Vietnamese-Style Caramelized Chicken
Vietnamese-Style Caramelized Chicken balances deep, glossy sweetness with the umami punch of fish sauce and a gentle heat from jalapeños. Tender chicken thighs soak up a garlicky glaze that clings to each bite, making it rich yet bright with a hint of rice vinegar. It’s ideal for a quick weeknight dinner, especially spooned over fluffy steamed rice.
- Prep10 mins
- Cook15 mins
- Serves6
- DifficultyEasy
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Vietnamese-Style Caramelized Chicken, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactPoor
- 33 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 0 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityFair
- 52 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 2
- Heart Health
- 51
- Metabolic
- 13
- Digestive
- 20
- Inflammatory
- 40
- Performance
- 25
- General Wellness
- 1
Mix sugar, fish sauce, and black pepper on a shallow plate and coat the chicken in the marinade. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- 2
Stir together water, fish sauce, sugar, and rice vinegar in a bowl. Set the caramel sauce aside.
- 3
Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon oil and pan-fry the chicken, skin-side up, until the bottoms are lightly crispy and browned, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook until the skin is slightly charred, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and place it on a plate.
- 4
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and cook the garlic for 30 seconds. Return the chicken to the skillet and pour in the caramel sauce. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear; the caramel sauce should reduce and turn amber. Add the jalapenos and cook 1 more minute.
- Calories 518.73 kcal High 26%
- Protein 31.39 g Good Source 63%
- Carbohydrate 7.32 g 3%
- Total Fat 39.31 g High 50%
- Saturated Fat 10.11 g High 51%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 192.77 mg High 64%
- Sodium 732.06 mg High 32%
- Dietary Fiber 0.52 g Low Source 2%
- Total Sugars 4.69 g --
- Added Sugars 0.31 g Low Source 1%
- Calcium 0.83 mg Low Source 0%
- Iron 1.62 mg Low Source 9%
- Potassium 35.35 mg Low Source 1%
- Vitamin A 2.53 mcg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin C 5.55 mg Low Source 6%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Fish 🐟
- Garlic 🧄
About This Recipe
Vietnamese Style Caramelized Chicken is made with 9 ingredients and serves 6. It takes about 25 mins and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Chicken Thigh, Fish Sauce, and Jalapeño Pepper. Each serving provides about 518.73 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Vietnamese-Style Caramelized Chicken made of?
- The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Chicken Thigh, Fish Sauce, Jalapeño Pepper, Minced Garlic. The full list of 9 is above.
- How long does it take to make Vietnamese-Style Caramelized Chicken?
- About 25 mins in total: 10 mins to prepare and 15 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 518.73 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Vietnamese-Style Caramelized Chicken easy to make?
- This recipe is rated easy, with 9 ingredients and 4 steps.
- Is Vietnamese-Style Caramelized Chicken healthy?
- Vietnamese-Style Caramelized Chicken has an easyChef Pro health score of 31/100. Per serving, it provides 518.73 calories and 31.39 g of protein, or 63% of the Daily Value. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 732.06 mg (32% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 10.11 g (51% of the Daily Value). It contains Fish and Garlic, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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