Ingredients
- For the Chicken:
- 1 kg / 2 lb skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut into large 5cm/2″ pieces
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 bird’s eye chilli or Thai chilli, deseeded and finely minced (optional)
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- ¼ cup brown sugar, tightly packed
- ⅓ cup ginger, finely julienned (about 5 cm/2″ thick piece)
- 2 eschallots (or ½ red onion), halved and finely sliced
- ½ cup boiling water
- For Garnish and Serving:
- Fresh coriander (cilantro) or green onion slices
- Red chilli, finely sliced (optional)
- Jasmine rice or other plain rice of choice
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: Toss the chicken pieces with fish sauce and minced chilli (if using). Set aside while preparing the other ingredients. Marinating overnight is optional but not necessary.
- Prepare the Pan: Use a large non-stick pan (30cm/12″ or larger). If your pan is smaller, be prepared to remove the chicken at the end to speed up the sauce reduction.
- Make the Caramel: In the cold pan, mix the vegetable oil and brown sugar. Turn the heat to medium-high. As soon as the sugar melts, remove the pan from the stove and carefully add the chicken (it will sizzle, so don’t just throw it in!). Add the ginger and shallots, tossing briefly. The caramel may harden, but that’s fine—it will re-melt.
- Cook the Chicken: Put the pan back on the stove and stir until the chicken turns from pink to white all over (but not browned or cooked through).
- Simmer: Add the boiling water, stir, and bring it to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat (or even high heat!). Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the liquid reduces into a glaze. Stir occasionally while it’s still watery. Once the liquid reduces to a glaze, toss the chicken regularly to get a nice color on the chicken. The further you cook it, the better the color and caramelization!
- Serve: Serve the caramelized chicken over jasmine rice or any plain rice of your choice. Garnish with extra slices of chilli and fresh coriander. Smashed cucumbers or Asian slaw would make great sides!
Notes
- Pan Size: Make sure to use a large pan to ensure the caramel reduces properly. If your pan is too small, you might need to remove the chicken towards the end of the process to speed up the reduction.
- The caramel and glaze make this dish incredibly flavorful with the balance of sweet and savory notes from the fish sauce, sugar, and ginger.
- If you prefer more heat, feel free to add extra bird’s eye chilli or a dash of hot sauce.
- Prep Time: 7 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 740mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
