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VIETNAMESE CLAY POT LEMONGRASS CHICKEN WITH CARAMEL SAUCE {GA KHO XA OT}

I LOVE cooking foods in clay pots! It just feels really homey and comforting to me. If you don’t own a clay pot, a dutch oven will work perfectly fine. But if you don’t own either a clay pot or dutch oven, a regular stainless steel pot will work too. I highly recommend cooking this dish using a clay pot though cause I think it comes out tasting much better than a regular pot. Also, I used 1/2 of a Thai red chili cause I don’t like it if my food is too spicy, but if spicy is your thing, definitely go with one whole Thai red chili.

These are the aromatics: yellow onion, garlic, lemongrass, Thai red chili

Marinate the chicken thighs for at least one hour.

Caramelize the sugar by heating the oil and sugar until it has a nice brown color.

Add the chicken thighs to the caramelized sugar and cook for thirty minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.

Serve with steamed white rice.

Vietnamese Clay Pot Lemongrass Chicken with Caramel Sauce {Ga Kho Xa Ot}

Source: Lo Huynh (2 servings)

Ingredients:
Chicken Marinade:
1 ½ pounds bone-in chicken thighs, about 4 pieces of chicken thighs
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 inch stalk fresh lemongrass, white tender part, finely minced
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ each yellow onion, finely chopped
½ to 1 each Thai red chili, minced

Caramel:
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Garnish:
1 teaspoon scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon cilantro , chopped

Directions:
1. If you have a meat tenderizer, I highly recommend tenderizing the chicken thighs first before marinating.  If not, just mix the chicken thighs with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, Thai red chili, lemongrass, garlic, onions, black pepper, and kosher salt. Marinate for at least one hour.
2. In a clay pot that has been soaked for at least 20 minutes, dry and place on a stove over medium heat.
3. Add 2 tablespoons canola oil and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar to the clay pot. Heat the sugar until it caramelizes and has a nice brown color. This should take about five minutes.
4. Add the chicken thighs and sear on all sides. Add the rest of the marinade to the clay pot.
5. Cover and simmer for thirty minutes or until the chicken thighs are fully cooked.
6. Garnish with scallions and cilantro and serve with steamed white rice.