Ingredients
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 lbs), trimmed of any excess fat or skin
1/3 c. fish sauce, divided
3 lemongrass stalks, minced (about 1/3 cup), divided
2 tbsp. neutral cooking oil
1/3 c. granulated sugar, divided
1 head garlic (about 10 cloves), minced (about 3 tablespoons), divided
4 Thai bird’s eye chilis, minced (about 2 teaspoons), divided
2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 c. coconut water
4 c. cooked jasmine rice
Preparation
Step 1In a large bowl, toss chicken with 3 tablespoons fish sauce, 3 tablespoons lemongrass, cooking oil, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons garlic, 1 teaspoon bird’s eye chili, salt, and season with pepper. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes or up to an hour. Step 2In a cast-iron Dutch oven over medium heat, brown chicken thighs skin-side down, about 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Set aside on a plate. Don’t worry if chicken isn’t fully cooked yet; it will finish cooking during the braising process. Discard liquid remaining in the Dutch oven. Step 3Return over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of sugar in a thin, even layer to Dutch oven. Leave it undisturbed to completely caramelize, about 5 to 8 minutes. Step 4Once sugar caramelizes, add remaining minced lemongrass, garlic, and chilies (to your taste), stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds.Step 5Pour in coconut water, remaining sugar and fish sauce and bring to a boil. Add chicken back into the Dutch oven. Flip chicken to coat evenly and eventually back to skin-side-up. Step 6Reduce heat and simmer, partially uncovered for about 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. The chicken should have an internal temperature of 165°.Step 7Transfer chicken to a plate and spoon some of the braising liquid over. Remaining braising liquid can be served individually on the side as additional dipping sauce for the chicken. Serve immediately with jasmine rice.
In Vietnam, lemongrass is believed to have therapeutic qualities and aid in digestion. Used for its beautiful fragrance in many marinades and broths, lemongrass is an important ingredient in Vietnamese cuisine. When choosing lemongrass, buy stalks that are rigid, tight, and 1/2 - 3/4 inches at its widest point. Avoid old ones that are dry or bend easily. Once purchased, they will keep in the vegetable crisper for 1-2 weeks or frozen for 3 months. To mince lemongrass, chop off the 1/2 inch of tough bottom and the green, woody top section (which can be boiled in water with honey to produce a lemongrass tea). Peel away the dry outer layers until you reach a smooth and tight stalk. Cut the stalk into 3 inch sections, and cut those sections in half lengthwise to produce a stable surface for mincing. Alternatively, a food processor can be used for mincing. Kitchen Tips: •Thai bird’s eye chili can be substituted with chile de árbol. •If in doubt about which fish sauce to buy, the label should say “nước mắm” and the only ingredients should be anchovies (cá cơm) and salt. Fish sauce has gradations of quality and flavor, similar to olive oil, and the best ones are known to come from the island of Phú Quốc. •Coconut water can be substituted with water.
Need another reason to buy lemongrass? Try our Chicken Satay! Made this yet? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
