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Vietnamese-style caramel chicken on skillet with sticky, sweet, savory, and mildly spicy caramel sauce. This chicken is so good with steamed rice.
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 Ingredients
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
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is only 447 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Caramel Chicken
Serve this dish with other Vietnamese dishes. For a healthy Vietnamese meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Caramel Chicken
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
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken with the marinade ingredients for 10 minutes. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients for the caramel sauce and set aside.
- Heat up a skillet (cast iron preferred) on medium to high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil. Pan-fry the chicken (skin side up) until the bottom turns slightly crispy and brown. Repeat the same for the skin until it becomes slightly charred. Transfer the chicken out of the skillet.
- Add the remaining oil into the skillet and sauté the garlic. Then, add the chicken back into the pan, followed by the caramel sauce mixture.
- Lower the heat to a simmer and continue to cook until the caramel sauce reduces and becomes amber in color. Be sure to turn the chicken a couple of times during cooking.
- Add the jalapeño and continue to cook for about 1 minute. Dish out and serve immediately with steamed rice.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi, I just wanted to ask if there were any liquids that go in the marinade? Maybe I’m missing something. I don’t think that alone would marinate 1lb. of chicken thighs. If it’s this is a stupid question then I apologize.
Marinade:
▢ 1 tablespoon sugar
▢ 1 tablespoon fish sauce
▢ black pepper
The fish sauce is liquid, and is very potent and salty. It’s enough for the 1 lb of meat. There’s also the caramel sauce that will add even more flavour in the later part of the recipe.
Another excellent recipe Bee. And, simple too! The whole family enjoyed it.
Thanks, Bob. Lovely to hear that your family enjoyed the dish.
Could I do this dish baked in oven instead of stovetop?
Yes.
Tried it out a week or so ago following the recipe exactly. It’s really good. We like a little more heat than the jalapeno provides so when I make it tonight I’m adding a little red pepper too.
Made this today. Doubled the sauce. So simple and amazingly delicious.
Awesome thanks and please try more recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/