Caramelized Chicken

Caramelized Chicken

Caramelized Chicken

This is the ultimate sweet and salty Vietnamese dish. The chicken is marinated in fish sauce, thick soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and shallots; then braised for and hour in coconut water. You can use either a whole chicken or just bone in thighs. The secret to cutting bone in chicken without getting bone fragments in your dish is to chop it with a clever when it is still half frozen. Each of the chicken thighs I used were cut into 4 pieces.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Keyword: Chicken, main course, Vietnamese
Author: Alex Gorgos

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs bone in chicken thighs cut into 3-4 pieces
  • 2 inch ginger julienned
  • 2 large shallots diced
  • 1 tsp thick soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp chicken stock powder
  • 2 1/2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce
  • 16 oz coconut water

Garnish

  • chopped cilantro
  • chopped green onion

Instructions

  • Mix together the ginger, shallots, thick soy sauce, fish sauce, cracked black pepper, sugar, and chicken stock powder.
    Vietnamese, main course, chicken
  • Marinate the chicken thighs in the marinade for 4 hours, preferably overnight.
    Vietnamese, main course, chicken
  • Heat up cooking oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add in the chicken in a single layer. Cook for 5-6 minutes.
    Vietnamese, main course, chicken
  • Pour in the coconut water and remaining marinade juices. Simmer uncovered on medium low for 60 minutes.
    Vietnamese, main course, chicken
  • The last minute of cooking, add in cilantro and green onion.
    Vietnamese, main course, chicken
  • Serve with steamed rice.
    Vietnamese, main course, chicken