Caramelized Black Pepper Chicken

We liked this recipe for Caramelized Black Pepper Chicken. Vietnamese recipes always are appealing to our palate. We started with a very non-Vietnamese Caesar Salad but why not be international in meal prep? We recommend this as a great weeknight dinner.

Caramelized Black Pepper Chicken
Food & Wine
 
Charles Phan's Vietnamese chicken dish features tender bites of thigh meat coated in a sweet-savory glaze spiked with chiles and ginger for big, bold flavor.
 
INGREDIENTS
½      cup dark brown sugar
About 1/4 cup nam pla fish sauce
¼      cup water
3       tablespoons rice vinegar
1       teaspoon minced garlic
1       teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
1       teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2       fresh Thai chiles, halved, or dried red chiles
1       tablespoon canola oil
1       shallot, thinly sliced
1       pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
4       cilantro sprigs
 
DIRECTIONS
 
1. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, fish sauce, water, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, pepper, and chiles.
 
2. Heat the oil in a large deep skillet. Add the shallot and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the fish sauce mixture and the chicken and simmer over high heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with the cilantro, and serve.