Saigon Chicken Food

VIETNAMESE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Wash & pat dry chicken.
• Drizzle a small amount of olive oil to chicken, about a teaspoon for each chicken.
• Season with salt and pepper (or garlic salt if you like).
• In sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter and add minced garlic. wait for garlic to brown.
• Add sugar and soy sauce.
• Stir sauce until hot and boiling.
• Turn off heat.
• Add sauce to chicken and cook covered with foil in the oven for 45 minutes, basting and turning chicken every 15 minutes. Last 15 minutes, cook uncovered.
• Serve with rice, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers. Use sauce after to put on rice or enjoy with Maggi.

VIETNAMESE CARAMEL CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine sugar, fish sauce, and black pepper in a shallow plate and turn chicken in the marinade. Set aside for 10 minutes.
• Combine water, fish sauce, sugar, and rice vinegar in a bowl. Set caramel sauce aside.
• Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and pan-fry chicken, skin-side up, until bottoms turn slightly crispy and brown, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook until skin is slightly charred, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and transfer to a plate.
• Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and cook garlic for 30 seconds. Return chicken to the skillet and add caramel sauce. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear. Caramel sauce should be reduced and turn amber in color. Add jalapenos and cook for 1 more minute.

SAIGON CHICKEN

Steps:

• Mince marinade ingredients by hand or process in food processor.
• Marinate chicken at least 2 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator.
• If roasting entire chicken, can put an onion and a lemon inside chicken. Roast at 350 approximately 1 hour with occasional basting.
• If barbecuing pieces, baste with marinade and cook until it is as you like. I tend to cook long over medium-low coals with mesquite chips.

VIETNAMESE-STYLE CARAMELIZED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a large cast-iron skillet or other heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and add to the skillet; cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
• Remove and discard 3 tablespoons rendered fat from the skillet; reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic, shallot and ginger and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the coconut water, fish sauce and brown sugar and stir until the sugar is melted. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens (the bubbles will begin to slow as it thickens), 4 to 5 minutes.
• Return the chicken and any collected juices to the skillet and stir to coat the chicken. Cook, reducing the heat if the sauce starts thickening too much, until the chicken is cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the jalapeños. Serve the chicken over the rice and top with cilantro leaves.

SAIGON CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

Steps:

• Boil garlic, ginger, lemongrass in broth for 20 minutes.
• Add fish sauce, cooked chicken, bean sprouts and cook for 5 minutes.
• Garnish with basil, cilantro to serve.
• Add sriracha sauce and white pepper to taste.

LEMONGRASS CHICKEN SALAD WITH CRUNCHY VEGETABLES

Steps:

• For chicken:
• Whisk cilantro, lemon juice, lemongrass, and makrut lime leaves in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in oil. Season marinade to taste with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Arrange chicken in single layer in 8 x 8 x 2- inch glass baking dish. Pour marinade over; turn chicken to coat evenly. Cover and chill 3 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
• Heat heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken (with some marinade still clinging to surface) to skillet. Sauté until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per side.
• Turn off heat; let chicken rest in skillet 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to work surface. Cut chicken in half horizontally, then crosswise into thin strips.
• For dressing:
• Combine fish sauce, palm sugar, lime juice, chiles, and garlic in small bowl. Whisk until sugar dissolves. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature; whisk before using.
• For vegetables:
• Cook beans in saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain; cool.
• Place beans in large bowl. Add tomatoes, daikon, cucumbers, cabbage, carrot, celery leaves, cilantro leaves, green onions, and most of peanuts. Add chicken and dressing; toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mound salad on large rimmed platter. Sprinkle with remaining peanuts and serve.