How to Make Caramel Chicken

Try Chef John’s version of a wildly popular Vietnamese dish. See more

READY IN 40 mins

Chef John's Caramel Chicken

Read Reviews (115)

"This stunning dish is an amazing combination of sweet, spicy, and salty flavors all sticking to succulent pieces of chicken." — Chef John

Directions

Whisk brown sugar, water, fish sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger in a bowl until brown sugar is completely dissolved, about 1 minute. Set aside.
Heat oil over high heat in a skillet. Stir in chicken.
Pour 1/3 cup of the brown sugar mixture over chicken; cook and stir until the brown sugar mixture has a syrup-like consistency, 6 to 7 minutes.
Pour in the remaining brown sugar mixture; cook until chicken is tender and no longer pink inside, about 5 minutes.
Stir in in peanuts, jalapenos and green onion; cook until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes.
Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 20 mins
COOK 20 mins
READY IN 40 mins

Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Apr 30, 2012

Just made this for dinner tonight. Delicious! I wasn't prepared to make it, so had to do some substitutions. (White onions for green onions, more soy sauce for the fish sauce) Even with the substitutions, this spicy dish was superb served over brown rice.

—cdecee

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Jul 08, 2012

(I thought) I followed the recipe exactly and it took an hour for the sauce to reduce! We eventually ate and everyone loved it (or maybe everyone was just starving). I will try it again and omit the water. I cooked it in a wok...maybe that was my problem /:

—golfprochriss

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159 Ratings

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May 14, 2012

WOW, this is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!! My thighs were pretty big, so I cut my pieces a bit smaller. The flavors here are perfect! This could not have been easier to make, but it really seems like you spent some time in the kitchen. Served this over jasmine rice. I will be making this over and over, which is not gonna be good for my waistline, lol...SOOOO GOOD, and definitly worthy of more than 5 stars~YUM! Thanks for sharing. :)

—Christina

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May 04, 2012

Really good! I omitted the water after a first try because it's a lot easier to reduce the sauce. I like to use Thai chili sauce instead of Jalapenos because I always have it on hand, that way I can really slam it together if I get the urge.

—mysteryman

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Jun 10, 2012

This was so good. I really can't say enough good things about it. Only made 3 changes, I used oyster sauce instead of fish (just what I had) no cilantro no one likes it, and no jalapeno (didn't have any)! I will make this again!

—tattoogirllovessteven

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Oct 19, 2012

This recipe was absolutely fantastic! Make sure you watch the video before making it because it's got some crucial things in it.

—Andie

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Dec 04, 2012

Very good. So easy and tastes so good. I cut the chicken into smaller pieces and finished off the dish under the broiler. (My skillet is oven proof.) This recipe is a keeper.

—Andi

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May 02, 2012

Made this last night and it was bonkers delicious. Also totally fast!

—jennifermo

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Nutrition

Calories
615 kcal
31%

Carbohydrates
37.9 g
12%

Cholesterol
129 mg
43%

Fat
33.2 g
51%

Fiber
3.6 g
14%

Protein
43 g
86%

Sodium
1967 mg
79%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Chef John's Caramel Chicken

Serving Size: 1/4 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 615
Calories from Fat: 298

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 33.2g 51 %
Saturated Fat 7.8g 39 %
Cholesterol 129mg 43 %
Sodium 1967mg 79 %
** Potassium 742mg 21 %
Total Carbohydrates 37.9g 12 %
Dietary Fiber 3.6g 14 %
Protein 43g 86 %
Sugars 29.6g
Vitamin A 36 %
Vitamin C 31 %
Calcium 14 %
Iron 41 %
** Thiamin 23 %
** Niacin 145 %
** Vitamin B6 33 %
** Magnesium 42 %
** Folate 52 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.