By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 12, 2026
Serves 5
84 cal · 40 min
Sweet and Salty Vietnamese Chicken
Recipe GLPRcc696547a3fcba
Tender chicken thighs caramelized in a balanced sweet, salty, and tangy sauce infused with garlic and fresh chilies. This Vietnamese classic features succulent meat cooked until golden and glazed in a rich caramel-like reduction, finished with bright heat from green finger chilies.
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Ingredients
1 kg Chicken thighs
3 tbsp Palm sugar or coconut sugar
2 tbsp Fish sauce
2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
⅓ cup Water
6 cloves Garlic cloves, minced
3 pieces Green finger chilies, sliced
Vegetable oil
Directions
In a bowl, combine the fish sauce, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and water to create the marinade. Submerge the chicken thighs in this mixture and let them sit for 15 minutes at room temperature.
Heat a large heavy-bottomed pan or skillet over high heat. Add a small amount of oil and once it shimmers, carefully place the chicken thighs in the pan. Sear each piece on all sides until the skin and exterior are golden brown and crispy, about 8–10 minutes total. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and set aside, reserving the marinade.
Reduce the heat to medium and add a little more oil to the same pan. Add the minced garlic and stir constantly for about 1 minute until fragrant and light golden, being careful not to burn it.
Pour the reserved marinade (fish sauce, vinegar, sugar, and water mixture) into the pan with the garlic. Return the browned chicken thighs to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring and turning the chicken occasionally, until it is cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F) and the sauce has reduced and thickened into a glossy glaze coating the chicken.
Add the sliced green finger chilies to the pan and toss gently to combine them with the chicken and sauce. Turn off the heat and serve immediately while hot.
Comments
Fish sauce is the only ingredient requiring a deliberate stop—Food Lion and Harris Teeter stock it in the Asian section, but smaller locations won't carry it. At roughly $1.50 per bottle and used sparingly, the per-serving cost lands around $1.50–$2.00, driven mainly by chicken thighs or breasts. The stated 40 minutes is honest if you're using pre-minced garlic; fresh mincing and chicken prep add five minutes realistically. This is a straightforward braise that reheats well and works for a weeknight family meal, though it demands active stirring in the final minutes and won't tolerate neglect.
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