Coconut Caramel Chicken

Hello Dear Reader,

I have a huge collection of beloved cook books, many I have had for years and have used time and time again, that is the case with this particular cook book.

I picked it up years ago (2013 from the sticker inside the cover) at the Life Line Bookfest which, funnily enough, is one at the moment, if you've never been, do yourself a favour and go and have a look, it is just the most wonderful opportunity to pick up some amazing books at a great low price while helping out a most worthy cause. A few tips to make your day better-bring a granny trolley, some cotton gloves as the books can be quite dusty, water and some snacks to keep you going and going and going.

I quite often read through this gem of a book as I just love the simplicity of the recipes and the wonderful take home message, which is to use the ingredients you have in your pantry for many different recipes. Have your ever bought an ingredient just for one recipe and never used it again? This book will stop that habit in its tracks.

Now on with this absolutely, amazingly wonderful recipe, wow I have really talked it up haven't I? I have fiddled with the original recipe by adding a can of coconut milk to give the caramel a coconut vibe, why? Because I just love all things coconut, it's that simple and I also added some apple cider vinegar to quieten the sweetness, as with all cooking, it's all about balance.

Just one thing to remember and I don't want you to panic about it, the sauce will cook down to a point where it splits, leaving you with a thick spoonable sauce and quite a bit of oil, now I said don't panic, so please don't, it is meant to be like this, truly, are we all okay? Once the sauce has reduced and split you simple take out the chicken, leaving the excess oil behind and scoop some of the thick sauce over the chicken, minus the oil, you really only need a little of the sauce anyway as the chicken will have absorbed all the gorgeous coconut-y caramel flavour.

Right, are you ready?

Ingredients for Coconut Caramel Chicken, clockwise from top right-
1 kg of chicken thigh fillets, cut in half, 3 spring onions, finely chopped, white and green parts separated, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3 cloves of garlic, red chilli, finely sliced (I used the red lantern chillies I have growing at the moment, they are not too hot) 1 can of coconut milk, 2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce and a good grind of black pepper

In a large, non stick, heavy based fry pan, on medium heat, add the brown sugar and 1 tablespoons of water

Mix together while heating through

Let caramel bubble away for about 20 to 30 seconds

Now add the coconut milk, grated garlic, white part of spring onion, fish sauce, apple cider vinegar and a good grind of black pepper, bring to a gentle boil

Add the chicken fillets and let cook away on medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes

Now flip chicken fillets over and cook for a further 15 to 20 minutes 

Then remove chicken thighs and keep warm

Turn heat up to medium high heat and bring to a gentle boil, from this point on you need to keep a close eye on your reducing coconut-caramel sauce. At the point of it turning quite thick-

Add the chicken thigh fillets back in and reduce heat to medium, again keep a close eye on the reducing sauce, gently agitate and flip chicken to coat in thick sauce

It is just about done when the chicken just starts to catch a little 

Continue to gently agitate and flip chicken to coat 

Until the thick sauce has separated/split, take it off the heat immediately 

Garnish the shiny, coconut-y caramel chicken with finely chopped green of spring onion and finely sliced chilli

I served ours with steamed Basmati rice and Choy Sum with Oyster sauce

The chicken will be fall apart tender and the flavour of the reduced sauce is quite amazing, the whites of the spring onion and garlic caramelises as well to give even more depth of flavour to the chicken. This is a dish that initially doesn't need babysitting, however I wouldn't stray too far from it's side once you have added the cooked chicken thighs back into the now reducing caramel sauce, gentle agitation and flipping is the key, as is a medium heat. 

I hope you try this amazing recipe, please let me know if you do, I would love to know what you think of it.

Have a lovely day.

💗Fi

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