Chili Caramel Chicken

Recipe modified.  Original recipe by Family Circle.

This flavourful chicken is the perfect combination of sweet and spicy.  Who needs take out?  This is far more delicious and you get to eat it hot and fresh!  Buy a bottle of wine and make a night of it.

What you'll need

1/2 tsp Five-spice powder

2 tbsp Fresh ginger, grated

2 tbps Soy sauce

1/4 cup Dry sherry

1 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Fresh ground pepper

4 Garlic cloves, crushed

800 g Chicken thigh fillets, cubed

4 tbsp Brown sugar

3 tbsp Rice vinegar

2 tbsp Sweet chili sauce

2 tbsp Fish sauce

3 tbsp Chicken stock

3 tbsp Peanut oil

1 small red chili, seeded and finely chopped

3 tbsp Cilantro, roughly chopped

4 Spring onions, thinly sliced

How to

1.  Mix the five-spice powder, ginger, soy sauce, sherry, salt, pepper and half the garlic in a glass bowl. Add the chicken, stir to coat, then cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.  

2.  In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, rice vinegar, sweet chili sauce, fish sauce and chicken stock.

3.  Heat 2 tbps of the oil in a pan (or wok) over medium-high heat.  Stir-fry the chicken until just cooked through and golden brown.  Remove from pan and set aside.

4.  Reduce heat slightly and add the remaining oil to the pan.  Add he chili and remaining garlic, and cook for 30 seconds.  Pour in the sauce mixture and allow it to bubble until reduced, syrupy and caramelized.  This will take about 3-5 minutes.  When the sauce is thoroughly reduced and caramelized, return the chicken to the pan, without any of the accumulated juices, and cook for 1 minute to coat the chicken in the sauce and heat through.  Stir in the cilantro.  Garnish with spring onion before serving.