Sticky Soy Chicken Thighs with Jasmine Rice

• 4boneless chicken thighs, skin-on
• 3garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsprice vinegar
• 200 gjasmine rice, rinsed
• 1thumb-sized piece ginger, grated
• 3spring onions, sliced
• 3 tbspsoy sauce
• 2 tbsphoney
• 1 tspsesame oil
• 1 tbspvegetable oil
• 1 tbspsesame seeds, toasted
• Fine salt and black pepper

Method

1. 1Tip the rinsed jasmine rice into a pan of salted water and cook to packet instructions, around 10–12 minutes. Drain, return to the pan, lid on, and leave it to steam-dry off the heat; that's how you get separate grains rather than a clump.
2. 2In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger and sesame oil together into a glossy glaze. The vinegar cuts the honey so the finished sauce is sticky, not cloying.
3. 3Pat the chicken thighs ruthlessly dry with kitchen paper. Season the skin generously with salt and pepper before it hits the pan; season the meat itself.
4. 4Heat the vegetable oil in a stainless or cast-iron frying pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Lay the thighs in skin-side down in a single layer with room between them; crowd the pan and they'll steam instead of sear. If your pan is small, work in two batches.
5. 5Leave them completely alone for 8–10 minutes, pressing gently now and then, until the skin is deep mahogany, lacquered and crisp and the thighs release from the pan without a fight. Flip and cook another 4–5 minutes, until the underside is bronzed and the thickest part reaches 75°C for 30 seconds.
6. 6Lift the chicken out onto a plate. Pour off all but a slick of fat, then pour the glaze straight into the hot pan.
7. 7Let the glaze bubble furiously for 2–3 minutes, swirling the pan, until it turns dark and syrupy and coats the back of a spoon. Slide the chicken back in and spoon the lacquer over each thigh until they gleam.
8. 8Pile the rice into warm bowls, sit the glossy thighs on top, and scrape every drop of pan glaze over. Shower with the sliced spring onions and toasted sesame seeds, and serve straight away while the skin still crackles.

Per serving

kcal

425

protein

27.5g

fibre

1.6g

carbs

52.2g

fat

11.4g