo Libby

Print

Vietnamese Banh Mi Chicken Sandwich

This savory sandwich has so much flavor with the juicy chicken, the punchy pickles and fresh herbs and the sweet and spicy mayo.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For pickled veggies…

• 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 Tbl. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 carrot julienned or spiralized
• 1 daikon radish julienned or spiralized
• 1 jalapeno thinly sliced

For chicken burger…

• 1 lb. ground chicken
• 1 scallion thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup fine diced red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 Tbl. sesame oil
• 1 Tbl. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

For spicy mayo…

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tbl. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. sriracha sauce
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. fish sauce optional

For Banh Mi Sandwich…

• 1 long baguette about 24-inches
• 2 cups fresh herbs cilantro, basil, mint

Instructions

For the pickled veggies…

• In a small glass bowl, whish together vinegar, sugar and salt. Add in prepared veggies and refrigerate a minimum of 30 minutes or up to two days ahead.

For the chicken burger…

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients until just combined. Do not overwork. Form into 4 patties or 1-inch meatballs. Place on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until instant read thermometer inserted in the center reads 160 degrees. (Meatballs will require less cooking time, check after 15 minutes).

For the spicy mayo…

• While the burgers cook, combine mayonnaise ingredients in a small bowl and refrigerate.

To serve…

• Slice baguette into fourths, then cut each piece in half. Spread insides with spicy mayo. Layer fresh herbs and pickled veggies, then top with burger. Add additional herbs and pickled veggies.

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