Sticky miso soy chicken
Chicken thighs — in our opinion, the kind of meat you should always have stocked in your freezer. You can go in literally any direction with them: salads, pasta, curry, wraps, tacos... you name it. They’re perfect for a lean & mean everyday meal, but also shine on the BBQ. From Yakitori to Buffalo chicken, from satay to this insane sticky soy miso chicken by Siebe Grijma / @bbqmoods. Siebe: "I’m a huge fan of chicken thighs myself. Tender and full of flavor, a little fattier than chicken breast — and that works perfectly in this recipe. At home, we love Asian food, and with this dish you get a sweet, slightly spicy, but also umami-rich flavor on your chicken thighs."
Let’s go...
Summary
- Cooked in a skillet
- Medium to low heat
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Marinating: at least 1 hour
- Cooking time: 8–10 minutes
Making the miso soy marinade
First, we’ll prepare a marinade for the chicken thighs. Mix together 2 tbsp miso tamari soy sauce (ask your Asian store), 2 tbsp Gula Jawa (also from the toko), chili flakes to taste, 1 clove of pressed garlic, 1 tsp smoked paprika powder, 2 tsp cornstarch, and 2 tbsp peanut oil. The miso tamari brings deep, salty umami flavor; the Gula Jawa adds earthy sweetness; the chili flakes bring heat; and the paprika powder gives a hint of smokiness. No need to add extra salt — the soy sauce is salty enough.
Preparing the chicken thighs
Trim any loose bits or excess fat if you don’t like them. Place the chicken thighs in the marinade and massage until they’re fully coated in a nice dark layer. Let marinate for at least an hour (overnight is even better), stirring occasionally. Because there’s a lot of sugar in the marinade, we’ll cook them over moderate heat later to prevent burning.
We’ll also make a glaze to finish them with at the end. Mix 2 tbsp miso tamari soy sauce, 2 tbsp Gula Jawa syrup, and 2 tbsp sweet chili sauce. Keep this aside with a brush ready.
Cooking the chicken thighs
Set your skillet on the heat source — BBQ, induction, or gas hob. Keep the heat moderate to avoid burning the sugars in the marinade.
Add 2 generous tbsp butter to the skillet. Let it melt until the foam almost disappears, but don’t let it brown. Remove excess marinade from the chicken thighs and place them smooth side down in the butter. Keep the pan moving and slowly build a golden-brown crust. Some darker bits are fine, but don’t let them burn. After about 2 minutes, flip the chicken and brown the other side. Keep the pan moving and rotate the thighs around. Aim for a core temp of about 76°C, but just before reaching that, brush both sides with the glaze. Check doneness with a thermometer if needed.
About a minute and a half before finishing (no stress, chicken thighs are very forgiving), brush the smooth side with glaze and place that side down in the butter to caramelize. After a minute, brush the top side, flip again, glaze once more, and when you’re happy with the color and stickiness, remove the skillet from the heat. They’re now ready to serve.
Serving sticky chicken thighs
The Asian flavors of these chicken thighs pair perfectly with Asian sides. I served them with fragrant basmati rice and spicy sambal green beans (sajoer). Easy does it...
ENJOY!
