Bring the sugar and 3 tablespoons of the coconut water to a boil in a saute pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the color changes, for about 2 to 3 minutes.
Reduce the heat and stir until the mixture turns brown, for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add the fish sauce. Stir to combine.
Return the pan to heat and stir in the remaining ½ cup of coconut water.
Next, add ginger, shallots, lemongrass, and lime zest. Adjust the temperature and maintain a gentle simmer for 5 minutes.
Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and nestle them into the pan; continue simmering for 10 minutes.
Turn the chicken and cook until the chicken and shallots caramelize, for 10-20 minutes.
Garnish with cilantro and thinly sliced serrano; serve with white rice or coconut cauliflower rice.
Notes
Adapted:
The inspiration for this recipe comes from Milkstreet. Their recipe is delicious, but I wanted more of the Vietnamese lemongrass chicken flavor while caramelizing the chicken with the other ingredients as they do.
Nutrition Disclosure:
The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.