Description
Succulent Vietnamese Caramel Chicken sizzles with sweet and savory harmony, blending rich caramel sauce and tender meat. Culinary adventurers discover a perfect balance of umami and sweetness that transports you straight to the bustling streets of Hanoi.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 1 pound (1 lb) chicken thighs
Caramel Sauce Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup water
Aromatics and Seasonings:
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Garnish:
- Green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Whisk together a sweet-savory marinade blending aromatic brown sugar, umami-rich soy sauce, fragrant garlic, zesty ginger, and piquant black pepper with water to create a complex flavor base.
- Warm vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering and hot.
- Carefully place chicken thighs into the heated pan, allowing each side to develop a deep golden-brown crust, approximately 5-6 minutes per surface.
- Cascade the prepared marinade over the seared chicken, ensuring complete coating and creating a bubbling, glossy liquid.
- Lower the temperature to a gentle simmer, allowing the sauce to slowly reduce and caramelize, transforming into a thick, glossy glaze that clings to the chicken.
- Continue cooking for 15-20 minutes, periodically turning the chicken to ensure even coating and preventing burning.
- Once the sauce has reached a rich, syrupy consistency and the chicken is thoroughly cooked with an internal temperature of 165°F, remove from heat.
- Sprinkle freshly chopped green onions across the surface for a vibrant, crisp garnish that adds brightness to the caramelized dish.
Notes
- Marinate chicken thighs for deeper flavor by letting them sit in the sauce mixture for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Choose bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for extra juiciness and richer caramelization during cooking.
- Adjust sauce thickness by adding cornstarch slurry if the caramel doesn’t reduce quickly enough, ensuring a glossy, sticky coating.
- For a low-carb version, replace brown sugar with a sugar-free alternative like monk fruit sweetener or reduce overall sugar content.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 377 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 540 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg