Vietnamese-Style Sticky Chicken Skewers

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup palm sugar
• 1/2 cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup chili sauce, like Sriracha, to taste
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
• Vegetable oil
• Leaves from 1/4 bunch cilantro, for garnish
• 2 to 3 scallions, thinly sliced for garnish
• Cooked rice or rice noodles, for serving

Directions

1. If you are working with bamboo skewers, put them in warm water and soak them for 30 minutes.
2. In a bowl, combine the sugar, vinegar, fish sauce, chili sauce, garlic, and ginger, stirring until blended. Add the chicken and turn the pieces until they are well coated. Leave it at room temperature for at least 10 minutes, but stop before 30 minutes, since the marinade can get overpowering if it sits longer.
3. Move an oven rack so it sits 4 inches below the broiler, then set the broiler to high.
4. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil, then coat the foil lightly with vegetable oil or spray. The sticky marinade is much happier burning onto foil than onto your favorite pan, and cleanup will thank you.
5. Slide 3 to 5 pieces of chicken onto each skewer, adjusting for the size of your skewers. Leave a bit of room between the pieces rather than packing them tightly, so the edges can brown.
6. Arrange the skewers on the prepared baking sheet. Pour any marinade left in the bowl into a small skillet.
7. Set the skillet over medium heat, bring the marinade to a boil, and cook it for 2 to 3 minutes, until it has thickened slightly.
8. Brush the thickened marinade over the chicken, coating it on all sides.
9. Broil the skewers for 3 to 4 minutes, until the tops are browned. Use tongs to flip them, then brush again with more marinade.
10. Return the skewers to the broiler for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the second side is browned and the chicken is cooked through. The timing will vary with your broiler, so check that the centers are no longer pink.
11. Move the skewers to a platter, or pull the chicken off the skewers and arrange the pieces on a platter, whichever you prefer. Scatter cilantro and scallions over the top, and serve with rice or rice noodles.