Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Vietnamese Caramel Ginger Chicken Recipe
Vietnamese Caramel Ginger Chicken – juicy chicken bites glazed in a Vietnamese caramel sauce with a superb dose of ginger. 5 components. 12 minute braise. Serve over jasmine rice with Asian Slaw for a dinner everyone will gobble up!
If you see immediately’s recipe, you’re going to doubt me. How can a recipe with so few components that’s so quick to make be pretty much as good as I promise??
Reply: As a result of the Vietnamese have been making this for hundreds of years!
The caramelisation cooking technique utilized in immediately’s recipe is a standard Vietnamese method. Proteins equivalent to chicken, pork, egg and generally greens are braised in a easy combination of sugar and water (or coconut juice), seasoned with fish sauce and flavoured with aromatics equivalent to ginger, garlic and chilli.
At first the combination seems to be totally unimpressive – watery and foamy. Like this:
However simply give it a mere 12 minutes, and that is what it seems to be like:
I do know, proper?? Unimaginable. We must always know higher than to doubt the Vietnamese!
And right here’s a pleasant shut up for you, together with the within – proof of juiciness:
Vietnamese caramel this-and-that
Vietnamese caramel sauce will not be new to those elements! Very long time astute readers could recognise this as much like a sticky Vietnamese Coconut Caramel Chicken that I shared a few years in the past. That’s made with entire bone-in chicken thighs and takes round an hour to make. Additionally, different members of the Vietnamese Caramel Household – fan favorite Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Bowls (fast) and slow-cooked Vietnamese Caramel Pork (juicy bites!)
At present’s recipe may be my favorite, for it’s pace and the stunning pops of ginger flavour.
Right here’s all it is advisable to make immediately’s miracle dish:
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Boneless chicken thighs – Thighs work greatest as a result of they may keep juicier for the required simmer time for the sauce to scale back down right into a glaze. However if you wish to make this with chicken breast, I’ve popped instructions within the recipe notes – greatest to take it out of the pan partway so it doesn’t overcook.
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Brown sugar – That is what makes the caramel glaze! Brown reasonably than white sugar, for additional caramely flavour.
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Fish sauce – The “secret ingredient” that offers the sauce extra depth of flavour than simply utilizing salt or soy sauce. You possibly can substitute with soy sauce, however the glaze gained’t have fairly the identical flavour.
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Ginger – We use quite a bit, for beautiful gingery flavour! 1/3 cup finely julienned.
Garlic might be substituted.
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Chilli (elective) – For a faint background hum of heat. I take advantage of Birds Eye however Thai chilli or different chilli of selection could be high quality. This dish will not be spicy by any means, the spiciness of a single chilli is diminished by the cooking course of and overpowered by the sweetness.
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Eschalots (elective) –Also called French onions, and referred to as “shallots” within the US. They appear to be child onions, however are finer and sweeter than common onions in order that they disappear into the glaze higher.
To not be confused with what some individuals in Australia name “shallots” ie the lengthy inexperienced onions. Substitute with finely sliced crimson or common onions, or skip it. It’s not so widespread in conventional Vietnamese caramel dishes however it does add additional flavour (I attempted with and with out).
Very simple, low upkeep and fast! No marinating required, and only a 12 minute braise.
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Toss the chicken within the fish sauce and chilli (if utilizing). Then simply put aside whilst you put together and measure out the opposite components. Marinating isn’t required – loads of flavour infusion into the chicken occurs in the course of the braise. However you may go away it in a single day, if you happen to needed to.
Use a big non-stick pan else the liquid will take ages to scale back. Mine is 30cm/12″. If yours is smaller or the liquid is taking means too lengthy to scale back down right into a glaze, take away chicken with slotted spoon and cut back the liquid by itself (it is going to be quick).
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Caramel – Put the oil and sugar in a pan over medium warmth and stir.
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Soften – Because the pan heats up, the sugar will soften and kind a caramel. As quickly because it has melted, take the pan off the range earlier than including the chicken. ⚠️ This can be a precaution step – as a result of the caramel does sizzle a bit whenever you add the chicken. In case your range runs extremely popular otherwise you’re just a little…..err…. overly enthusiastic when tossing the chicken in, I’d hate for caramel bits to splash on you. By taking it off the range, we don’t want to fret.
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Chicken -Slide the chicken in fastidiously (don’t throw it in!), eschalots and ginger. Toss briefly to coat, then return to the range. The caramel could harden however that’s okay, it would re-melt on the range.
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Prepare dinner – Stir the chicken till it adjustments from pink to white however the inside will nonetheless be uncooked. Add water then let it come as much as the simmer.
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Braise 10 to 12 minutes – Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes till the sauce reduces down right into a brown glaze that coats the chicken. That is what it seems to be like in the beginning – not very appetising! It’s very low upkeep – simply stir each couple of minutes.
