Lemongrass Chicken & Zoodles {Paleo, Low FODMAP}

I love lemongrass.  It’s so refreshing, earthy, light.  It’s one of my favorite flavors out there actually… and mixed with a smidgen of ginger, cilantro, and lime, it’s divine.  Divine I tell you.

That’s why I adore this Lemongrass Chicken served over zoodles (zucchini noodles).

Like any marinade, the longer it sits, the more flavorful it gets.  Ideally, this would marinate overnight, but if you simply don’t have that long, aim for a few hours at least.

I don’t typically plan my meals the day before- I’m just not that organized most the time- but when I do, it makes the day of soooo much easier.

Once I made the marinade, all the work was pretty much done.  I just plopped the chicken in the sauce, threw it in the fridge, went to bed, and then the next day just had to bake those bad boys for 15 minutes and boom, done.  Easy, right?

I served these over zoodles {zucchini noodles}, but they are tasty over rice, cauliflower rice, or in wraps, too… or hey, why not over some kale sauteed in coconut oil?  Get creative… I’m a zoodle maniac, so I eat them any chance I get.

{Want a super easy zoodle recipe?  Check out THIS easy pesto zoodle salad… it’s the simplest, but oh so tasty!}

This is a low FODMAP recipe, meaning it’s a good option for people with sensitive guts.

FODMAPs are food that can trigger discomfort, bloating, etc in some people… sadly, me being one of those people as of late.

It’s typically a healing diet, meaning the trigger foods are eliminated temporarily, until whatever particular gut issues are resolved.

What are these trigger foods I speak of?

Onions, garlic, avocado… I know, rough.  The list goes on and on, but those are the three important ones in my book, since I eat them all the time.  I mean, onions and garlic are in everything.

Thing is, I’ve learned how to cook without them the last couple of months.  And truth be told, I’ve learned how to make foods that are just as delicious as the foods I made with!

Shocking, I know, but it’s true.  This recipe is one of them… so it’s safe for all with low FODMAP needs, but tasty for all who have none of those needs, too!  It’s a win-win.

I made a teensy little cucumber salad to go with…. with just some thinly sliced cukes, thinly sliced green onions (the green parts are considered okay on a low FODMAP diet), vinegar, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.  Simple, but marvelous as a side with something like this.

If preferred you could make this with breasts… I have before, it’s good.  Somehow though, the thighs jut seems to be a perfect fit.  They’re small, tender, and flavorful.  Use whatever you like though. 🙂

For a garnish, I chose little diced red bell peppers and cilantro… for both color and flavor.  You could add in more goodies if you’d like too though… thinly sliced jalapeno pepper, green onion, or even a little melted salted coconut oil.  All would be delish!

Lemongrass Chicken & Zoodles

The Players

serves 4

• 4 chicken thighs or breasts (where to find pasture-raised chicken)
• 1 lemongrass stalk
• 2 tsp finely grated ginger
• 2 tsp fresh lime juice
• 3 tbsp chopped green onion, green parts only
• 3 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup coconut milk (where to buy BPA-free coconut milk)
• pinch crushed red pepper, optional
• coconut oil or ghee, for greasing dish (how to choose a good coconut oil, where to buy ghee from grass-fed cows)
• for garnish: diced red bell pepper & fresh cilantro leaves

The How-To

Add the lemongrass, ginger, green onion, cilantro, lime, turmeric, paprika, and salt to a food processor.

Pulse until well-mixed.

Add coconut milk.  Blend until smooth and creamy.

For a slight kick {which I totally recommend}, add a pinch of red pepper.

Pour the sauce over chicken thighs.  Cover and refrigerate over night.
{If needed, you can make this the same day, but please note that the longer it marinates, the more flavorful it will be!}

The next day, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let sit for about 30 minutes to come to room temp before cooking.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Using coconut oil or ghee, lightly grease the bottom of a baking dish.

Shake off excess marinade- use your fingers to wipe any pieces of lemongrass left behind- it tends to be a bit stringy and tough, so you want it off of there before cooking. 😉

Place the chicken in the oven, uncovered, for about 12 minutes, then broil for about 3-5 to lightly brown it.

{Sidenote: I cooked this two ways for experimenting’s sake- I cooked two thighs on the stovetop first and finished them in the oven, and baked and broiled the other two thighs.  My preference is the baking method- the bottom two thighs were baked, the top two were stovetop cooked… in case you’re wondering why they look slightly different 😉 }

While the chicken is cooking, spiralize your zucchini into zoodles. (This is the spiralizer I use and recommend.) Alternatively, you could serve this over rice instead.

If desired, toss the zoodles in a little salt and pepper before serving.

Once the chicken is done, let it rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Dice bell pepper and prep some cilantro leaves for garnishing.

To serve, toss some zoodles on a bowl or plate.

Lay a sliced chicken thigh over the zoodles and sprinkle with diced peppers…

Tope with cilantro, gobble, and enjoy!

{Makes great leftovers for a chicken salad, sandwich, or lettuce wrap!}

For more delicious recipes similar to this one (low-carb, high-fat), I highly recommend the Wicked Good Ketogenic Diet Cookbook.

Learn all about how to eat to force your body to burn fat. This book is jam packed with 156 delicious fat-shredding recipes that will help you burn fat like crazy. Even stubborn belly and thigh fat won’t stand a chance because your body will have NO CHOICE but to burn that fat for fuel!

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AS ALWAYS, ENJOY!