Chicken with Lemon Grass & Chili
Submitted by Eileen
Thai-style chicken braised with lemongrass, chili, and fish sauce until tender, finished with homemade caramel for depth and color.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
60 minREADY
90 minFresh lemongrass brings that bright citrus zing you can’t fake with lemon juice, while the caramel sauce adds a dark, bittersweet complexity.
Frying the aromatics in oil before adding the chicken builds layers of flavor that make this taste like it came from a street vendor in Bangkok.
The long braise transforms tough chicken pieces into fall-apart tender meat soaked in savory, slightly sweet sauce.
Kitchen Tips
- Make the caramel sauce ahead and keep it in the fridge; it lasts for months and adds instant depth to stir-fries
- Mince the lemongrass super fine or it’ll be stringy and tough to chew
- Add water in small amounts during braising so the sauce stays thick and clings to the chicken
Ingredients
Directions
Rinse chicken and dry well.
Cut into small pieces.
Peel garlic and slice finely.
Cut onion into halves lengthwise and then cut lengthwise into ½ inch strips.
Heat oil in large frying pan over medium heat.
Add a pinch of of salt, garlic and onion.
Fry over medium heat until onion is opaque.
Add lemon grass and chili.
Fry 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
Add chicken and cook until lightly browned.
Add fish sauce, sugar and caramel sauce.
Mix well.
Add 1 cup water and cook 45 minutes or until chicken is tender.
Stir occasionally and add water if necessary.
CARAMEL SAUCE: Mix ½ cup sugar with 4 tablespoons of water in heavy saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium heat and let boil until mixture changes color.
Turn heat down to low and heat until brown.
Add ½ cup water to mixture.
Stir until sugar is dissolved.
Remove from heat and store in jar in refrigerator.
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