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Halfway – Right here it’s midway by. You possibly can see the chicken is beginning to be stained by the sauce color. What you possibly can’t see is all the stunning flavour being absorbed by the chicken! 🙂
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Glaze! Then after 10 to 12 minutes, that is what it seems to be like. The liquid may have diminished proper down and reworked into brown stick glaze that coats the chicken. At this stage, it would be best to stir fairly repeatedly to make sure the sauce doesn’t catch and burn on the bottom of the pot. Simply cut back the warmth it you’re involved.
And that’s it! It’s able to eat!
Serve over jasmine rice or different plain rice of selection (or cauliflower rice if you happen to’re going the low-carb factor). It’s not a sauce stir fry however you positively gained’t miss the sauce as a result of the glaze is extra intense flavoured than a typical saucy stir fry. So you possibly can eat it with plain rice as a result of each rice grain the chicken touches can be graced with the tasty Vietnamese caramel sauce!
For a beautiful recent aspect salad, I’d recommend a crunchy recent Asian Slaw. Else, my ever-trusty Smashed Cucumbers (good juicy freshness to distinction with this sticky goodness) or Asian Sesame Dressing which you need to use for “something” – leafy greens, steamed broccoli or carrots.
Take pleasure in! – Johnsat x
Recipe credit score: Tailored from Eat Like a Viet cookbook by Jenny Lam, after consuming this at PhatLon, her Vietnamese restaurant in Perth! I dialled down the saltiness (fish sauce) and added eschalots as a result of I believe they make it even tastier.
Ingredients
- 1 kg / 2 lb skinless chicken thigh fillets , cut into large 5cm/2″ pieces (Note 1)
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 bird’s eye chilli or Thai chilli , deseeded, finely minced (optional) – Note 2
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup brown sugar , tightly packed
- 1/3 cup ginger , finely julienned (about 5 cm/2″ thick piece)
- 2 eschallots , halved then finely sliced (sub half red onion) (Note 3)
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- Fresh coriander/cilantro or green onion slices (recommended)
- Red chilli , finely sliced (optional)
- Jasmine rice , white rice or other plain rice of choice
Instructions
- Toss chicken with fish sauce and chilli, then set aside while you prepare the other ingredients. You could marinate even overnight but it's not necessary.
- Pan size – Use a large non-stick pan (mine is 30cm/12", must be large). Else, be prepared to remove chicken at end to speed up sauce reduction. See Note 4!
- Caramel – Mix oil and sugar in the cold pan, then turn onto medium high heat. As soon as the sugar is melted, remove the pan from the stove then carefully add the chicken (⚠️ it will sizzle so don't throw it in!) . Add ginger and shallots, toss briefly. The caramel may harden, that's ok, it will re-melt.
- Cook outside of chicken – Then put the pan back on the stove and stir just until the chicken changes from pink to white all over, but not browned, and definitely not cooked through.
- Simmer 10 min – Add water, stir, bring to a simmer. Simmer very rapidly, still on medium high (or even high!), for 10 to 12 minutes, until the liquid reduces right down to a glaze. It might take longer if your pan is smaller or your stove is weaker, that's ok. Stir every now and then while watery, then once it's reduced down to a glaze, toss regularly to get nice colour on the chicken. The further you take it, the better the colour!
- Serve with jasmine rice or other plain rice garnished with extra slices of chilli and fresh coriander if desired. Smashed cucumbers or Asian Slaw would be a terrific side!
Notes
Recipe adapted from Eat Like a Viet cookbook by Jenny Lam, after eating this at PhatLon, her Vietnamese restaurant in Perth.
1. Chicken – I cut most into 4, some into 3. You want them quite large so they don’t dry out during the required simmer time.
Breast – not recommended, it will dry out by the time the sauce reduces. However, if you want to use breast, I’d probably use the whole breast (2), split in half (to make 4 thin steaks), start the cook in the caramel, take them out, let the sauce reduce to a glaze then coat. Bit risky to get timing right without overcooking.
2. Chilli – optional, adds the tiniest background hint of heat (longer you cook fresh chilli, less spicy it is, also the sweet dominates here).
3. Eschalots –Also known as French onions, and called “shallots” in the US. Look like baby onions, but have purple-skinned flesh, are finer and sweeter, so they disappear into the glaze better than regular onions. Not to be confused with what some people in Australia call “shallots” ie the long green onions.
Sub with finely sliced red or regular onions.
4. PAN / sauce reduction / caramelisation – You need a large pan (30cm/12″+) so the chicken isn’t crowded else the liquid takes AGES to reduce. Also, be brave and simmer super rapidly so the liquid reduces faster, and once it’s reduced down to a sticky glaze, stir the chicken in the oil left in the pan to get the nice caramelisation on it.
If you’re pan is too small, remove chicken after 12 minutes using slotted spoon and reduce liquid down to glaze (fast, without chicken). then toss chicken back in.
5. Leftovers will keep for 3 days in the fridge. Freezing – haven’t tried but I see no reason why it wouldn’t freeze perfectly well!
Nutrition per serving, chicken only (no rice).
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