Vietnamese Caramel Chicken

Last week I tried a new recipe and though it had lots of mincing and chopping, it was quick to put together.  Very tasty, too!  People here are big fans of Asian food so it was a hit - I served it with rice and some sauteed zucchini.  No oven required.  Win!

Vietnamese Caramel Chicken
8 bone in chicken thighs
salt and pepper
canola oil
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/2 cup fish sauce (room temp)
1 serrano pepper, seeded and minced
2 T minced lemongrass
1 T minced garlic
1 T minced ginger
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks green onion, minced

Heat a dutch oven on medium heat and add brown sugar.  When it melts, stir in the fish sauce til it's all melted and bubbly and dissolved.  Set it aside and wipe out the pan.  Heat about 2 T canola oil and cook the minced lemongrass, onion, and ginger over medium heat two minutes.  Add the garlic and cook one minute more.  Scrape into a bowl and set aside.  Season the chicken thighs lightly with salt and pepper and brown on both sides.  (I pulled the skin off and let the thighs get nice and brown).  Pour off any extra fat.  Pour the caramel sauce over the chicken and add the minced serrano.  Cover and let simmer 25 minutes while you make rice.  Stir in the reserved onion mixture about halfway through.  Then uncover, top with chopped green onion, and serve over rice.

The leftover chicken was even better the next day!