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4.93 from 28 votes

Crispy Cantonese Chicken Thighs

Inspired by my mom’s Cantonese chicken dish, I created this simple, flavor-packed, one-pot Whole30, paleo, and keto chicken dish with super crispy skin!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: chicken, keto, low carb, one pan, paleo, Whole30
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Michelle Tam

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon  avocado oil or favorite high temperature cooking oil
  • 1 cup thinly-sliced shallots about 3 large
  • Kosher salt
  • 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 6 dried shiitake mushrooms soaked for at least 30 minutes or until softened
  • 2 inch fresh ginger peeled and cut into thin coins
  • 6 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup  bone broth
  • 1 teaspoon  fish sauce`
  • ¼ cup sliced green onions
  • ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 450°F with the rack in the middle position.
  • Heat a 12-inch oven-safe heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. Melt one tablespoon of ghee in the hot pan, add the sliced shallots, and a sprinkle of salt.
  • Cook until the shallots are softened, stirring occasionally. This should take 5-10 minutes.
  • While the shallots are cooking, sprinkle kosher salt liberally (about 2 teaspoons) on both sides of the chicken pieces.
  • Squeeze out the excess liquid from the reconstituted mushrooms, slice off the woody stems (which can be reserved for bone broth) and thinly slice the caps.
  • Once the shallots have wilted, add the sliced mushrooms, ginger, and garlic to the pan.
  • Stir-fry for about a minute or until aromatic. Transfer the vegetables to a plate.
  • Return the pan to the stovetop, wipe out any remnants with a paper towel, and increase the heat to medium-high. Then, sear the chicken pieces skin-side down in the hot pan until nicely browned and crispy, about 4 to 5 minutes.
  • While the skin is crisping, add freshly ground black pepper to the meaty side.
  • When the skin is golden brown, flip the pieces over and cook for 2 minutes more.
  • Stir the fish sauce into the broth and pour it in the pan, making sure to avoid pouring the liquid on the crispy skin.
  • Add the reserved shallots, mushrooms, and garlic back to the pan, tucking them in between the chicken pieces. Again, make sure not to cover the skin!
  • Transfer the pan to the hot oven and roast the chicken for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F. (You have a meat thermometer, right? Use it!)
  • Put on your heat-proof oven gloves, before you grab the pan!
  • Taste the sauce for seasoning and adjust as needed. Garnish the chicken with a shower of sliced green onions and cilantro, and dig in!

Video

Notes

Soak your mushrooms in the morning and they'll be ready when you get home at dinner time!

Nutrition

Calories: 534kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 40g | Fiber: 1g