These Asian Chicken Thighs are a simple weeknight dinner that hits all the notes that you’ve come to expect from a well-balanced oven-baked chicken dish: savory, slightly sweet, tangy, and packed with umami. Plus, the Whole30 marinade can be ready in minutes!
This winner winner Asian Chicken dinner recipe is an OG Nomster favorite, but my original step-by-step photos were old and ugly. But lucky for you, I’ve finally updated the pics and streamlined the steps for you!
The Easiest and Tastiest Asian Chicken Marinade
This simple marinade for my Asian chicken thighs will win over your pickiest eaters. Here are some helpful tips to make it just right:
- If you’re doing a Whole30, simply replace the honey with some diced apple. Want a keto-friendly version?Leave out the sweetener and your chicken dinner will still taste great.
- The easiest way to make the marinade is to dump all the ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor and blitz until smooth. If your blender isn’t super powerful, you’ll have to chop the marinade ingredients smaller before dumping them in.
- You’re aiming for a marinade that’s saltier than you would use as a dressing—taste it before pouring it on the chicken! Even though the marinade will taste salty, they chicken will be perfectly seasoned.
- Avoid using fresh ginger in the marinade because it contains an enzyme that can break down protein. (I learned this lesson the hard way when I was developing my Wonton Meatballs recipe.)
Can You Make This Dish with Other Chicken Parts?
Definitely! I’ve used this Asian chicken marinade marinade on spatchcocked whole chickens, boneless and skinless thighs and breasts, wings, you name it. Just remember that boneless and skinless chicken will cook faster so you should check the internal temperature earlier.
How Can You Make Asian Chicken Thighs Ahead of Time?
You can blend the Asian chicken marinade ahead of time and have it ready in your fridge for up to four days. Also, you can marinate the chicken for up to two days before roasting it. I don’t love freezing marinated raw chicken and thawing it to roast later because the chicken skin gets kind of tough. I’d rather roast the chicken and save the cooked chicken in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
What Do You Serve With It?
I love serving Asian Chicken Thighs with my Asian Cauliflower Fried Rice, Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, and Smashed Cucumber and Carrot Salad, but feel free to plate it with whatever your favorite vegetable side dish happens to be. When I’m super lazy, I just serve Asian Chicken Thighs with a big green salad.
How do you clean the dirty wire rack?
For this recipe, I recommend that folks elevate their chicken pieces on a stainless steel wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet when they roast them to ensure even cooking. Inevitably, the number one question I get when people try this method is how to clean the dirty rack afterwards.
The key is to soak the rack IMMEDIATELY in hot soapy water. Just follow these steps:
- Transfer the chicken off the rack as soon as it’s out of the oven.
- Immediately place the rack upside down in the rimmed baking sheet and fill it with hot soapy water. Let the rack soak while you’re enjoying dinner.
- After dinner, scrub off any gunk on the rack with a sponge and place the rack in the dishwasher. (No dishwasher? Just continue scrubbing the rack with hot soapy water and rinse well.)
- Watch this quick Instagram highlight to see how I do it!
Time to make Asian Chicken Thighs!
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 6 scallions, trimmed and cut into thirds
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger (fresh ginger can make the chicken mushy)
- 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil or fat of choice
- 2 tablespoons honey or if you’re on the Whole30 or avoiding honey, use ½ cup peeled and diced apple
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon Red Boat fish sauce
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 3 pounds chicken thighs
Equipment:
- All of my recommended kitchen tools are listed here.
Method:
First, let’s make the marinade! Break out your high speed blender or food processor and toss in the scallions, garlic, ginger, rice wine vinegar, avocado oil, honey (or diced apple), coconut aminos, fish sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper.
Blitz until smooth.
Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl or storage container and pour the marinade on top.
Toss to coat the chicken thoroughly, and marinate it in the fridge for up to two days. (No time to marinate? Don’t worry—the chicken will still taste good, even with just a quick toss in the marinade!)
When you’re ready to cook the chicken, remove the marinated thighs from the fridge and heat the oven to 425°F (or 400°F on convection roast) with the rack in the middle.
Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet and arrange the chicken skin-side down in a single layer.
Roast the chicken for 40 minutes, flipping the thighs skin-side up at the halfway point.
These Asian Chicken Thighs are ready when the skin is crisp and browned and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Serve immediately! (And don’t forget to soak your wire rack in hot soapy water while you eat dinner!)
[Originally posted on April 17, 2013. Updated on March 1, 2020.]
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).
