Chicken with Lemongrass & Chili (Ga Xao Xa Ot)

Ga Xao Xa Ot is probably one of the most common dishes eaten in a Vietnamese home. It is a quick and easy way to prepare chicken without sacrificing taste. One of my favorites! :)

Chicken with Lemongrass & Chili
(Yields 2 Entree Portions)

• 1 lb boneless & skinless thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 tbsp Vietnamese fish sauce
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 stalks fresh lemongrass, finely chopped
• 2 big cloves garlic, minced
• 4 bird’s eye chili peppers, minced
• 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, minced
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• Additional sea salt to taste
• 2 to 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp sugar
  
• 2 stalks scallion, sliced (green for garnish)
• Coriander leaves to garnish

Marinate chicken with all ingredients except the oil, scallion, coriander and sugar. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. I like to marinate this overnight.

Place a non-stick skillet over high heat and add a generous amount of oil to fully coat the bottom. When oil is really hot, sprinkle sugar into the oil and swirl skillet around to make sure all the sugar dissolve. When you no longer see the individual granules of sugar, throw chicken in and make sure each piece is touching the skillet. Leave it alone for a little bit to allow chicken to caramelize and then toss quickly to allow the other side to cook. At this point, you can make some room in the skillet for the scallion to fry. When all the pieces of chicken have caramelized to a beautiful golden brown, transfer to a plate and garnish with the fried scallion. Sprinkle rings of scallion on top and place a generous amount of fresh coriander leaves around the chicken. Serve with plain jasmine rice.