Caramel Chicken

Vietnamese Caramel Chicken

Vietnamese food is one of the most popular Asian cuisines in the United States.

In the past 10 years or so, Vietnamese cuisine has captured the heart (and tummy) of many diners.

I love Vietnamese spring rolls, summer rolls, banh mi, garlic noodles, and so much more.

This caramel chicken recipe is Vietnamese-inspired. It’s sticky, savory with mild heat from the jalapeno.

Caramel Chicken Recipe

This recipe is sure to whet your appetite. It’s very delicious and made with simple ingredients below:

• Chicken thighs
• Garlic
• Fish sauce
• Sugar
• Ground black pepper
• Jalapeno

This recipe is adapted from The Ravenous Couple.

Fish Sauce

Fish sauce is a staple ingredient in Vietnamese cooking.

While many people are skeptical about fish sauce because of its pungent smell (from a low-grade brand), a good fish sauce doesn’t smell funky.

Made with anchovies and salt, fish sauce is a natural umami bomb that makes everything so much better.

I recommend Red Boat Fish Sauce or Three Crabs Brand Fish Sauce.

How Many Calories per Serving?

This recipe is only 444 calories per serving.

What to Serve with This Recipe?

Serve this dish with other Vietnamese dishes. For a healthy Vietnamese meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.

Crab Noodles

Bean Curd Skin with Shrimp (Vietnamese Tau Hu Ky)

Goi Cuon (Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls)

Banh Xeo (Sizzling Saigon Crepes)

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Caramel Chicken

Servings 3 people

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Vietnamese-style caramel chicken on skillet with sticky, sweet, savory, and mildly spicy caramel sauce. This chicken is so good with steamed rice.

Calories 444 kcal

Author Bee | Rasa Malaysia

Ingredients

• 1 lb. chicken thighs with skin, deboned
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 jalapeno sliced

Marinade:

• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• black pepper

Caramel Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• 3 teaspoons rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar

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Directions

1. 1
   Marinate the chicken with the Marinade ingredients for 10 minutes. Mix all the ingredients in the Caramel Sauce in a bowl, set aside.
   
2. 2
   Heat up a skillet (cast-iron preferred) on medium to high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Pan-fry the chicken (skin side up) until the bottom turns slightly crispy and brown. Repeat the same for the skin, until the skin becomes slightly charred. Transfer the chicken out.
3. 3
   Add the remaining oil into the skillet and add the garlic. Add the chicken into the pan and follow by the Caramel Sauce mixture.
4. 4

   Lower the heat to simmer and continue to cook until the caramel sauce reduces and becomes amber in color. Make sure you turn the chicken a couple of times during cooking.

5. 5
   Add jalapeno and continue to cook for about 1 minute. Dish out and serve immediately with steamed rice.
   

Recipe Notes

To debone chiken thighs, please check out "How to Debone Chicken Thighs."

You may use skinless and boneless chicken thighs.

Nutrition Facts

Caramel Chicken

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 444 Calories from Fat 270

% Daily Value*

Fat 30g46%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Polyunsaturated Fat 23g

Cholesterol 194mg65%

Sodium 1207mg52%

Carbohydrates 9g3%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 36g72%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Vietnamese Recipes

Cuisine: Main Dish

Keyword: caramel chicken, spicy sauce, vietnamese chicken