If you are looking for an easy but flavorful chicken recipe to add to your everyday meal, you are in the right place. Today, let’s learn how to cook Vietnamese Chicken Braised with Fish Sauce. I’m sure you will enjoy this dish with all your steamed white rice.
This comfort food contains the signature cuisine of Southern Vietnam, which you can easily find in the everyday meals of those who live here. The chicken is slowly in coconut juice and fish sauce until it becomes to a thick, umami-rich sauce. This is my favorite dish that reminds me of my mom’s homemade food. My mom used to cook this flavorful juicy chicken every Friday when I was busy with middle school and high school. I loved the feeling smell of the savory scent of the chicken carnalizing when I came back home after school. And I want to share this recipe with you as a part of my memo
Chicken
Bone-in, skin-on drumsticks or wings are the best cut of chicken to use for this homemade dish. Here are some tips to choose a good quality chicken with skin-on. You want the chicken skin to have light yellow and the fat layer to be opaque yellow. It should have a dry surface and must stick to the meat. I also suggest that you will not want your chicken to have hematoma or small red or black marks.
An alternative option is chicken thighs. If you want to make this dish quicker, you can choose boneless chicken thighs as well. Even while the flavor won’t compare to that of bone-in chicken, it will still be delicious.
Coconut Juice
Fresh coconut juice is the best option for this recipe. After 3 years of living in the States, I understand the hunt for the best coconut juice that has no added sugar and artificial flavors. I’ve been around some Vietnamese families, and they suggested Kirkland Signature Organic Coconut Water and Vita CoCo Coconut water are the best brands to use for their recipes. They are cheap, fresh, and tasty.
Make a Large Batch
This chicken recipe gets better every time you reheat it on the stove. Just like Vietnamese braised pork belly and eggs (Thịt Kho Tàu), the chicken absorbs the marinade more deeply, enhancing the flavor. For a tasty leftover, I would suggest doubling the recipe.
If you plan to find a recipe for packing to work, this recipe is also a great choice. Pack with sliced cucumbers, baby tomatoes, and steamed rice and you will have delicious lunch at your office.
Recipe below! Happy Cooking!
YIELD 4
AUTHOR Trang Tran
PREP TIME 10 Min
COOK TIME 40 Min
Chicken Braised with Coconut and Fish Sauce
Ga Rim Nuoc Mam
Comfort food that contains the signature cuisine of Southern Vietnam. Here is a flavorful braised chicken with a thick sauce that is bursting with umami. For your best experience, drizzle this sauce over steamed rice for a simple and fulfilling meal.
INGREDIENTS
2 lbs. bone-in chicken (about 10 drumsticks or wings)
4 tablespoons of Chopped Onion, Garlic
2 cups of coconut water
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons of sea salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 shallot (finely diced)
2 garlic cloves (finely diced)
3 tablespoons fish sauce
Instructions
Thoroughly clean chicken with cold water then cut to bite size pieces. In the same bowl, add 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper, 2 teaspoons of sugar, and 1 ½ teaspoon of fish sauce. Set aside to marinate for 15-30 minutes.
Make sure to check for coconut water sweetness.
Briefly pan sear the chicken until slightly golden brown. In the same pan, add coconut water, while turning the heat down to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
Plate the chicken and drizzle the sauce on top. Chicken should be tender with skin slightly crispy. Serve with white rice for a perfect dinner or lunch meal.