Asian Chicken Thighs

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No, I’m not calling this dish “Asian Chicken Thighs” solely because I’m of Chinese ancestry. (Though come to think of it, I call dibs on putting the prefix “Asian” on every one of my recipes. They sound more exotic that way, don’t you think?)

Rather, this simple weeknight chicken dinner hits all the notes that you’ve come to expect from Asian comfort food. It’s savory, sweet, tangy, and packed with umami. And did I also mention that the marinade can be ready in just minutes?

Here’s what to gather to feed 4-6 people:

1 bunch scallions, trimmed and cut into thirds
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (fresh ginger will over-tenderize meat!)
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons macadamia nut oil, avocado oil, or fat of choice
1 tablespoon coconut aminos
1 tablespoon Red Boat fish sauce
2 tablespoons honey (or if you’re on the Whole30 or avoiding honey, use ½ small apple, peeled, cored, and diced)
½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 pounds chicken thighs

Here’s how to make the chicken:

Dump everything except for the chicken into a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth. Then, bake the bird parts for 40 minutes at 400°F. The end!

What?!? You want to see step-by-step pictures? Man, you guys sure are demanding. But if you insist…

Break out your high speed blender or food processor and toss in the scallions, garlic, ginger…

…rice wine vinegar, macadamia nut oil…

…coconut aminos, fish sauce, …

…honey (or diced apple for you Whole30-ers)…

…sesame oil, salt, and freshly ground pepper.

Blitz until smooth.

Place the chicken in a storage bag or bowl…

…and pour in the marinade.

Toss to coat the chicken thoroughly, and marinate it in the fridge for up to 12 hours.

When you’re ready to cook the chicken, remove the marinated thighs from the fridge and preheat the oven to 400°F (or 375°F on convection roast).

Place a wire rack on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and arrange the chicken skin-side down on top. Make sure that your thighs don’t have a ton of excess marinade on ‘em. You don’t wan’t soggy chicken, right?

Bake the chicken for 40 minutes…

…flipping the thighs over at the halfway point.

The chicken’s ready when the skin is crisp and browned and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Serve immediately. Oh, and make sure you’ve got some wet wipes on hand. You’ll need ’em.

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) and Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017)

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These Whole30 Asian Chicken thighs are so easy to throw together on a busy weeknight. Your whole family will love them!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time1 hr 55 mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Chinese, Gluten-free, Paleo, Whole30

Servings: servings

Calories: 0

Author: Michelle Tam

Ingredients

1 bunch scallions trimmed and cut into thirds
2 garlic cloves minced
½ teaspoon ground ginger fresh ginger will over-tenderize meat!
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons avocado oil or fat of choice
1 tablespoon coconut aminos
1 tablespoon Red Boat fish sauce
2 tablespoons honey or if you’re on the Whole30 or avoiding honey, use ½ small apple, peeled, cored, and diced
½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 pounds chicken thighs

Instructions

Break out your high speed blender or food processor and toss in the scallions, garlic, ginger, rice wine vinegar, avocado oil, coconut aminos, fish sauce, honey (or diced apple for you Whole30-ers), sesame oil, salt, and freshly ground pepper. Blitz until smooth.
Place the chicken in a storage bag or bowl, and pour in the marinade.
Toss to coat the chicken thoroughly, and marinate it in the fridge for up to 12 hours.
When you’re ready to cook the chicken, remove the marinated thighs from the fridge and preheat the oven to 400°F (or 375°F on convection roast).
Place a wire rack on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and arrange the chicken skin-side down on top. Make sure that your thighs don’t have a ton of excess marinade on ‘em. You don’t wan’t soggy chicken, right?
Bake 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.