Caramel Chicken Recipe

4.43 from 7 votes

Caramel Chicken is a sweet, yet savory Vietnamese recipe that's loaded with flavor! This easy to make dinner is sure to impress everyone it's served to. The sticky sauce is really what makes these chicken thighs unforgettable!

Prep Time5

Cook Time55

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: asian

Servings:

Calories: 629kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Ingredients

2 ½ pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
Salt for seasoning
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 cloves garlic peeled and crushed with the side of a knife
½ cup water
⅓ cup brown sugar
¼ cup rice vinegar
2 slices ginger
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce optional
Thinly sliced scallions and jalapeños for garnish

Instructions

Season the chicken thighs with salt.
2 ½ pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, Salt
Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and place it in the skillet skin-side down. Cook until golden, flip the thighs, and cook until the second side is golden, about 5-6 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan, place the cooked thighs in a clean bowl, and set aside.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
To the skillet, add the garlic and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes.
6 cloves garlic
Add the cooked garlic to the bowl with the chicken. Drain any remaining fat from the pan.
Over medium high heat, add the water to the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the brown sugar and cook for 3-4 minutes until it thickens and darkens in color.
½ cup water, ⅓ cup brown sugar
Add the vinegar and continue to stir as the mixture bubbles up. Add the ginger, broth, soy sauce, and fish sauce.
¼ cup rice vinegar, 2 slices ginger, 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons fish sauce
Bring the mixture to a simmer and add the garlic and chicken skin-side up.
Simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the chicken and place it on a plate. Continue to simmer the sauce for 8-10 more minutes or until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
Return the chicken to the pot and toss it to coat in the sauce. Garnish with scallions and jalapeños, serve, and enjoy.
Thinly sliced scallions and jalapeños

Video

Notes

Chicken: To make this recipe with chicken breasts instead of thighs, use 2 ½ pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. In step 1, fully cook the chicken breasts. In step 7, only add the garlic. Simmer until the sauce has thickened and add the cooked chicken back to the skillet immediately prior to serving.

Nutrition