Vietnamese-Style Baked Chicken
Vietnamese-style baked chicken; Chicken thighs (or breasts) marinated in a mixture of fish sauce, sugar, herbs and lime juice and then oven-baked to create a dish infused with flavor and browned to perfection.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds 900g bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1/4 cup 60ml soy sauce
- 1/4 cup 60ml Asian fish sauce
- 1/4 cup 55g palm or dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon 10g minced peeled fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons 10ml hot chili-garlic paste (sambal oelek)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons 20ml fresh juice from 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon 5g finely grated zest from 1 lime
- 3 garlic cloves minced or grated (about 2 teaspoons)
- 2 packed tablespoons 1/4 ounce fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons 30ml grapeseed or other neutral oil
- Sliced limes and cilantro leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Place thighs in a large zipper-lock bag. In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, ginger, chili-garlic paste, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, cilantro, and oil. Pour marinade into bag with chicken, seal bag, and toss to coat well. Let chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C) and set oven rack to middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Remove chicken from bag, allowing marinade to drip off, and set on wire rack skin side up, making sure to leave space between thighs. Marinade can be discarded or turned into a sauce. See note below*. Bake until thighs register 155 to 160°F (68 to 71°C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 35 minutes. (Be sure to measure temperature in the center of the thickest part of the thighs, but not directly against the bone.) If chicken skin is not brown and crisp enough by the time the thighs are cooked through, turn on oven broiler and broil until browned and crisp, about 1 minute, being careful not to burn the skin. Transfer chicken to a platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with lime slices and cilantro, then serve.
Notes
- Marinade can be made into a sauce. Pour it into a small saucepan and bring it to a full boil. Lower it to a simmer and allow it to reduce by about a third (3 to 5 minutes).
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