Fish Sauce Caramel Chicken

Name: Fish Sauce Caramel Chicken
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 4 whole chicken legs (2 1/2 pounds); Kosher salt; Pepper; 4 tablespoons neutral oil, divided; 3 large shallots, thinly sliced; 4 garlic cloves; One 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled, julienned; 1/2 cup palm sugar or light brown sugar; 3 tablespoons rice vinegar; 2 tablespoons fish sauce; 1 jalapeño, sliced

5.0

(3)

3 Reviews

This excellent take on ga kho gung, Vietnamese caramelized chicken with ginger and fish sauce, is sweetened with shallots, garlic, and palm sugar. Slideshow: More Chicken Leg Recipes

By

Laura Rege

Updated on January 1, 2018

Fish Sauce-Caramel Chicken — This addictive take on ga kho gung, Vietnamese caramelized chicken with ginger and fish sauce, is sweetened with shallots, garlic, and palm sugar. Photo: Christopher Testani

Total Time:

45 mins

Yield:

4

Ingredients

4 whole chicken legs (2 1/2 pounds)
Kosher salt
Pepper
4 tablespoons neutral oil, divided
3 large shallots, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves
One 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled, julienned
1/2 cup palm sugar or light brown sugar
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 jalapeño, sliced

Directions

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a deep 12-inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Add chicken to skillet, skin side down. Cook over moderately high heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn chicken and brown other side, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Pour the oil out of the skillet and discard.
Return skillet to moderate heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, shallots, garlic, and ginger; cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes.
Add sugar, vinegar, fish sauce, and 1/2 cup water to skillet. Bring to a boil, and return chicken to skillet, skin side down. Simmer over moderate heat, occasionally basting the chicken, 8 minutes. Turn chicken and continue basting, adding water by tablespoonfuls if sauce thickens too rapidly, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of chicken registers 165° and sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes. Add jalapeño, and toss to coat in sauce. Transfer chicken to a platter, and drizzle sauce over the chicken.