Flavorful Vietnamese Caramelized Chicken

INGREDIENTS

• 2 boneless chicken thighs (about 1.1 pounds or 500 grams)
• 1 coconut
• 0.7 ounces (20 grams) minced garlic
• 0.7 ounces (20 grams) minced shallots
• 0.7 ounces (20 grams) julienned ginger
• 2 lemongrass stalks, thinly sliced
• 1 chili pepper
• For the marinade
• 5 teaspoons salt
• 5 teaspoons Vietnamese caramel sauce, Nuoc Mau
• 3 teaspoons soup powder
• 3 teaspoons oyster sauce
• 3 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

DIRECTIONS

• Find the coconut eye on top of your coconut and pierce it using a knife or scissors. Drain the coconut water.
• Cut each chicken thigh into 3 parts.
• Season the chicken with salt, caramel sauce, soup powder, garlic powder, soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, and ground pepper.
• Mix well and marinate for at least 30 minutes
• Add olive oil to a heated pan.
• Fry the minced garlic and shallots until fragrant.
• Stir in the ginger, chili pepper, and lemongrass. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until they turn aromatic.
• Add the chicken thighs to the pan and saute them to give them a slight sear.
• Pour in the coconut water.
• Cook the chicken for about 30 minutes on medium-low heat or until the sauce is thickened.
• Occasionally flip the chicken and spoon the sauce over them.
• Once the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce has thickened nicely, sprinkle some scallions and ground pepper on top.
• Serve with steaming hot rice, Banh Mi, or boiled veggies, like okra, gourd, cabbage, and broccoli.

NOTES

• The cooking time is based on 4 servings of Ga Kho.
• Ideally, you should marinate the chicken for 2 to 4 hours in a refrigerator.
• The cooking time might change depending on the type of chicken used. Free-range chicken typically takes longer to cook.
• You can freely adjust the seasonings to your liking.
• The longer you cook the chicken thighs, the more sauce they will absorb. However, the chicken will dry out if you cook them for too long.