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A blue and white dish filled with sauced chicken and julienned ginger, topped with a red chile.
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5 from 1 vote

Ginger Chicken

My favorite midweek meal takes minutes to prepare. Ginger and chiles are great with chicken anytime because they’re extra comforting, whether for midweek dinners or in a weekend feast.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 673

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil or coconut oil
  • 2 (2 oz) shallots, sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 3 teaspoons light brown sugar
  • 1 pound boneless chicken thighs, skin on, sliced into bite-sized pieces (or substitute bone-in thighs or drumsticks)
  • Sea salt
  • 2 1/2 ounces fresh ginger, julienned
  • Scant 2/3 cup coconut water*
  • 2 to 4 bird’s eye chiles
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 heaped teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Scallions, sliced lengthways and soaked in cold water until curled, for garnish (optional)
  • Steamed or sticky rice, for serving
US - Metric

Instructions

  • In a saucepan large enough to hold the chicken snugly with a lid, warm 1/2 tablespoon of the oil over low heat. Fry the shallots until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes more. Use a slotted spoon to move the shallots and garlic to a small bowl, leaving any oil in the saucepan.
  • Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the same saucepan and increase the heat to medium. Spread the brown sugar evenly over the surface of the pan. Watch over the pan for the sugar to caramelize, resisting the urge to stir. It will take 1 to 2 minutes, but don’t take your eyes off it as it will burn very quickly.
  • As soon as the sugar becomes a golden color, watch for it to slightly darken, then immediately add the chicken pieces, season with salt, and let them sizzle away until beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

    ☞ TESTER TIP: If using bone-in chicken thighs, start them skin down to render the fat.

  • Flip the chicken pieces over, add the ginger, and let it sit for 2 minutes, then pour in the coconut water. Return the fried shallot and garlic to the pan with the bird’s eye chiles, fish sauce, and black pepper.
  • Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook until the liquid is reduced and the chicken is cooked through and coated in sticky sauce, 5 to 10 minutes more.
  • When ready to serve, garnish with scallions, if using. Serve with steamed or sticky rice.

Notes

*What is coconut water?

So...you've used coconut milk in a hundred recipes, right? Unless you're buying super amazing smoothies or have been on vacation recently (How? And we're stuck here?!), you might not have been introduced to the brilliance that is coconut water. Now, the liquid inside an actual coconut isn't coconut milk. That's the water if you can believe it, and it's better when it comes from immature coconuts. It's actually pretty great stuff—ounce for ounce, it has half the calories of regular, unsweetened fruit juice. And it's amazing for cooking, rather than drinking. The lighter, much less fatty, liquid doesn't weigh food down like coconut milk or cream might—it just imparts a delicate coconut flavor and a little caramelization, and takes a bow. After you've made this recipe, try the rest of the carton to make rice or just on its own. We hear it's pretty darn good for you.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 673kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 222mg | Sodium: 1680mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g