Sweet and Sticky Asian Chicken Thighs
Chicken thighs are always juicy and tender but this asian inspired glaze recipe was an absolute crowd pleaser and we will definitely be making it again and again. Our eyes literally 'glazed' over when we had that first bite. It's so simple to make, in facts it's almost impossible to mess this one up, and it's aesthetically pleasing when plated. It's sweet and spicy (if you want to add more kick go ahead) and we are thrilled to have this new staple in our repertoire!
Quick news flash: We are starting a new tag on our blog call QUICK MEALS where you can find recipes that can be made in 20 minutes or less! We realized we love those and wanted to make them easier to find!
Prep Time: 5
Cook time: 15
Total time: 20 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 Pound thinly sliced Chicken Breasts, or boneless chicken thighs*
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
¾ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup soy sauce
2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 Tablespoon Sweet Chili Sauce
1 Tablespoons ginger, peeled and grated
3 green onions
1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
Pinch of dried red pepper flakes, to taste
½ teaspoon minced garlic
Zest and Juice of one lime. Set aside in separate bowls
Instructions
Before turning on any burners and stressing yourself out, we like to prepare the glaze. You can even do this the night before and let all the flavors really settle in and intensify. In a bowl, whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sweet chili sauce, ginger, red pepper flakes, garlic and lime juice. Set aside for now.
When you are ready to cook, heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Add the chicken, salt and pepper. Cook chicken about 3 minutes on each side until brown on each side. Set chicken aside on plate and cover (Note: we always cut one piece of chicken open before eating to make sure it's cooked. Alternatively, you could use a thermometer and check that it's reached a temperature of about 155 Fahrenheit-slightly underdone since you will be putting it back on the heat)
Add the sauce to the skillet and bring to a boil over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until sauce thickens. Stir lightly and watch carefully.
Add chicken back to the skillet and coat each side with the sauce cooking for 2-3 additional minutes or until 165 degrees.
Have a large serving dish ready on the side and using tongs transfer each piece of chicken to it. Then poor the sauce over all the chicken and garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions. VOILA! Isn't it beautiful?!
EXTRA DETAILS:
You will notice the sauce doesn't get very thick in the pan (no need to continue boiling it) because once it cools down it will get much stickier and turn into more of a glaze (due to the sugar).
This recipe is not as fast if you get chicken thighs WITH bones. If don't have boneless chicken thighs just make sure you cook them longer.
Left overs are delicious.
