Vietnamese Ginger Chicken (Ga Kho Gung)
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When I was working the 9-to-5, I always packed a homecooked lunch. My coworkers always asked how I had the energy to cook dinner after work and pack lunch the next day. The answer was simple. It was all the same meals, cooked in bulk. Leftover dinners were packed for next day lunches.
One of the dishes that I loved to bring for lunch was Gà kho Gừng, Vietnamese braised ginger chicken. It’s one of those dishes that tastes even better the next day. I would pack this ginger chicken in a bento with simple sautéed mustard greens (or kimchi) and a small portion of steamed white rice. Once heated in the microwave, the ginger smelled incredible. It definitely turned heads in the break room. Then again, it could have been the reheated fish sauce.
Vietnamese Ginger Chicken (Gà Kho Gừng) with a little bit of broth. You can cook it longer to get a glaze instead.
Vietnamese Ginger Chicken (Gà Kho Gừng). This a longer cooking time to reduce the broth to a glaze. The color also darkens more as it cooks.
What is Gà Kho Gừng
Gà Kho Gừng is a classic Vietnamese ginger chicken. It features bite-sized pieces of bone-in chicken, braised and caramelized with lots of ginger in a sweet and savory fish-sauce-based sauce.
In a traditional Vietnamese home-cooked meal, Gà Kho Gừng is served alongside a light and clear soup and steamed white rice for a complete family-style meal.
Vietnamese Ginger Chicken (Gà Kho Gừng)
Ingredients You Will Need for Vietnamese Ginger Chicken (Gà Kho Gừng)
What You Will Need
Chicken — For this recipe, I recommend using a whole chicken to get the most flavor. You can save the backbone to make a delicious soup stock for another dish. The combination of bone-in chicken with both white and dark meat keeps the chicken moist and flavorful.
If using a whole chicken is too daunting, you can also use a variety of chicken cuts: thighs, legs, wings, and drumsticks.
Chicken will shrink a bit during cooking so it's best to cut it into large chunks (about 1-1/2 inch pieces). Chicken bones can be brittle if you don't cut them cleanly. The small pieces of bone can break apart in the pot which will be very difficult to fish out. To ensure a clean cut and avoid shards of bones in the pot, use a very sharp knife and cut the chicken when it is half-frozen. For young children, you can opt for boneless chicken thighs.
Coconut soda — In previous recipes, I didn’t include any additional liquid as the chicken releases quite a bit of liquid when braised in a covered pot. However, not all chicken releases the same amount of liquid. To be more accurate and ensure chicken is cooked properly, we will add a bit of coconut juice, the quintessential Vietnamese braising liquid.
In the States, many Vietnamese households opt to use canned coconut soda such as Coco Rico. If you don’t have coconut soda, replace with the same amount of water.
Ginger — The second star to the dish that adds a subtle spicy zing.
Garlic and shallot — The aromatics that make the dish smell amazing.
Fish sauce — A staple in Vietnamese and other Southeast Asian cuisines that adds a salty, umami flavor to the dish. I’m using Viet Huong three crabs brand, my go-to fish sauce for everything Vietnamese.
Sugar — The sweetness balances out the salty fish sauce. We will also use sugar to make the caramel sauce that will be used to darken the chicken. I’m using granulated white cane sugar.
Chicken bouillon powder — Known as Hạt Nêm or Bột Nêm in Vietnamese, chicken or mushroom boullion powder provides another layer of umami that is often used in Vietnamese cooking. Yes, it contains a bit of MSG. If you don’t have this on hand or do not want to use it, simply omit it from the recipe below. I’m using Totole chicken flavor soup base but you can use other popular brands such as Knorr or Lee Kum Kee.
Optional garnishes — Ground black pepper for a wonderful finishing aroma, and thinly sliced green onions or cilantro for a pop of color.
Vietnamese Ginger Chicken (Gà Kho Gừng)
How to Make it
Step 1: Prepare the Chicken
Use a sharp cleaver to cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. There's no need to marinate beforehand. The braising process will give the chicken plenty of time to soak up all the seasonings. Of course, feel free to marinate for a more flavorful dish.
How to cut a whole chicken
Step 2: Make the Caramel Sauce
Heat up vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle a thin layer of sugar on top and wait until it melts to a dark amber or dark brown color.
If you like to skip this traditional step, heat the oil only (don’t add sugar to caramelize) and move on to the next step.
