Chef Johns Caramel Chicken Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S CARAMEL CHICKEN

Steps:

• Whisk brown sugar, water, fish sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger in a bowl until brown sugar is completely dissolved, about 1 minute. Set aside.
• Heat oil over high heat in a skillet. Stir in chicken.
• Pour 1/3 cup of the brown sugar mixture over chicken; cook and stir until the brown sugar mixture has a syrup-like consistency, 6 to 7 minutes.
• Pour in the remaining brown sugar mixture; cook until chicken is tender and no longer pink inside, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in in peanuts, jalapenos and green onion; cook until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Garnish with cilantro and serve.

CHEF JOHN'S CREME CARAMEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly spray 4 heatproof 6.5-oz. ramekins with vegetable spray. Place ramekins in a casserole dish.
• Place 1/2 cup sugar in a small, heavy, dry skillet over medium heat. When sugar begins to melt around the edges, gently shake the pan continually, swirling sugar around, until all the sugar melts; don't use utensils to stir. When sugar is completely melted and dark brown, remove the pan from heat.
• Quickly pour equal amounts of caramel syrup into the 4 prepared ramekins.
• Place 1 egg and 3 egg yolks in a bowl with a pinch of salt and 1/4 cup sugar. Whisk until sugar is dissolved and mixture becomes frothy, about 1 minute.
• Spoon the creme fraiche into the egg mixture; add the milk, vanilla, and Grand Marnier. Whisk together until ingredients are completely mixed.
• Ladle mixture into the prepared ramekins, filling them about 2/3 to 3/4 full.
• Fill casserole with hot tap water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Place casserole on middle rack of preheated oven.
• Bake until just barely set, 45 to 50 minutes. You can start checking for doneness at about 40 minutes.
• Using tongs, remove the ramekins from the casserole to a cooling rack. When just slightly warm, run a sharp paring knife around the edge of each custard.
• To unmold, cover ramekin with a small plate, then invert. Chill before serving.

SPICY CARAMEL CHICKEN

Steps:

• Whisk grated ginger, garlic, brown sugar, rice vinegar, fish sauce, hot sauce, and soy sauce together in a large bowl.
• Place chicken chunks in a bowl. Pour 1/4 cup of the prepared sauce onto chicken chunks; mix until all chicken pieces are coated. Set aside 15 minutes.
• Heat vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. As soon as oil starts to smoke, place chicken chunks in a single layer in the pan. Cook and stir until chicken pieces start to caramelize and turn deep brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in sliced jalapeno and red peppers, peanuts, and green onions. Cook and stir one minute. Pour in remainder of sauce. Simmer until heated through, 1 or 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Stir in cilantro. Serve over hot cooked rice and top with chopped green onions.

CHEF JOHN'S CARAMEL APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Combine butter, white sugar, brown sugar, water, cinnamon, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and set aside.
• Roll out half the pastry to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Place bottom crust in pie plate; pour in apple slices.
• Roll out top crust into a 10-inch circle. Cut into 8 (1-inch) wide strips with a sharp paring knife or pastry wheel. Weave the pastry strips, one at a time, into a lattice pattern. Fold the ends of the lattice strips under the edge of the bottom crust and crimp to seal.
• Pour butter-sugar mixture over top of pie, coating the lattice, and allowing any remaining sauce to drizzle through the crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and bake until the crust is golden brown, the caramel on the top crust is set, and the apple filling is bubbling, 35 to 40 more minutes. Allow to cool completely before slicing.