Vietnamese Caramel Chicken with Sesame, Lime Rice

I can’t believe it’s already Labor Day Weekend.  Where did the summer go?!  It seems like it was just Memorial Weekend.  We’re up at our cabin for one last summer hurrah.  But as I’m sitting here typing this, I’m looking out the window at the lake, watching the rain come pouring down.  B0000!

 On a brighter note, we discovered we’ve got a  pretty good crop of apples on our tree this year.  So if it stops raining, we’ll be out there doing some picking.  Steve’s already planning on making his famous apple pancakes for breakfast tomorrow.  YUM!

Now let’s talk about this chicken dish.  I have been reading Cooking Light for many years.  I always enjoy reading the magazine, but it can be hit or miss for me as far as the recipes go.  This September issue was a big winner for me, I’ve marked a bunch of recipes that I want to try.  This Vietnamese Caramel Chicken is the first recipe that I’ve tried and it is definitely a winner.  I adapted it slightly and added the sesame, lime rice and the whole family loved it.  I also loved that it was super quick to make, so it’s a perfect meal for a busy weeknight.

Vietnamese Caramel Chicken with Sesame, Lime Rice

adapted from Cooking Light

• 4 tsp canola oil
• 1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 3 tbs brown sugar
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• juice of 1 lime, divided
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp red pepper
• 2 green onions, cut on an angle into 1 inch pieces
• 1 cup uncooked basmati rice
• 2 tsp sesame oil

Whisk together chicken stock, brown sugar, fish sauce, juice of 1/2 lime, salt, pepper and red pepper.  Set aside.

Add canola oil to a large skillet and heat over medium high heat.

Add chicken and cook in a single layer for 2 minutes.

Turn chicken and add ginger, garlic and onion.  Cook for another couple of minutes, stirring frequently, until onion is soft.

Add sauce to pan, bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute.

Reduce heat to medium low and cook for an additional 7 minutes, until sauce has thickened and chicken is cooked through.

Stir in green onions.

Prepare rice according to package directions.

Once rice is finished, stir in remaining  lime juice and sesame oil.

Serve chicken over rice.

ENJOY!