Gà Kho Gừng (Vietnamese Ginger Chicken)

Meet your new favorite weeknight recipe – Gà Kho Gừng! Our family’s Chinese-Vietnamese version of a classic Ginger Chicken is super easy. Wings are seared with aromatics until fragrantly golden, then simmered low and slow so it gets sticky, savory and gorgeously caramelized!

If this flavor profile gets you excited, get more of what you love in Grandma’s Fried Fish with a Ginger Soy Glaze!

A warm and humble side dish for the whole family

I’ve come to a point in my life where I really cherish those simple, homey meals that I grew up with. Gà Kho Gừng is one of them because it’s a dish Grandma has made on numerous occasions and I look forward to it every time!

There are events where an extravagent banquet would suit the occasion, but on a weekday like today, all I want is something easy, delicious and without all the fuss. Dishes including this Vietnamese Ginger Chicken, some steamed pork ribs or beef salad are the classics I always turn to.

What these meals have in common is that they require few ingredients and can be left to cook for a short period.

And why I particularly love Gà Kho Gừng is the fact that the honey caramelizes around the wings as a finger-lickingly sticky coating. Do you see that dark amber brown all over the wings? It’s pure flavor!

Plus, the meat itself is outrageously silky and slides right off the chopsticks. Not going to lie – I’ve slurped up all the chicken off the bones without too much effort.

Then once it’s in you, the ginger spices start to gently warm everything from the inside out!

Which chicken cut do I use?

For this Vietnamese Ginger Chicken recipe, we use wings because it’s easier to work with. You can buy the whole wing and separate them at the joints like Grandma does here:

Wings being chopped at the joints be a cleaver.

Otherwise, you can get a whole chicken and cut it into parts to use for this dish. Make sure to rinse it to remove any broken bone shards that could end up in your teeth or throat!

All about ginger

What it is

When you think of that A-list of superfoods, ginger is way up there. It’s a type of plant that comes from the same family as tumeric and galangal, which is why they’re often mistaken for each other!

You can find it in two varieties – old and young – and both have different characteristics. Old ginger (老姜) is darker and spicier whereas its younger counterpart is lighter in color, milder and juicier.

Culinary Use

Ginger will taste subtly sweet and peppery while being bitter if chewed for long. It’s often paired with sugar to balance that.

Our family cooks with it for its warming effects, including dessert soups that use sweet potato and glutinous rice balls.

Its robust spicy aromas are also a great way to rid offal of odors as we do in our Braised Beef Honeycomb Tripe or to cleanse the flavor palette in Lotus Root, Buddha Jumps Over The Wall and Chicken Feet Soup.

Chinese Steamed Fish, Ginger Scallion Lobster and Steamed Oysters use the spice for the same reasons.

Health Benefits

Whenever I get a sore stomach, Mum would pound then simmer it with water and palm sugar. I find that it soothes my insides and keeps me warm for some time.

It’s commonly used as a remedy for nausea, is said to assist with indigestion, help with infections and muscle soreness. People also like to use ginger for its anti-inflammatory effects and antioxidants.

Whether you’re using the ingredient as a remedy or as part of a meal, you’ll get to enjoy its soothing warmth. All the more reason to make Grandma’s Vietnamese Ginger Chicken!

Why this recipe works

Drizzling honey in at the end infuses into the wings for a sticky coating with sweet flavor.
Ginger and garlic are browned first to awaken their aromas, which then transfers into the meat.
Using oyster sauce means you’ll get a deep savory taste with a gorgeous glisten on the surface.

What you’ll need

Wings in a dish along with oil, honey, fish sauce, oyster sauce, chopped garlic and chicken bouillon powder in dishes.

Cuisine style modifications

As I’ve mentioned before, I come from a Chinese-Vietnamese household so there are some dishes that have influences of both cultures. This recipe is one of them.

Coming from a Chinese background, we add oyster sauce (or any subsitute) and opt for honey as the sweetener.

For a traditional Vietnamese version, there is no oyster sauce and honey is replaced by roughly 3 tbsp sugar. It’s caramelized like we do for our Thịt Kho (Braised Pork Belly and Eggs in Coconut Water), Tôm Rim Thịt (Vietnamese Caramelized Shrimp and Pork) and Cá Kho Tộ (Braised Fish).

But you can make it however you like for a side dish that suits your taste!

How to make this recipe

Marinate the chicken with the oyster sauce, fish sauce and chicken bouillon powder for at least 20 minutes.

Ginger and chopped garlic in a wok with oil.

In a wok, heat up the oil on high, the turn it to medium and brown the garlic and ginger for a minute and a half or until fragrant.

Turn the heat back up to high and pour the chicken in and stir until golden brown on the outside. Reduce the flame to low-medium, mix in the honey and let it gently simmer for 20 minutes with the lid on.

Note: Make sure to stir it every 5 minutes for an even coating.

Serve your Vietnamese Ginger Chicken hot as is with rice!

Recipe FAQs

Can I make this dish using duck?

Certainly! Just make sure to clean it by like we do with our Vịt Nấu Chao (Duck and Fermented Bean Curd Hot Pot). You can also trim off some of the fat to reduce the gamy odor.

Can I use breast or thigh instead?

You sure can. Just use the same instructions to marinate and cook! Keep in mind that breast tends to be slightly drier, so you may need to lower the cooking time slightly to prevent it from getting too dry.

How do you store leftover fresh ginger?

If you seal it in an airtight container in the fridge, it can last up to a week. Alternatively, just add strips of it to your soups for a warm kick or turn it into an easy Scallion Ginger Sauce (薑蔥油) that you can add to anything, including plain rice!

Tips for the best results

Marinate overnight. This is a tried-and-true technique to infuse the most flavor and something we do for recipes like our Bò Lúc Lắc (Shaking Beef) and Bò Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew).
Cook it low and slow. Keep the simmer to a gentle. By doing so, your Gà Kho Gừng will come out soft and tender from the inside out.
Use coconut water or chicken stock. If you plan to make it purely Vietnamese style, go for a flavored liquid rather than just water.

Our favorite chicken side dishes!

Bring out a bowl of rice for our family’s most beloved meals:

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