Caramel Chicken

1 C sugar
1/4 C water
3/4 C chicken broth
3 T fish sauce
2 T soy sauce
chicken pieces
1 t salt
2 T vegetable oil
4 T fresh ginger, chopped, OR 1/2 t ground ginger
2 T fresh garlic, chopped
1/2 large onion, chopped
1-2 jalapeno pepper, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
4 T fresh mint, chopped
4 T fresh cilantro, chopped
4 T fresh basil, chopped

Preheat oven to 325. Combine sugar and water in a high sided sauce pot. Bring to boil and simmer until the sugar turns a dark caramel color, but not burnt. Do not stir the sugar while cooking or it may crystallize. Add the chicken broth (the broth will boil quickly and spatter because of the hot sugar so be careful. This is the reason for the high sided pan). Stir in the broth and continue stirring over low heat until the sugar dissolves, then add the fish sauce and soy sauce. Set aside.

Season the chicken pieces with the salt. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet and brown the chicken pieces on all sides. In the same pan, (using the extra vegetable oil if needed) sauté the ginger, garlic, onion and jalapeno over medium heat for a couple minutes until soft and fragrant. Add the browned chicken pieces and the caramel sauce, turning the chicken in the caramel broth to coat all sides. Arrange the chicken in the pan so it is all submerged in the sauce as much as possible and bring the pot to a boil. Cover the pot, put in the oven and braise until done, about 35-45 minutes.

While chicken is cooking, combine the green onion and the other herbs and set aside.

Serve the chicken over your favorite rice, with the herbs sprinkled on top. I like jasmine rice.

NOTE: We dip bite size raw chicken pcs in cornstarch, and then cooked them in oil. This gives a slightly crunchy/crispy "skin" to the boneless skinless breast pieces.

ALSO: We substitute the jalapeno pepper for a red chili pepper too, depending on availability.