Summer means finding some flexibility and working a lot of flavor into your meals. This dish has both of those things in spades. Whether you are looking to make a quick meal on the stove or fire up the grill, it will work with either, and the marinade becomes either a pan sauce or a basting sauce depending on where you're cooking will bring so much flavor to your place, you'll be adding it to your summer go-to menu.
I like heat and sweet so the marinade leans into it. You can opt for less of either or find other vehicles for those flavors. I try to avoid honey or maple syrup in the marinade if I'm going to be grilling because I find it goes very quickly from a bit of char to too much. If you have a different vehicle for heat, you can give that a try too, but make sure it has enough liquid to keep things moist.
I like serving this dish with some sticky rice and cucumber or avocado (or both) with a generous sprinkling of sliced green onions over it all. With so much flavor packed into the chicken, the supporting sides want to help cool the fire without putting it out and I find these are a perfect combination. Enjoy!
Sweet & Sticky Chicken Thighs
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- ½ cup light brown sugar , packed
- 3 tablespoons Sriracha Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Mix the first 5 ingredients (garlic through black pepper) together in a large dish. Place the chicken thighs in the mixture and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours.
When ready to cook the chicken, melt the coconut oil in a large, nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken ; reserve the sauce. Cook the chicken for 8 minutes on each side and then carefully pour the sauce over the chicken. Reduce the heat to medium-low and place a lid over the pan. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through and the sauce is sticky and a little charred.
Alternately, heat a grill with grill plates in place to 400°F. Grill the chicken and turn it every 8 minutes, basting with the sauce every time you turn it, until it's fully cooked. I usually cook it for about 30 minutes in total using either method.
- Yields: 5 servings
- Preparation Time: 35 minutes plus marinating time