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Asian Chicken Thighs
These Whole30 Asian Chicken thighs are so easy to throw together on a busy weeknight. Your whole family will love them!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 428kcal
Ingredients
- 6 scallions trimmed and cut into thirds
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger (fresh ginger can make the chicken mushy)
- 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons honey Whole30? Use ½ cup peeled and diced apple in place of honey.
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon Red Boat fish sauce
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 pounds chicken thighs
Instructions
- First, let’s make the marinade! Break out your high speed blender or food processor and toss in the scallions, garlic, ginger, rice wine vinegar, avocado oil, honey (or diced apple), coconut aminos, fish sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Blitz until smooth.
- Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl or storage container and pour the marinade on top.
- Toss to coat the chicken thoroughly, and marinate it in the fridge for up to two days. (No time to marinate? Don’t worry—the chicken will still taste good, even with just a quick toss in the marinade!)
- When you’re ready to cook the chicken, remove the marinated thighs from the fridge and heat the oven to 425°F (or 400°F on convection roast) with the rack in the middle.
- Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet and arrange the chicken skin-side down in a single layer.
- Roast the chicken for 40 minutes, flipping the thighs skin-side up at the halfway point.
- The chicken’s ready when the skin is crisp and browned and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Serve immediately. (And don’t forget to soak your wire rack in hot soapy water while you eat dinner!)
Video
Notes
Fresh ginger will cause your chicken to get mushy! Use ground ginger instead.
Tried this recipe?Mention @nomnompaleo or tag #nomnompaleo!
Nutrition
Calories: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 32g | Fiber: 1g
Mindy says
This is the BEST chicken marinade ever! This is now my go-to chicken recipe and we make it almost every week!
LucyDC says
A HUGE FAVORITE in my house! I make this often, and as amazing as it is hot out of the oven, it’s SO GOOD as cold leftovers. So quick and easy to make!
Peggy says
I should have gone with my instincts and set the temperature at 375. At 425 some of it burned cooking the suggested length of time. I do like the simplicity of this recipe and the flavor is great. I will make this again but at a lower temperature.
Tracy deVeer says
I’m trying this busy day in the crock pot with the marinade poured over the top. Hope I don’t come to find a pile of chicken mush, but I’m sure the flavor will be fabulous!
Lauren says
How did it turn out?
babeintewools says
Hello, Michelle,
Have you ever used Coconut Nectar as a sub for honey?
Work great and has a lower glycemic index.
Michelle Tam says
I don’t normally use coconut nectar because most folks can’t find it. I bet it would work great in this recipe!
Jillanne Dizon says
Hi!
Would this be ok to make in the air fryer? Thank you
Michelle Tam says
Yes! Cook at 400 F for about 18 to 20 minutes. I’d start them skin side down and flip skin side up at the halfway point.
Jen says
Do you spray the rack? Doesn’t the chicken stick?
Michelle Tam says
Nope! The chicken skin shouldn’t stick to the rack!
Maria Lybrand says
Hi Michelle, i have Mađe this numerous times and love IT. I always use mi conventional oven, but nos want to Cook IT in mi air fryer. How long would You suggest I cook 2 ponuda and AT what temperature.
Thanx so muci for all You do. I have your cook book and love It.
Maria
Michelle Tam says
You can cook them in the air fryer 400 F for about 20-25 minutes, starting skin side down and flipping skin side up at the halfway mark.
Jenn says
These were great! Made 4ish pounds of boneless skinless thighs so baking and the air fryer would have taken too long with the multiple pans I would have needed. Threw them all on the grill and it was so easy. Marinated overnight and might even try two days next time. Thanks!
Lyndsy says
Amazing recipe. I’ve used it wirh all sorts of chicken parts and pork. Hoghky recommended
Sophie Krich-Brinton says
So easy and good! I used chicken breasts cut in thirds so cut the time to 25 minutes, and didn’t have green onions, but it was fantastic. Will make again ASAP.
debra merle says
OMG! This was sooo good! We cull our own chickens – that have been a little more ‘free range’ than your average chicken – so it’s best if we put them in an instant pot. I didn’t have scallions but our garden always has leeks so I sliced one of those up (it made more of a ‘paste’ out of the marinade) – put it in a ziplock with the chicken parts (all parts – not just thighs) and then in the ‘frig for the day…….that evening put all of it into the instant pot for 18 minutes (remember these are a tougher chicken – baking them doesn’t cut it) and it was amazing! We’re keeping this recipe forever. Thank you Michelle!
Kristine says
Can you use boneless skinless chicken breasts instead? What would timing be?
Michelle Tam says
It all depends on the size of the chicken breast. I would definitely use a meat thermometer to check the temperature at the 20 to 25 minute mark and aim for an internal temp of about 150-155 F.