Pan-Seared Vietnamese Turmeric Chicken (Ga Nghe)
This Vietnamese turmeric chicken has become a staple in my weeknight dinner rotation. Inspired by Cha Ca (Vietnamese turmeric fish), chicken thighs are marinated in fish sauce and turmeric and then cooked with fresh dill and other aromatics for the ultimate flavor bomb.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 35 min
- Yield
- 3 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ tsp ginger (grated)
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 ½ lbs chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)
- 1 shallot (minced)
- 2 tbsp dill (roughly chopped)
- 2 stalks green onion (thinly sliced)
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, combine 2 cloves of minced garlic, ½ tsp of grated ginger, 1 tsp of turmeric powder, ½ tsp of salt, ½ tsp of white pepper, 1 tsp granulated sugar, 2 tbsp of fish sauce, and 1 tbsp of olive oil and mix.
- 2
Add 2 ½ lbs of chicken thighs to the bowl and coat in the marinade. Marinate for 30 minutes. It might seem like too little marinade, but it is definitely enough.
- 3
While the chicken is marinating, cut 1 shallot, 2 tbsp of dill, and 2 stalks of green onions.
- 4
Heat a large pan over high heat. Sear the chicken on both sides and set aside.
- 5
Lower the heat to medium high. To the pan, add the shallot and green onions. Saute for 30 seconds.
- 6
Add the dill to the pan and mix.
- 7
Add the chicken thighs back to the pan and lower the heat to medium low. Cover and let it simmer for 30 minutes until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees F.
- 8
Once the chicken is done, remove them from the pan and increase the heat to high. Reduce the sauce for 2-3 minutes until it thickens. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve!