Honey Soy Chicken Thighs

This is the recipe I make when my brain has completely checked out but my family still expects dinner. It sounds almost insultingly simple — chicken thighs, soy sauce, honey — and yet every single person at the table finishes their plate and eyes whatever is left in the pan.

The magic is in the caramelisation. You put the thighs in skin-side down, you do not touch them, and twelve minutes later you have the kind of golden, crackling skin that makes the whole dinner worth it. The soy-honey glaze goes in at the end and does something alchemical in the heat — it turns into this glossy, sticky, deeply savoury sauce that coats everything.

I serve it over jasmine rice with whatever greens were least suspicious-looking in the crisper. Broccolini, bok choy, snap peas — all of them excellent. My husband claims he doesn't like Asian food. He had seconds.

Ingredients

• 1kg chicken thighs, bone-in skin-on
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
• 2 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or sunflower)
• 3 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
• Steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Method

Step 1

Mix the soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, garlic and ginger in a small bowl and set aside. Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towel — this is non-negotiable for crispy skin. Score the skin a few times with a sharp knife.

Step 2

Heat the neutral oil in a large heavy-based frypan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken thighs skin-side down and press gently with a spatula. Resist all urges to move them — leave for 12–14 minutes until the skin is deeply golden. Flip and cook a further 5 minutes.

Step 3

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Pour the soy mixture over the chicken and add 3 tbsp of water to the pan. It will sizzle dramatically — this is correct. Spoon the sauce over the chicken continuously for 3–4 minutes until it thickens and becomes glossy. The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 74°C.

Step 4

Transfer the chicken to a serving plate and pour all the pan sauce over the top. Scatter with spring onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately with steamed rice and your greenest vegetable.