Description
This Vietnamese Coconut Caramel Chicken is a stunning one-pan dish featuring tender chicken thighs simmered in a luscious coconut caramel sauce. Sweet, salty, and creamy with a hint of umami, it’s a comforting yet exotic meal that feels like dining in a Vietnamese street kitchen — all made in under an hour.
Ingredients
4 large or 5 small chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
1/2 cup (80 g) brown sugar, loosely packed
1 tbsp water
400 g (14 oz) coconut milk (low fat or full fat)
1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
2 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar (or cider vinegar)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 eschallot (French onion), finely sliced
1/4 tsp white pepper (or black pepper)
To garnish (optional):
1 shallot, finely sliced (green onion/scallion)
1 large red chilli, finely sliced
Instructions
- Place brown sugar and water in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir gently until sugar melts and bubbles, forming a light caramel.
- Add coconut milk, fish sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, eschallot, and pepper. Stir until well combined.
- Place chicken thighs skin-side down into the skillet. Adjust heat to maintain a steady simmer.
- Cook for about 25 minutes, then turn the chicken over and continue simmering for another 25 minutes until the sauce thickens and the fat starts to separate.
- Flip chicken skin-side down again, moving it around to prevent sticking, until the skin caramelizes and turns deep golden brown.
- Once the sauce is thick and glossy, remove from heat. Let rest for 2–3 minutes.
- Serve with steamed jasmine or coconut rice, topped with sliced shallots and red chilli.
Notes
Use boneless thighs for faster cooking (35–40 minutes).
Add ginger or lemongrass to the sauce for extra aroma.
Reduce brown sugar for a less sweet flavor.
For extra caramelization, grill the chicken briefly after cooking.
This dish tastes even better the next day as the flavors develop.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh with sauce
- Calories: 465
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
