Pressure Cooker Vietnamese Caramel Chicken

Name: Pressure Cooker Vietnamese Caramel Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 4 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs; 1/3 cup granulated sugar; 1/4 cup fish sauce; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 8 slices fresh ginger, sliced thin; 4 garlic cloves, smashed; 4 shallots, sliced; 2 fresh red chili (or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes), sliced; 1/2 cup chicken broth; 4 scallions, sliced; 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Juicy chicken thighs glazed in a bold Vietnamese caramel sauce of fish sauce, sugar, ginger, and chili - deeply savory, slightly sweet, and ready in minutes from the pressure cooker.

45 minEasyServes 4400 cal/serving

VietnameseDinnerPressure CookerStandardHigh ProteinLow CarbDairy-FreeNut-FreeCorn-Free

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Ingredients

4 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup fish sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
8 slices fresh ginger, sliced thin
4 garlic cloves, smashed
4 shallots, sliced
2 fresh red chili (or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes), sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 scallions, sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Instructions

1

Set the pressure cooker to Sauté mode. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar to the pot and cook without stirring for 3-4 minutes until it melts and turns a deep amber caramel. Watch closely to avoid burning.
2

Carefully add 4 sliced shallots, 4 smashed garlic cloves, and 8 slices sliced thin fresh ginger to the caramel and stir for 1 minute.
3

Add 1/4 cup fish sauce, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 sliced fresh red chili (or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes), and 1/2 cup chicken broth. Stir to combine and dissolve the caramel.
4

Nestle 4 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs into the pot, skin side up. Seal the lid and cook on High Pressure for 15 minutes.
5

Quick-release the pressure. Verify chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
6

Transfer the chicken to a plate. Set pot to Sauté mode and simmer the sauce for 5-7 minutes until syrupy and reduced by about half.
7

Return the chicken to the pot and spoon the glaze over the top. Serve garnished with 4 sliced scallions and 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro.

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Questions

What should Pressure Cooker Vietnamese Caramel Chicken look like when it is ready?

Go by the cues in the method rather than the clock. Step 6: cook until syrupy and reduced by about half. A reading of 165 F on a thermometer settles it.

How do I know the sauce has reduced enough in Pressure Cooker Vietnamese Caramel Chicken?

Step 6 reads: "Set pot to Sauté mode and simmer the sauce for 5-7 minutes until syrupy and reduced by about half." Go by step 6, and note that a wider pan gets there faster. The usual test is that the sauce coats the back of a spoon and a finger drawn through it leaves a clean line.

Can I use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs in Pressure Cooker Vietnamese Caramel Chicken?

You can, but it is the weaker choice here. Breasts dry out over a long cook, so add them for the last third of the time and pull them as soon as they reach 165 F. As written, the entry for Pressure Cooker Vietnamese Caramel Chicken uses 4 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.

How hot is Pressure Cooker Vietnamese Caramel Chicken?

Moderately. The heat in Pressure Cooker Vietnamese Caramel Chicken comes from 2 fresh red chili (or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes), sliced. For a milder plate, halve the chili; nothing else in the method changes. For more, add it at the table rather than in the pot, so everyone sets their own level.

Can I make Pressure Cooker Vietnamese Caramel Chicken gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in Pressure Cooker Vietnamese Caramel Chicken is 2 tbsp soy sauce. Swap the soy-based sauce for tamari or coconut aminos. Everything else proceeds as written.

Serve it with

Com Trang side
Pork Rind Salad salad
Mo Hanh sauce
Salt Coffee drink

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