Vietnamese Banh Mi Street Tacos
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Jun 6, 2019 
Today we’re sharing a taco recipe like no other. A vietnamese and latin amalgamation of glorious complexity. Our Vietnamese Banh Mi Street Tacos are going to blow your mind!
Ok guys. It has been brought to my attention (by my husband, Lt. Dan) that I call every recipe I share my favorite.
Ahem… Sorry about that.
I really mean it when I say each recipe I create for A Spicy Perspective IS my favorite. That is, until I make another blog-worthy recipe that I just have to share with you.
I’m going to try not to use the word “favorite” on today’s Vietnamese Banh Mi Street Tacos, although I’m completely obsessed with them.
Totally.
Ridiculously.
Glazed-over.
Mother-bear rage if you touch my tacos.
Obsessed.
Here’s why…
There are two ethnic cuisines that I crave relentlessly, Vietnamese and Mexican food. If you put them together you have fusion-food at its finest!
Loads of fresh ingredients.
Striking flavors.
Satisfying comfort.
So I’m sharing my favorite Vietnamese Banh Mi Street Tacos with you, because I feel you need to taste them.
For your own good.
I started by dicing chicken thighs into small bites, then soaked them in a bold aromatic Vietnamese Banh Mi marinade, made with fresh lime juice, pungent fish sauce, garlic, and jalapeños.
Once the chicken soaked up all that flavor, I seared it in a hot skillet to create a caramelized exterior.
I placed the Vietnamese Banh Mi chicken and soft flexible Old El Paso Flour Tortillas. (P.S. Old El Paso tortillas have won blind taste-test awards for flavor. Just saying.)
Old El Paso Flour Tortillas are the perfect wrapper to hold all this multicultural goodness. Then I created a simple tangy sauce for the tacos using mayo, sriracha, and sweetened rice vinegar.
These Vietnamese Banh Mi Street Tacos are loaded with fresh crunchy veggies that you would typically see on a Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwich, then drizzled with the spicy creamy taco sauce.
Sigh…. I love them, guys. Soooooo much.
Vietnamese Banh Mi Street Tacos need to go on your menu this week.
Once you taste them, you will know exactly how serious I am when I call something my favorite.
You might even call them your favorite!
Vietnamese Banh Mi Street Tacos
Ingredients
For the Vietnamese Banh Mi Chicken
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/3 cup fish sauce
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 jalapeno
- 4 cloves garlic minced
For the Spicy Mayo
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1-2 tablespoons Sriracha
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
For the Street Tacos
- 2 packages Old El Paso Flour Tortillas taco size
- 3 carrots shredded
- 1 English cucumber sliced thin
- 2 bunches radishes sliced thin
- 4 jalapenos sliced
- 1 bunch fresh mint or cilantro
- 2 limes cut into wedges
Instructions
For the Vietnamese Banh Mi Chicken:
- Pour the fish sauce, lime juice and sugar in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1-2 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Cut the chicken thighs into very small (1/-inch) pieces. Place in a bowl along with jalapeno slices and minced garlic. Stir and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (3 hours is best!)
For the Spicy Mayo:
- Place the rice vinegar and sugar in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute to dissolve the sugar. Then mix in the mayo and Sriracha. Add more Sriracha for extra kick. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Prep all the veggies. Once the chicken has marinated, drain off the marinade. Then heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon coconut oil to the skillet. Then add half the chicken to the skillet. Sear for 4-5 minutes, stirring to caramelize on all sides. Remove and repeat with the remaining chicken.
To Serve:
- Place a scoop of chicken in Old El Paso flour tortillas. Top with shredded carrots, cucumber slices, radishes, fresh mint leaves and jalapeno slices. Drizzle with spicy mayo and serve with fresh lime wedges.
Nutrition
Disclosure: This recipe is sponsored by Old El Paso. All opinions are my own.
These look awesome! I don’t have a microwave, is there an alternative option?
Hi Alison! Just warm it on the stovetop. :)
Hi there! These look delicious, but I’m not a chicken fan. Do you think I could substitute tofu and they would still me good? Thanks
Hi Megan! If you pan-fry the tofu, I bet that would be good.
I plan on making this tomorrow…can I marinade overnight? Or will the fish sauce over power the chicken?
I pinned these because they looked so beautiful and delicious. I don’t like radishes but I decided to make them anyway. The smell of the fish sauce is definitely pungent!!! Everyone who walked in my house did not like the smell but I decided I had started the process and I was going to finish. SO GLAD I DID!! They are delicious and I even had them with the radishes and loved them! Thanks for such an amazing recipe!
I made these tonight. The recipe looked incredible. When you microwave fish sauce, open the windows, not a pleasant smell. Persevere! My kids asked what was for dinner, I told them, ” Mom , can’t you leave your experimenting to once a week, we want something reliable” Well, in the end a 15 & 16 year old gave it an A+ . You can vary the heat by adding less jalapeño and sriracha to taste, also added into the veggie mix some bibb lettuce. I used wholeweat tortillas and served with a side of edamame. This recipe is a keeper.
Made these over the weekend and they are going to continue to appear in the dinner rotation. The Srirarcha Mayo is beyond and overall the recipe is just so easy to make. Highly recommended!!!
YAY! So glad you liked them. Thanks for coming back to tell me! :)
I’m all over these!! Next Saturday they’ll be dinner!! Thanks for sharing!
Incredible flavors! My family would go crazy for these tacos!
Ohmigosh! I love Banh Mi more than life! I stumbled upon your blog from The Pioneer Woman’s suggestion…so happy I did! I will be trying this tomorrow or the next day….SO EXCITED!!!!
WOWWWWW. Making STAT. I’m so anticipating this fusion food party in my mouth, pinned!
Oh my goodness….I think these are my new favorite, too!
These are so going to happen this week! I want one so bad!