Vietnamese Style Caramelized Chicken Recipes

VIETNAMESE CARAMEL CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine sugar, fish sauce, and black pepper in a shallow plate and turn chicken in the marinade. Set aside for 10 minutes.
• Combine water, fish sauce, sugar, and rice vinegar in a bowl. Set caramel sauce aside.
• Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and pan-fry chicken, skin-side up, until bottoms turn slightly crispy and brown, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook until skin is slightly charred, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and transfer to a plate.
• Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and cook garlic for 30 seconds. Return chicken to the skillet and add caramel sauce. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear. Caramel sauce should be reduced and turn amber in color. Add jalapenos and cook for 1 more minute.

VIETNAMESE CHICKEN (CARAMEL CHICKEN)

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add water and sugar and cook until sugar starts to melt and turn brown, about 5 minutes. Cook, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and pour caramel into a bowl.
• Rinse the skillet with hot water and return to medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, ginger, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes; transfer mixture to a bowl.
• Season chicken breasts with salt and black pepper and add them to the hot skillet. Cook for 10 minutes. Add caramel, soy sauce, and ginger mixture to the skillet. Reduce heat to low and cook 20 minutes more.

VIETNAMESE-STYLE CARAMEL BRAISED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken thighs on a rimmed baking sheet in a 400º oven for 20 minutes.
• In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce and 1/4 Celsius water. In another small bowl, mix the shallots, garlic, red pepper flakes and 1/2 t. black pepper.
• Put the sugar and 2 T. water in a 10-inch straight-sided saute pan over medium heat and cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Let the melted sugar come to a boil and cook, swirling the pan occasionally at first and more frequently as the sugar browns, until it has caramelized to a deep amber color, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat and carefully pour in fish sauce mixture to the pan. Swirl the pan to combine and return to medium heat and bring to a boil. Add the shallot mixture and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the shallots soften.
• Add the chicken pieces, stirring to coat them. Serve sprinkled with cilantro and your favorite rice.

VIETNAMESE CARAMELIZED CHICKEN MARINADE

Steps:

• Cook the sugar in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until brown. It will smoke slightly.
• Immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir the fish sauce into the caramel, being careful to guard against splattering (the mixture will bubble vigorously).
• Return the mixture to low heat and gently boil, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes.
• Add the shallots and ground pepper to taste; stir to combine.
• Cover chicken with marinade for at least 1/2 hr, preferably more.
• Grill or barbecue or stir-fry for about 3 minutes.
• NOTE: Cool this sauce thoroughly before using. If cold food is added to a caramel sauce that is hot, the sugar will harden instantly and you'll end up with a dish full of candy chips.