Vietnamese Caramel Chicken

Vietnamese caramel chicken is a salty, sweet, umami-packed flavor bomb! It's gluten free, dairy free, and cooks all in one pan.

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What happens when you cook up some Vietnamese caramel chicken? Exactly what it sounds like. You get tender chicken thighs in a sticky, sweet, salty (in a good way) sauce that caramelizes in the pan.

The caramel chicken sauce gets its flavor from a variety of ingredients including brown sugar for sweetness and fish sauce for a little umami, funk, and ferment. But my favorite part is the ginger.

Grated ginger lends itself well to all kinds of chicken and vegetable recipes. But here, we're going to cut the ginger into long matchsticks, and this preparation is important.

Why? Because it basically means that you're going to have strips of candied ginger in your dinner and that is gonna taste fabulous. Is there anything better?

Recipe adapted from multiple sources including Hungry Huy, Eat, Little Bird, and David Lebovitz.

Jump to:

• What is caramel chicken?
• Vietnamese Caramel Chicken is packed with flavor and easy to make at home!
• Ingredients for caramel chicken
• Recommended tools and equipment
• How to make Vietnamese caramel chicken
• Vietnamese caramel chicken tips
• Substitutions
• How to serve Vietnamese caramel chicken
• Storage and reheating instructions
• More easy one-pan chicken recipes
• Recipe

What is caramel chicken?

Caramel chicken, or gà kho, is a classic Vietnamese recipe that is traditionally cooked in a clay pot. It involves braising chicken in a sauce, then letting that sauce reduce down and caramelize forming a salty, sticky-sweet sauce that clings to the meat.

The recipe has many variations as each family makes it differently, with varying amounts of ginger, garlic or chilis, some have coconut water, some don't, etc. The dish was popularized in the mid-1990s by chef Charles Phan at his San Francisco restaurant, The Slanted Door.

Vietnamese Caramel Chicken is packed with flavor and easy to make at home!

• Easy to make with just 8 ingredients.
• Quick prep: Just cut up some ginger and dice the garlic.
• Vietnamese fish sauce adds umami.
• Brown sugar forms a caramel that coats the chicken in a sticky-sweet sauce.
• Gluten free and dairy free!

Ingredients for caramel chicken

• Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs: I love cooking with bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs because they are tender and flavorful, they don't dry out, and they're cheaper than lots of other cuts.
• Coconut oil: Some recipes call for coconut water or even coconut milk. I'm using coconut oil to give that same flavor.
• Garlic and ginger: Classic aromatics in many Asian dishes. Cutting the ginger into matchsticks = candied ginger in the sauce. A revelation!
• Brown sugar: The brown sugar reduces in the sauce and caramelizes. That's why we call it caramel chicken!
• Vietnamese fish sauce: Fish sauce is a condiment made by fermenting small fish such as anchovies in salt. I like Red Boat brand, it's widely available at most supermarkets and you can find it online. It lasts for a LONG time in the refrigerator and can be used to add umami to lots of different recipes.
• Rice vinegar: This will give us a bit of acid and tang to cut through the saltiness of the fish sauce.
• Water: Yes, water is a very important ingredient! It helps to allow the caramel sauce to reduce down without over-concentrating the flavor.
• Cilantro and fresh red chili peppers: Optional toppings.

Recommended tools and equipment

• Chef's knife, vegetable peeler, and cutting board: To prep the garlic and ginger.
• Mixing bowl and whisk: For mixing up the sauce.
• Wide deep skillet with a lid: You only need one pan to cook all the elements of caramel chicken, from the aromatics, to the sauce, to the chicken itself!

How to make Vietnamese caramel chicken

Step 1: Prep the garlic and ginger

Use a good chef's knife and dice the garlic finely.

Use a vegetable peeler to peel the ginger, then slice into matchsticks about 2 inches long.

Step 2: Brown the chicken

Heat 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil in a large, deep skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Working in two batches, add the chicken thighs skin-side down and cook until lightly golden, about 5 minutes.

Flip the thighs over and cook for about 2 minutes longer, then set aside on a plate to cook the next batch.

Step 3: Make the caramel chicken sauce

While the chicken thighs are browning, add the fish sauce, brown sugar, water and rice vinegar to a mixing bowl. Whisk until the brown sugar has dissolved.

Step 4: Sweat the ginger and garlic

Turn off the heat and carefully pour off the fat from the skillet (or use a spoon or ladle.) Then put the skillet back over medium heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of coconut oil, the garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 - 2 minutes until both are fragrant and beginning to soften.

PREP TIP Be VERY careful when removing hot oil from a hot skillet! Remember to check the sides of the pan for any drips down the side after you pour it off. Carefully wipe the sides clean to avoid a grease fire.

Step 5: Simmer the caramel chicken

Pour the sauce into the skillet, scraping up any bits of fond on the bottom of the pan with a spatula or wooden spoon.

Bring the sauce to a low simmer, then add the chicken and resting juices back into the pan. Cover, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for about 30 minutes, turning and basting the chicken from time to time.

Step 6: Reduce the sauce

Remove the lid from the skillet and turn the heat up to medium high. Let the sauce reduce down, keep turning and basting the chicken while it does.

Reduce until the sauce consistency is about like maple syrup. It will thicken a bit as it cools.

To serve, top with fresh cilantro and sliced red chilis if desired.

Vietnamese caramel chicken tips

• No we are not even seasoning the chicken with salt and pepper. There's plenty of salt in the fish sauce and it will cook in there for a while and be perfectly seasoned.
• We're measuring ginger amounts by length here, but don't get too hung up on it. It doesn't have to be exactly 2 inches long. What we are going for is a nice, substantial matchstick of ginger so we can taste all of that candied ginger goodness!
• If you go too far and the sauce reduces down too much, add more water, give it a stir, and try again.

Substitutions

• You can definitely make caramel chicken with other cuts of chicken. Try drumsticks, wings or boneless skinless chicken thighs. I would avoid chicken breasts because due to the long cook time they could dry out.
• Fish sauce has a special flavor and saltiness that is a key ingredient in caramel chicken. It also has a distinct smell—because it is made of fish, after all. And it's what makes the dish taste so great. If you cannot abide it, Bryan Vu-a of Hungry Huy suggests, "If you are really afraid of the odor in your house you can always cook it outside or as a last resort substitute soy sauce instead, but the flavor will not be the same."
• Don't like cilantro? Top it with scallions.
• I've used coconut oil to get another level of traditional Vietnamese flavor, but if you don't have it, try a neutral oil like grapeseed.

How to serve Vietnamese caramel chicken

Serve caramel chicken with white or brown rice to absorb that fabulous sauce! If you're watching your carbs, you could use cauliflower rice instead. Asian Broccoli would make a great side dish.

Storage and reheating instructions

Caramel chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, place it in a large skillet, add some water to the sauce so that it can simmer without burning. Cover and cook over medium low heat until heated through.

More easy one-pan chicken recipes

• Roast Chicken and Cabbage is made on one sheet pan, the onions and cabbage caramelize as the chicken skin gets crispy.
• Greek Chicken and Potatoes is a main dish and a side dish in one, with a lemony yogurt sauce to brighten things up.
• One Pan Chicken and Mushrooms will whisk you away to a French bistro with a luscious white wine sauce.

Recipe