Vietnamese caramel chicken glaze (Printer View)

Tender chicken glazed in rich caramel with classic Vietnamese sweet-savory balance.

# Components:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.75 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Marinade & Sauce

02 - 3 tbsp fish sauce
03 - 2 tbsp light soy sauce
04 - 2 tbsp brown sugar
05 - 1 tbsp lime juice
06 - 2 tsp minced garlic
07 - 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
08 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil

→ Caramel

09 - 4 tbsp granulated sugar
10 - 3 tbsp water

→ Garnish

11 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
12 - 1 red chili, thinly sliced (optional)
13 - Fresh coriander leaves

# Method steps:

01 - Combine chicken pieces with fish sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, and black pepper in a bowl. Marinate for at least 15 minutes.
02 - Heat granulated sugar and water over medium heat in a large skillet or wok, without stirring, until sugar melts and becomes deep amber caramel, about 4 to 5 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.
03 - Add marinated chicken and marinade juices immediately to the caramel. Toss to coat evenly.
04 - Add vegetable oil and cook over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and sauce thickens into a glossy glaze.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed by adding extra fish sauce or lime juice for balance.
06 - Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with spring onions, chili, and coriander. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The caramel-fish sauce glaze is genuinely magical, tasting far more complex than the simple ingredients suggest.
  • Chicken thighs stay impossibly tender and forgiving, unlike breast meat which dries out if you blink.
  • It comes together in 40 minutes flat, making weeknight dinner feel like something you've been simmering for hours.
02 -
  • Don't stir the caramel while it's cooking—agitating it causes crystallization and you'll end up with grainy sugar instead of smooth glaze, a mistake I've made enough times to be certain about.
  • The chicken thighs should be cut into truly bite-sized pieces so they cook through before the sauce burns; large chunks mean raw centers and overcooked edges.
  • Fish sauce smells aggressive in the bottle, but trust it—once combined with caramel and lime, it becomes complexity instead of fishiness.
03 -
  • Keep your ingredients measured and ready before you start cooking—caramel happens fast and you don't want to be scrambling for garlic or fish sauce mid-glaze.
  • If your sauce feels too thin after cooking, it means it needs another minute or two to reduce; if it's too thick, add a splash of water and stir gently to loosen it back up.
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