Caramelizing sugar to darken the chicken for Vietnamese Ginger Chicken (Gà Kho Gừng)
Step 3: Braise
Add the ginger, garlic, and shallots to the pan and sauté until fragrant. Add the chicken and all the seasonings.
If you skip caramelizing sugar, add thick soy sauce to the seasoning list. Thick soy sauce will replace the missing color without being too overpowering.
Add a splash of coconut soda or water and slowly braise the chicken. The liquid will reduce to savory broth or a glaze, depending on how long you cook it.
Step 4: Garnish (Optional)
Garnish with ground black pepper and green onions or cilantro for a beautiful finish.
Vietnamese Ginger Chicken (Gà Kho Gừng)
FAQs
My pots and utensils have hardened sugar stuck on it. What do I do to get it off?
While making the caramel sauce, you may get hardened sugar stuck on your utensils or on the edges of your pot. This happens when sugar cools. Soak your pots and utensils in warm water. It will melt right off in minutes.
I don’t want to use a whole chicken. Can I use something else?
The task of hacking up a whole chicken may be daunting to some. Use bone-in chicken thighs in that case for the same great flavor and cooking time. For a more child-friendly version, use boneless chicken thigh, which will cook up in less time (about 12-15 minutes total).
What side dishes do you recommend?
Whenever I make a braised Vietnamese dish, I try to use the same protein for the soup side dish:
Kabocha Squash Soup with Chicken
Bamboo Shoots Soup with Chicken
Spinach Soup with Chicken
Alternatively, you can use any vegetable soup and replace the protein with chicken.
Other side dishes that would pair wonderfully with Vietnamese ginger chicken:
Water Spinach and Garlic Stir Fry
Japanese Cucumber Salad
Pan-Fried Tofu & Eggs
Quick Cucumber Kimchi
Or you can simply enjoy Vietnamese ginger chicken with thinly sliced cucumbers like I do because I’m usually too tired to make another dish that requires more cooking.
Related Posts
The Guide to Cooking Perfectly Steamed Rice: Asian Kid Edition
Braised and Caramelized Catfish (Ca Kho)
Pork Belly & Eggs (Thit Kho Tau)
Caramelized Shrimp (Tom Rim)
Vietnamese Ginger Chicken (Gà Kho Gừng)
Ingredients
Instructions
- Using a sharp meat cleaver, cut the chicken into bite-sized chunks, about 1½ inches in size. Set aside. You don't need to marinate the chicken but you can marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge for a more flavorful dish.
- Make the caramel sauce (see notes below if you wish to skip this step). In a large 12-inch skillet with a lid, add sugar and oil. Shake gently to distribute the sugar evenly. Heat on medium-high until the sugar melts and caramelizes to a dark amber/brown color. The sugar is melted past the sweet caramel stage so this will not add more sweetness to the dish. Make sure you don't burn the sugar or else it will be bitter.
- When sugar is a dark brown color but not black, immediately add ginger, garlic, and shallots to the skillet and pan-fry until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add the chicken and toss evenly with the caramel sauce until the chicken is tinted with a light brown color. Color will darken as it braises.
- Add chicken bouillon powder, sugar, fish sauce, and ground black pepper (if you haven't already marinated beforehand). Toss to evenly coat the chicken with the seasonings.
- Add coconut soda. Cover the skillet with the lid and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Let it cook for 10 minutes. Toss halfway for even cooking.
- After 10 minutes, remove the lid and continue cooking for an additional 10 minutes. You should have some liquid to the dish. If you prefer a glaze, continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes until liquid reduces to your liking. Adjust the seasonings if necessary at this point.
- Garnish with ground black pepper, green onions or cilantro, and red chilies. Serve with steamed rice and a vegetable side dish for a complete meal.
Notes
- If you find it challenging to cut up a whole chicken, use bone-in chicken thighs instead.
- If you skip caramelizing sugar, sauté aromatics in oil, then add ½ teaspoon thick soy sauce to the seasonings in step 4.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
339Fat
22 gSat. Fat
6 gCarbs
11 gFiber
0 gNet carbs
10 gSugar
9 gProtein
25 gSodium
996 mgCholesterol
95 mgThe values provided should be considered estimates. Factors such as brands purchased, natural variations in fresh ingredients, etc. will change the nutritional information in any recipe. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities used.
