Vietnamese Caramel Chicken Dish (Printer-friendly)

Tender chicken glazed in a savory-sweet caramel and fish sauce glaze with vibrant herbs.

# Ingredient List:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.75 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Marinade & Sauce

02 - 3 tbsp fish sauce
03 - 2 tbsp light soy sauce
04 - 2 tbsp brown sugar
05 - 1 tbsp lime juice
06 - 2 tsp minced garlic
07 - 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
08 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil

→ Caramel

09 - 4 tbsp granulated sugar
10 - 3 tbsp water

→ Garnish

11 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
12 - 1 red chili, thinly sliced (optional)
13 - Fresh coriander leaves

# How-To Steps:

01 - Combine chicken pieces with fish sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, minced garlic, and black pepper in a bowl. Marinate for at least 15 minutes.
02 - Heat granulated sugar and water in a large skillet or wok over medium heat without stirring, allowing sugar to dissolve and form a deep amber caramel, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Monitor carefully to prevent burning.
03 - Add marinated chicken with all juices immediately to the caramel and toss to coat evenly.
04 - Incorporate vegetable oil, then cook over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and sauce thickens into a glossy glaze.
05 - Taste and modify seasoning with additional fish sauce or lime juice if desired.
06 - Transfer to serving plate, garnish with sliced spring onions, chili, and fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot alongside steamed jasmine rice.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The caramel isn't overly sweet—it's balanced by fish sauce and lime into something savory-sticky that tastes nothing like a dessert and everything like home.
  • Chicken thighs stay impossibly tender through cooking, soaking up every drop of that glossy sauce instead of drying out.
  • The whole thing comes together in 40 minutes, which means you can pull off an impressive Vietnamese dinner on a weeknight without stress.
02 -
  • The caramel is fragile—watch it like a hawk and don't trust it to be patient, because the difference between perfect amber and burnt is maybe 20 seconds of heat.
  • Chicken thighs need less time than you might think, especially if you cut them into fairly small, even pieces; you're looking for cooked-through, not shredded.
  • The sauce will continue to thicken slightly as it cools, so if it looks slightly loose when you taste it, it'll be perfect by the time it hits your plate.
03 -
  • Cut your chicken pieces to roughly the same size so they cook evenly and the caramel clings to every surface without any pieces drying out while others stay pink.
  • Don't skip the marinating time—even 15 minutes lets the fish sauce and lime start working their way into the chicken, which means deeper flavor and more tender meat by the time it hits the pan.
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