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Vietnamese

Gà kho gừng

Non-vegetarian

Chicken braised in a dark caramel and fish sauce glaze with lots of fresh ginger until sticky, salty-sweet and peppery. A home-cooked dish served with plain rice.

Gà kho gừng is a Vietnamese main course, ready in about 50 minutes and made with chicken thigh, fresh ginger and fish sauce. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
35 min
Total
50 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
316

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Toss the chicken with 1 tablespoon of the fish sauce (opens in a new tab), half the shallots (opens in a new tab) and the garlic (opens in a new tab).

    • 5 min

  2. Step 2

    Melt the sugar (opens in a new tab) with 2 tablespoons of the water in a heavy pot over medium heat, without stirring, until it turns a deep amber caramel.

    Food safety: Molten caramel causes serious burns; stand back when adding liquid.

  3. Step 3

    Carefully add the oil, remaining shallots (opens in a new tab) and ginger and stir for 30 seconds, then add the chicken and toss to coat.

    • 3 min
    • medium heat

  4. Step 4

    Add the remaining fish sauce (opens in a new tab) and water, cover and simmer, then uncover and reduce until the sauce is thick and sticky.

    • 25 min
    • medium-low heat

    Food safety: Cook chicken until no pink remains and the juices run clear (74 °C in the thickest part).

    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

  5. Step 5

    Finish with plenty of black pepper (opens in a new tab), spring onion (opens in a new tab) and chilli and serve with rice.

      A finished dish being plated
      How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

    About this dish

    Origin
    Vietnam · Well documentedMore food from Vietnam
    Dish
    Lunch · Dinner · Main courses · Stews & braises
    Cooking method
    Braised
    Taste
    sweet & savoury, salty, peppery, aromatic / warmly spiced
    Diet
    No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-protein
    All labelsNon-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
    Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
    Good for
    Everyday · One-pot · Make-ahead · Budget-friendly
    Cook more with
    Chicken thigh · Fresh ginger · Fish sauce · Sugar · Shallot · Garlic
    Techniques
    Simmering · Braising · Reduction

    Allergens

    • Contains: Fishfrom fish sauce
    • May contain: Crustaceansfrom fish sauce

    Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

    Nutrition

    316 kcal per serving

    Calculated

    1 serving ≈ 282 g · recipe makes 4

    Where the energy comes from

    • Protein 46%
    • Carbohydrate 22%
    • Fat 31%
    Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
    NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
    Energy316 kcal112 kcal
    Protein36.2 g12.8 g
    Carbohydrate17.4 g6.2 g
    Net carbohydrate16.1 g5.7 g
    Sugars12 g4.3 g
    Added sugars9.4 g3.3 g
    Fibre1.3 g0.5 g
    Fat10.8 g3.8 g
    Saturated fat2.2 g0.8 g
    Trans fat——
    Cholesterol165 mg58 mg
    Sodium1218 mg431 mg
    Salt equivalent3 g1.1 g
    Vitamins & minerals per serving
    Potassium
    619 mg
    Calcium
    45 mg
    Iron
    2.1 mg
    Magnesium
    77 mg
    Vitamin A (RAE)
    17 µg
    Vitamin C
    5 mg
    Vitamin D
    0 µg
    Vitamin B12
    1.1 µg
    Folate (DFE)
    28 µg

    How these numbers were made

    • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
    • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
    • Optional ingredients are not included: fresh red chilli, long-grain white rice.
    • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
    • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

    Good to know

    Tips

    • Take the caramel quite dark for colour and a hint of bitterness — but not burnt.

    Common mistakes

    • Stirring the sugar as it melts can make it crystallise.

    Serve with

    • Serve with rice, a clear vegetable soup and blanched greens.

    Storage

    • Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

    Reheating

    • Reheat gently with a splash of water.

    Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

    Recipe DNA

    How this dish is built

    Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

    What the dish is built around

    Main ingredient

    Used in steps 1, 3, 5

    Reviews & corrections

    Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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