This super simple marinade can be used on chicken breast or thighs, but I prefer thighs because they’re usually already in small, manageable, and quick cooking pieces that stay juicy and tender. If you’re using chicken breasts, I suggest cutting them into smaller pieces or pounding them thin to both increase chicken to marinade contact and to make sure they cook quickly
Ingredients
or1/4 unpacked cup of sugars, brown (36 g)
or3 tbsps of soy sauce made from soy (tamari) (54 g)
or2 cloves of garlic, raw (6 g)
or1 tbsp of spices, ginger, ground (5 g)
or2 tablespoons of oil, olive, salad or cooking (27 g)
or8 boneless. skinless chicken thighs (793 g)
or2 stalks of onions, young green, tops only (24 g)
or1 tsp of seeds, sesame seed kernels, dried (decorticated) (3 g)
Preparation
1.
Mince the garlic and grate the ginger using a fine holed cheese grater or box grater. In a small bowl stir together the brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, some freshly cracked pepper (about 15 cranks of a pepper mill), and cooking oil. Place the chicken thighs in a shallow dish or a gallon size zip lock bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and turn to coat. Cover the chicken and marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to a day (refrigerated).2.
When ready to cook the chicken, heat a large skillet over medium flame. Once hot, add 1/2 Tbsp cooking oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the skillet. Add half of the chicken pieces and let cook until well browned on each side and cooked through. Remove the cooked chicken to a clean plate, then repeat with the second batch3.
Once all the chicken has been removed from the skillet, pour the leftover marinade into the skillet and allow it to come up to a boil. Whisk the marinade as it boils to dissolve any browned bits from the skillet. Let it continue to boil until it reduces to a thick glaze*. Turn the heat off, add the cooked chicken back to the skillet, and dredge it in the thick glaze. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds if desired4.
Once all the chicken has been removed from the skillet, pour the leftover marinade into the skillet and allow it to come up to a boil. Whisk the marinade as it boils to dissolve any browned bits from the skillet. Let it continue to boil until it reduces to a thick glaze*. Turn the heat off, add the cooked chicken back to the skillet, and dredge it in the thick glaze. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds if desired5.
*It is safe to cook used marinades as long as they come to a full boil. This thoroughly cooks the marinade, just like the raw chicken that was in it, to kill bacteria. The used marinade should be cooked immediately and should not be stored uncooked for later use. If concerned, double the marinade and use half for the chicken and reduce the other half in a small sauce pan before brushing it onto the chicken.
