Vietnamese Sticky Chicken

Vietnamese Sticky Chicken is a delightful, adventurous dinner option that takes very little time to prepare. This healthier take on the classic dish is gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and easy to make paleo friendly.

You guys, this CHICKEN!

If you’ve tried Vietnamese Sticky Chicken (also known as Vietnamese Caramel Chicken), you probably see straight to my soul when I declare, ohhhmyGAWDthisissooooogood! And if, like me, you’re completely new to the idea of sticky or caramel chicken, you may just have to take a climb up into the ol’ trust tree and believe me when I say, ohhhmyGAWDthisissooooogood!

I have to admit, I sometimes get so wrapped up in making the same three meals on repeat for dinner that I often forget to explore outside my norm. This Vietnamese Sticky Chicken is a beautiful change-up to remind you variety can and does exist when it comes to eating healthy.

If you’re like me and you love big, bold flavors and a little flair, this chicken recipe is for you. It’s easy to prepare any night of the week, and you probably already have most of the ingredients you need.

Rather than using soy sauce and brown sugar (which would be the authentic approach to this recipe), I replace the ingredients with coconut aminos and coconut sugar. You can also use liquid aminos or tamari if you don’t have an intolerance to soy, or pure maple syrup if coconut sugar isn’t an ingredient you keep on hand.

Serving options? Rice and Chinese broccoli are mega, but you can get creative with your side dishes according to your dietary needs. I’m always a fan of Crowd-Pleasing Roasted Vegetables or Cauliflower Fried Rice . The Orange-Ginger Roasted Carrots I posted a few weeks back would be a bomb tagalong as well!

Meal Prep? Quite honestly, this chicken comes together so quickly that I don’t see the need for any advance prep. You can absolutely make the whole dish ahead of time and eat on it throughout the week. The recipe serves 2, so if you have a bigger family to feed, or if you simply like making meals in bulk (because, why not, you’re already in the kitchen?), feel free to double or triple up on the recipe. I will say, this chicken disappeared in my household quickly.

Recipe Adaptations:

• If you follow a Low-FODMAP diet, omit the garlic (I promise, the chicken will still taste great! You can also add more ginger if you’d like).
• Make this dish paleo by serving with roasted cashews or almonds instead of peanuts.
• Go grain-free by exercising your options for paleo-friendly side dishes.

I hope you all enjoyed the long weekend and are back into the swing of things! If you haven’t quite gotten there yet, rest assured an easy meal like this will help you get back on track!

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Vietnamese Sticky Chicken

Make it paleo by serving with cashews rather than peanuts

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Ingredients

Vietnamese Sticky Chicken

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1 pound
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil, or coconut oil
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (1-inch) nub ginger, peeled and minced
• 1.5 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos, see note*
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar

For Serving:

• Basmati rice
• 8 ounces Chinese broccoli, sauteed or roasted
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons roasted cashews or peanuts, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Coat the chicken with avocado oil or olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and place in a casserole dish or on a baking sheet. Bake 7 to 9 minutes, until chicken is cooked through (note: you can roast the broccoli at the same time by chopping it, drizzling it with oil and sprinkling it with sea salt and spreading it over a baking sheet). Remove chicken from the oven and allow it to rest while preparing the remainder of the recipe.
2. Heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat and add the green onions, garlic, and ginger. Saute, stirring frequently until very fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in half of the chicken broth and bring to a full boil. Add the coconut sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until substance is dark and sugar has dissolved, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the coconut aminos (or liquid aminos or soy), rice vinegar, and the remaining chicken stock. Cook at a full boil stirring frequently, until mixture has thickened and looks like syrup, about 7 to 9 minutes.
3. Remove the caramel mixture from the heat and slice the chicken. Place sliced chicken in the skillet with the caramel and stir to coat well. Serve chicken over rice with roasted broccoli. Sprinkle with peanuts and cilantro.

Notes

*You can also use liquid aminos, tamari, or low-sodium soy sauce if you aren't intolerant to soy

Nutrition Information

Serving Size 1 grams
Amount Per Serving Unsaturated Fat 0g