Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Chicken
- 600 g boneless skinless chicken breasts, whole, trimmed of excess fat
Marinade
- 45 ml soy sauce
- 15 ml fish sauce
- 30 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 g lime zest, finely grated
- 3 garlic, minced
- 10 g ginger, freshly grated
- 15 g brown sugar, packed
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 30 ml neutral oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 356 kcal
- Protein
- 33 g
- Carbohydrates
- 7 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 885 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 96 mg
- Potassium
- 426 mg
- Calcium
- 32 mg
- Iron
- 1.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 53 mg
- Phosphorus
- 286 mg
- Zinc
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 37 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.6 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.10 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.16 mg
- Niacin
- 15.2 mg
- Folate
- 9 mcg
- Water
- 122 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board, cover with plastic wrap, and gently pound the thickest parts with a meat mallet until they are an even 1.5 cm thickness.
In a mixing bowl, combine the soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, lime zest, minced garlic, grated ginger, brown sugar, black pepper, and half of the neutral oil (15ml). Whisk until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Add the pounded chicken to the marinade, tossing well to ensure every piece is thoroughly coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
Preheat your grill or grill pan to medium-high heat, approximately 200°C (400°F). Brush the grill grates with the remaining 15ml of neutral oil to prevent sticking.
Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off any excess liquid to prevent flare-ups. Discard the remaining marinade. Place the chicken on the hot grill and cook undisturbed for 5 to 6 minutes per side.
Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken. Verify that the internal temperature has reached exactly 74°C (165°F) for safe consumption.
Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean cutting board. Tent loosely with aluminum foil and allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Chef's Notes
- Pounding the chicken breasts to a uniform thickness is the single most important step for preventing dry edges. Do not skip this.
- Do not marinate chicken breasts with highly acidic ingredients like lime juice for longer than 2 hours. The acid will begin to denature the proteins, resulting in a mushy or chalky texture.
- Fish sauce might smell pungent straight from the bottle, but it transforms completely under heat. It acts as an umami booster, providing a deeply savory, rich flavor profile without tasting fishy.
- The residual heat will continue to cook the chicken slightly after it is removed from the grill. Pulling it at exactly 74 degrees Celsius ensures it is safe without drying out during the resting phase.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. Leftovers are excellent sliced cold over salads.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze cooked chicken breasts individually wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water, covered, until just warmed through to avoid drying out the meat.
Troubleshooting
Chicken breasts are dry and tough
Cause: Uneven thickness led to overcooking the thinner ends, or the chicken was left on the grill too long.
Fix: Slice the chicken thinly across the grain and toss with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and a drizzle of olive oil to add moisture back before serving.
Prevention: Always pound chicken breasts to a uniform thickness before cooking, and use an instant-read thermometer to pull them off the heat the moment they hit 74°C (165°F).
Chicken surface is burned before the inside is cooked
Cause: The grill was too hot, causing the sugars in the marinade to scorch.
Fix: Move the chicken to a cooler zone of the grill (indirect heat) to finish cooking the interior without further burning the outside.
Prevention: Ensure the grill is at a medium-high heat, not maximum. Shake off excess marinade before grilling.
Chicken sticks to the grill grates
Cause: Grill grates were not clean, not oiled properly, or the chicken was flipped before a proper sear formed.
Fix: Wait another 60 seconds; meat often releases itself once a proper crust has formed. Use a thin metal spatula to gently persuade it if necessary.
Prevention: Preheat the grill fully, clean the grates with a brush, and oil them right before adding the meat. Let the meat release naturally before flipping.
Cultural Context
This marinade draws heavy inspiration from Southeast Asian grilling traditions, particularly the balance of salty, sour, and sweet found in Vietnamese and Thai barbecues. The marriage of soy sauce and fermented fish sauce creates a level of umami depth that plain salt simply cannot achieve, while lime juice provides the bright acidic counterbalance essential to the region's culinary philosophy.
