Using a delicious a caramel sauce of ginger, cinnamon, and star anise, this easy Vietnamese ginger chicken recipes is one of my favorite meals. It comes together in one pan (or wok) in under 30 minutes and goes great with served with rice.
Jump to:
This recipe was inspired from a cooking class I took while traveling in Vietnam. You slowly melt palm sugar (or white sugar) in oil with spices like Vietnamese cinnamon and star anise before turning up the heat and stir frying the meat.
Doing it this way creates a wonderful base of aromatic flavors. It infuses the sugar with a ton of flavor before adding in fresh ginger and chicken thighs.
I always serve this meal with some crunchy veggies like this Vietnamese cucumber salad and some jasmine rice to soak up all the sauce.
Key Ingredients
- Ginger
- Cinnamon
- Star Anise
- Thai Pepper
- Palm Sugar
- Fish Sauce
Full ingredient list below.
Variations
Chicken goes great with this dish because it soaks up other flavors well. Pork and tofu would also be good options.
Top Tip
To make the caramel sauce more creamy try adding a splash of coconut water or milk when infusing with the spices.
Other Southeast Asian recipes
Looking for some other Thai and Vietnamese recipes? Check these out,
Vietnamese Ginger Chicken
Nutrition
Ingredients
- 2 sticks cinnamon, (preferably Vietnamese cinnamon)
- 3 pods star anise
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 tablespoon palm sugar, (or white sugar)
- 1 tablespoon coconut water, (or water, optional)
- 2 small Thai red chilies, (or more, optional)
- 2 " ginger, (cut into thin match sticks)
- 1 ½ lb chicken thigh, (cut into bite size pieces)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 handful Thai basil
- jasmine rice, (for serving)
Instructions
- Heat a wok or large fry pan to medium-low heat and dry toast the cinnamon and star anise until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the oil and palm sugar and stir until a caramel sauce is formed, and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir often and add a splash of coconut water or water to help loosen up the sauce.
- Turn the heat up to high and throw in the Thai red chilies and ginger and stir fry until well coated, about 1-2 minutes. Add the chopped chicken, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Cook until the sauce reduces and sticks to the chicken, about 6-7 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the Thai basil until wilted, serve with steamed jasmine rice.
Video
Notes
Did you make Vietnamese ginger chicken? Rate the recipe above!
Follow Redwood Kitchen on social media!
If you like this recipe be sure to comment or subscribe below for more great recipes!
Food Safety
- Cook meat to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Leave a Reply