Pan-Seared Vietnamese Turmeric Chicken (Ga Nghe)

Vietnamese turmeric chicken served with roasted broccolini and white rice.

5 from 2 ratings

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 Time10

Cook Time35

Marinating Time30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: vietnamese turmeric chicken, vietnamese turmeric chicken recipe

Servings: people

Calories: 894kcal

Author: Becca Du

Ingredients

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

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

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.
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.
While the chicken is marinating, cut 1 shallot, 2 tbsp of dill, and 2 stalks of green onions.
Heat a large pan over high heat. Sear the chicken on both sides and set aside.
Lower the heat to medium high. To the pan, add the shallot and green onions. Saute for 30 seconds.
Add the dill to the pan and mix.
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.
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!

Video

Notes

I used 4 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. I estimated ~1-2 thighs per person but that can change depending on how big your thighs are and how much you can consume. Personally, I only eat 1 big thigh.
If using chicken breast or boneless, skinless chicken thighs, simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Nutrition