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Vietnamese Caramel Chicken
Total Time
45 mins
 
try this vietnamese-style chicken that is so mouthwateringly succulent and juicy chicken using simple ingredients that you already have in your pantry
Course: Main Course
Keyword: chicken, asian, vietnamese
Servings: 4
Ingredients
  • 4 whole chicken legs 
 2 1/2 pounds
  • Kosher salt
  • Pepper
  • 4 Tbsp.  neutral flavorless oil (grapeseed oil) divided (2T. / 2T.)
  • 3 large shallots thinly sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • One 2-inch piece of ginger peeled, minced
  • 1/2 cup palm sugar or light brown sugar
  • 3 Tbps. rice vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp. fish sauce
  • 1-2 jalapeño sliced and divided into 2 portions
  • 1 cup water to add during cooking if needed
Instructions
Step 1
  1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a deep 12-inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Add chicken to skillet, skin side down. Cook over moderately high heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn chicken and brown other side, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Pour the oil out of the skillet and discard.
Step 2

  1. Return skillet to moderate heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, shallots, garlic, and ginger and 1/2 of prepared jalapenos;  cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes.

Step 3
  1. Add sugar, vinegar, fish sauce, and 1/2 cup water to skillet. Bring to a boil, and return chicken to skillet, skin side down. Simmer over moderate heat, occasionally basting the chicken, 8 minutes. Turn chicken and continue basting, adding water by tablespoonfuls if sauce thickens too rapidly, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of chicken registers 165° and sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes. Add jalapeño, and toss to coat in sauce. Transfer chicken to a platter, and drizzle sauce over the chicken.
Recipe Notes
  1. this recipe was adapted slightly from a recipe found in the January 2018 Food and Wine issue.  
  2. if you can't find whole chicken legs, you can easily substitute bone-in, skin-on thighs, bone-in chicken breasts, a whole chicken divided into 8 pieces
  3. serve with basmati or jasmine rice
  4. make lettuce wraps with leftovers by shredding the chicken with the sauce, serve in romaine or boston lettuce and top with any type of crunchy veggies, nuts, etc.