Chicken thighs are simmered in water with ginger, chilies, lime zest and fish sauce until cooked through. Lime juice and honey are poured in and the chicken continues to cook until the liquid caramelizes and coats the chicken.
Cook’s notes
My first version of this dish was called honey ginger chicken with lemon juice. I thought I created something original. In fact, I found it amusing that it was inspired by Halls candy — you know, the honey lemon flavored ones?
Little did I know that honey ginger dishes are common in Vietnam. There is honey ginger chicken, honey ginger prawns and honey ginger pork. Citrus juice, however, does not seem to be included among the ingredients. Personally, I think that a little tanginess makes the overall flavor more interesting.
About the citrus. By default, we use kaffir lime at home because we have a kaffir lime tree. Regular limes will do equally well in this recipe. You may even substitute lemons but ONLY IF you can’t get limes. Limes are much more aromatic than lemons.
Tartness added, for a little zing, I threw in some chilies as well. The resulting flavor is as complex as it is pleasing.
Honey ginger lime chicken
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs wiped dry with paper towels
- 1 two-inch knob ginger peeled and grated
- 2 bird’s eye chilies finely chopped
- ¼ cup fish sauce
- ⅓ cup lime juice
- ½ cup honey
- 6 stalks scallions thinly sliced on the bias
- ½ red bell pepper julienned
Instructions
- In a thick-bottomed frying pan, boil a cup of water.
- When the water is boiling, arrange the chicken thighs, skin side down, in a single layer. Boil for two minutes then flip them over.
- Add the ginger, chilies and lime zest.
- Pour in the fish sauce.
- Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Pour in the lime juice and honey.
- Cook over high heat, uncovered, turning the chicken thighs often until the sauce browns and thickens. Watch the chicken carefully at this stage — the fast-thickening sauce burns fast because of the honey.
- When the liquid has evaporated and all there is left is a thick caramelized sticky sauce coating the chicken, lift the chicken pieces one by one and transfer to a serving platter.
- Serve hot with rice.
My grandmother’s almondigas