From above, glossy mahogany chicken slices rest over pale green zucchini ribbons in shallow bowls, scattered with torn herbs, cucumber crescents, red chili rings, crushed peanuts, and tiny lime wedges for a vibrant, high-contrast finish.

Vietnamese-Inspired Fish Sauce Chicken with Charred Zucchini Ribbons

Name: Vietnamese-Inspired Fish Sauce Chicken with Charred Zucchini Ribbons
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 32 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 12 oz boneless skinless chicken thighs trimmed; 2 medium zucchini shaved into long ribbons; 1 Persian cucumber thinly sliced on a diagonal; 1/2 cup shiso leaves or Thai basil loosely packed and torn; 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves torn; 2 scallions thinly sliced; 1 whole lime zested and juiced; 2 cloves garlic finely minced; 1 tsp fresh ginger finely grated; 1 red Thai chili thinly sliced; 2 1/2 tbsp fish sauce; 2 tsp allulose or brown monk fruit sweetener; 1 tbsp rice vinegar; 2 tbsp roasted peanuts roughly crushed; 1 1/2 tbsp avocado oil; 1/4 tsp kosher salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper

Sticky chicken over smoky zucchini ribbons and bright herbs.

Category Main Course

Prep 20 minutes

Cook 12 minutes

Style Vietnamese

Technique Marinating

Diet Friendly Low-Carb

Daily recipe · June 26, 2026

A little about this dish

This low-carb Vietnamese-inspired main feels tailor-made for a warm early-summer evening: deeply savory caramelized fish sauce chicken laid over a cool tangle of charred zucchini ribbons and herbs, finished with a punchy lime-perilla dressing and crunchy peanuts. It borrows the sweet-salty-bright balance of Vietnamese cooking, but swaps noodles for seasonal zucchini and adds shiso or mint for a fresher, less predictable twist.

Ingredients (for 2)

Boneless skinless chicken thighs — 12 oz — trimmed
Zucchini — 2 medium — shaved into long ribbons
Persian cucumber — 1 — thinly sliced on a diagonal
Shiso leaves or thai basil — 1/2 cup — loosely packed and torn
Fresh mint leaves — 1/4 cup — torn
Scallions — 2 — thinly sliced
Lime — 1 whole — zested and juiced
Garlic — 2 cloves — finely minced
Fresh ginger — 1 tsp — finely grated
Red thai chili — 1 — thinly sliced
Fish sauce — 2 1/2 tbsp
Allulose or brown monk fruit sweetener — 2 tsp
Rice vinegar — 1 tbsp
Roasted peanuts — 2 tbsp — roughly crushed
Avocado oil — 1 1/2 tbsp
Kosher salt — 1/4 tsp
Black pepper — 1/4 tsp

Preparation

Step 1 — 🍗🥣⏳

Pat the chicken dry. In a bowl, mix 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp sweetener, 1 minced garlic clove, 1/2 tsp grated ginger, and 1 tsp avocado oil. Toss with the chicken and let it marinate for 15 minutes while you prepare the vegetables.
Step 2 — 🍋🥄✨

In a small bowl or jar, stir together the lime juice, lime zest, rice vinegar, remaining 1 tbsp fish sauce, remaining 1 tsp sweetener, remaining garlic, remaining ginger, and 1/2 tbsp avocado oil until smooth and glossy.
Step 3 — 🥒🔥🍳

Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Toss the zucchini ribbons with 1/2 tbsp avocado oil and a small pinch of kosher salt. Cook for 60 to 90 seconds, turning gently, until lightly blistered but still firm. Transfer to a bowl to cool slightly.
Step 4 — 🍗🔥👨‍🍳

In the same hot pan, add the remaining 1/2 tbsp avocado oil if needed. Season the chicken with the black pepper, then cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side until caramelized and fully cooked through. Lower the heat if it starts browning too fast.
Step 5 — ⏲️🔪🍽️

Let the chicken rest for 3 minutes, then slice it into thick strips.
Step 6 — 🥗🌿🥒

Toss the charred zucchini with the cucumber, most of the shiso or Thai basil, mint, half the scallions, and enough dressing to lightly coat everything.
Step 7 — 🍽️🥗🍗

Divide the zucchini salad between 2 shallow bowls or plates. Arrange the sliced chicken on top.
Step 8 — 🥜🌶️🍋

Spoon over a little more dressing. Top with the crushed peanuts, sliced red Thai chili, remaining scallions, and the rest of the herbs. Serve with lime wedges if desired.
Step 9 — ✨🍴😋

Serve right away while the chicken is warm and the vegetables stay cool and crisp-tender.

A final fox tip

For an even more dramatic presentation, plate the zucchini in loose nests and slice the chicken on a sharp bias. If you can find perilla or shiso, use it: its mint-basil-cinnamon character makes the dish feel especially vibrant and less obvious than the usual herb mix. To make it nuttier without adding many carbs, finish with a few toasted sesame seeds alongside the peanuts.