Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet. Once it begins to shimmer, add chicken and brown on all sides. We’re not looking to cook the chicken completely through in this step - more like 75%. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
Using the same skillet, cook the garlic, ginger and red chilies for 30 seconds or so. Be gentle here, we don’t want to burn the garlic.
Pour in the coconut cream and sugar. Bring to a low boil. Dissolve the cornstarch in the coconut aminos. Add the coconut aminos + cornstarch, fish sauce, and rice vinegar to the skillet.
Reduce your heat to medium and cook the coconut caramel sauce for a few extra minutes to reduce and thicken, stirring often to avoid burning and boiling over.
Add the pre-cooked chicken back in. Continue to cook the chicken the rest of the way through - the timing will depend on the size of your cubes. The sauce will continue to thicken nicely. If you’re worried about over-cooking the chicken at this point, just drop your heat even lower.
Food-safe chicken is not simply a function of getting it to hit a certain temperature, but also how long it is held at temperature. So chicken that is held at a lower temperature for longer is just as safe as chicken that’s been blasted on high heat.
Stir in lime juice. Serve over a bed of rice (or cauliflower rice), garnish with cilantro, sliced scallions, a few fresh red chili slices. You can also add some fresh wedges as it compliments the coconut caramel wonderfully by cutting and balancing the sweetness.
Recipe Notes
Food-safe chicken is not simply a function of getting it to hit a certain temperature, but also how long it is held at temperature. So chicken that is held at a lower temperature for longer is just as safe as chicken that’s been blasted on high heat.
Fish sauce is a staple ingredient in Vietnamese cooking. If you are skeptical about it because of its pungent smell, Just spend the extra buck and get a good one! A good fish sauce doesn’t smell that funky. And I promise once it's in your food, it won't stink and just adds a lot of flavor without being noticed.
The lime juice here should be fresh and don't skimp on it either - especially if you are worried about the sauce being too sweet. You can even add some zest.
Nutrition Facts
Vietnamese Coconut Caramel Chicken
Amount Per Serving (1 /3)
Calories 772Calories from Fat 531
% Daily Value*
Fat 59g91%
Saturated Fat 41g256%
Cholesterol 144mg48%
Sodium 1867mg81%
Potassium 788mg23%
Carbohydrates 32g11%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 34g68%
Vitamin A 36IU1%
Vitamin C 8mg10%
Calcium 33mg3%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.