Vietnamese-Style Caramel Braised Chicken

From Fine-Cooking magazine.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup fish sauce
• 2  large shallots, finely chopped
• 2  medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1⁄8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
•  fresh ground black pepper
• 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar
• 6 -8  boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 3/4 wide strips
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Place chicken thighs on a rimmed baking sheet in a 400º oven for 20 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce and 1/4 Celsius water. In another small bowl, mix the shallots, garlic, red pepper flakes and 1/2 t. black pepper.
3. Put the sugar and 2 T. water in a 10-inch straight-sided saute pan over medium heat and cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Let the melted sugar come to a boil and cook, swirling the pan occasionally at first and more frequently as the sugar browns, until it has caramelized to a deep amber color, 5 to 8 minutes.
4. Remove pan from heat and carefully pour in fish sauce mixture to the pan. Swirl the pan to combine and return to medium heat and bring to a boil. Add the shallot mixture and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the shallots soften.
5. Add the chicken pieces, stirring to coat them. Serve sprinkled with cilantro and your favorite rice.