Chicken thighs are not only cheaper than breasts, but they can be made much tastier. The secret of this recipe is in the slow cooking, which would leave a chicken breast dry and tasteless. When using thighs you end up with wonderfully succulent, well-flavoured meat. I like to serve these with some steamed fragrant rice and a bowl of stir-fried pak choy.
Serves 4
4 tbsp ketcap manis (Indonesian soy sauce)
1 tbsp grated fresh root ginger
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ tsp Chinese five-spice powder
8 boneless chicken thighs
1 tbsp sunflower oil
Step one To make the marinade, place the ketcap manis in a bowl with the ginger, garlic and Chinese five-spice, then mix well to combine. Arrange the chicken thighs in a shallow non-metallic dish and pour over the marinade, turning the thighs to coat well. Cover with clingfilm and chill for at least 2 hours (up to 24 hours is best), turning the chicken thighs several times in the marinade. Bring back to room temperature before cooking and wipe off any excess marinade with kitchen paper.
Step two Heat a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the oil to the pan, then place the chicken thighs in it, skin-side down. Reduce the heat to very low and cook for 20–30 minutes until the skin is nice and crispy. Don’t be tempted to touch the chicken thighs while they are cooking or shake the pan; just leave them alone and you will produce the most fantastic crispy skin and succulent meat.
Step three When you can see that the chicken thighs are nicely browned and that the flesh is almost but not quite cooked through, turn them over and cook for a further 5–6 minutes until completely cooked through and tender. Remove from the heat and leave to rest in a warm place for 5 minutes. Arrange on warmed plates to serve.