Best Caramelized Lemongrass Chicken Thighs Recipes

CARAMEL CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the brown sugar and cook, stirring constantly, until it begins to melt, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, continuing to stir, for another 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, fish sauce and soy sauce. Bring to a low simmer and let cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Use a paper towel to thoroughly pat dry the chicken. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
• Heat a large ovenproof skillet over high heat until very hot. Add the oil. Place the chicken in the skillet skin-side down and let brown without moving it for about 4 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and raise the heat to medium-high. Add the brown sugar mixture and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits. Return the chicken to the skillet skin-side up. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake, basting the chicken with the sauce midway through cooking, until cooked through, about 20 minutes. For extra-crispy skin, transfer the skillet to the broiler for about 2 minutes. Serve over white rice with sauce.

CRISPY CHICKEN THIGHS WITH CARAMELIZED LEMON RINDS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Pat the chicken thighs quite dry with paper towels. Sprinkle them on both sides with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper.
• Heat a large ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the chicken thighs to the skillet skin-side down and nestle the lemon halves around them so the cut sides touch the skillet. Cook until the chicken skin is very golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. (The lemon halves should char, but if they start completely blackening, lift them up and place them on top of the chicken as it cooks.)
• Lift up each lemon half, brush the cut side with maple syrup and return to the skillet cut-side down. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the chicken is almost cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip the thighs so they are skin-side up, then continue roasting until no longer pink near the bone, another 5 minutes. Serve the chicken with the saucy pan drippings spooned over.

CARAMELIZED LEMONGRASS CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Remove skins and extra fat from chicken.
• Remove the outer leaves from the lemongrass, cut into 1 inch pieces, and pound until somewhat flattened with a meat tenderizer.
• Crush garlic and blend with lemongrass, fish sauce, sugar, and pepper.
• Add chicken and toss to coat well; marinate 3-4 hours.
• If needed, you can marinate for 15 minutes and cook- the flavor will be less intense, but it will still work if you're in a hurry.
• Remove chicken from marinade (but save the marinade).
• Heat oil in a pan with a tight-fitting lid.
• Brown the chicken in the oil (~10minutes).
• Pour the remaining marinade into the pan, and add enough water to just cover the bottom of the pan (there should be 1/4 inch or less of liquid - it needs to simmer off, or else the chicken won't caramelize).
• Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover tightly and simmer until the chicken is tender, turning occassionally (about 30 minutes).
• Stir lemon juice into sauce, and stir to coat chicken.
• Serve hot.

CARAMELIZED LEMONGRASS CHICKEN

Steps:

• 1. Mix the lemongrass, fish sauce, brown sugar and garlic together. Add the chicken and mix well and let marinate in fridge for at least 4 hours.
• 2. Add oil to a skillet. Add the chicken and cook 10 minutes turning them once. Add the marinade and bring to a boil
• 3. Reduce the heat to low and cook until chicken is done and the sauce is caramelized. Add the lemon juice and serve

VIETNAMESE GRILLED LEMONGRASS CHICKEN

Steps:

• Mix canola oil, lemongrass, lemon juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and fish sauce together in a mixing bowl until the sugar is dissolved; add chicken and turn to coat in the marinade.
• Marinate chicken in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove chicken thighs from the marinade and shake to remove excess marinade. Discard the remaining marinade.
• Grill chicken until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 3 to 5 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

CARAMELIZED LEMON CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the lemon curd with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
• To butterfly the chicken, place the chicken on a cutting board, breast side down. Using sharp kitchen shears, remove the backbone by cutting on either side of the backbone. (Save the backbone for stock.) Flip the chicken, setting it breast side up, and flatten by pressing firmly in the center; you should hear a crack.
• Pat chicken dry. Season the chicken on both sides with 2 teaspoons salt and a generous grind of black pepper. Use the handle of a fork or spoon to loosen the skin from the chicken breasts and thighs (you'll find openings at their tops).
• Spread about three-quarters of the lemon curd between the skin and meat. Use your fingers to massage the curd around so it spreads out under the skin. Spread the rest of the lemon curd in a thin layer all over the chicken skin. Drizzle with the olive oil.
• Pour 3/4 cup water into a large (at least 12-inch) oven-safe skillet, shallow roasting pan or sheet pan. (The water keeps the pan drippings from burning and keeps the chicken moist.) Add the chicken, skin side up. Tuck the wings under to prevent burning and turn the legs so the thighs face up. Roast until a thermometer registers 165 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh, 45 minutes to 1 hour, starting to check the chicken at 30 minutes. If at any point it starts getting too brown, cover it with foil. Let rest 10 minutes before carving.

BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH CARAMELIZED FENNEL

Steps:

• Trim fennel bulbs, and set aside fronds. In a blender or food processor, pulse about 1/2 cup fronds, garlic, lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon salt until finely chopped. Add 1/3 cup oil and purée.
• Halve fennel bulbs lengthwise. Slice thinly with a mandoline or very sharp knife.
• Season chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Brown chicken until skin is crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate, leaving drippings in pan.
• Stir fennel seeds into skillet and cook for 30 seconds. Add sliced fennel and onion, seasoning with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cook, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes. Add Pernod and scrape up any browned bits in the bottom of the skillet; cook until liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute.
• Lay chicken on top of the fennel-onion mixture. Pour 3 tablespoons water into the pan. Cover skillet and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until chicken is just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Uncover and cook off any excess liquid if necessary. Stir in lemon juice.
• Serve chicken and vegetables topped with generous dollops of the fennel frond purée.