Description
Deliciously tender chicken thighs braised in a sweet, tangy sauce made with brown sugar, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Perfect for a comforting dinner!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2½ pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- kosher salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 6 cloves garlic (peeled and crushed)
- ½ cup water
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 slices fresh ginger
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce (optional, but recommended)
- thinly sliced scallions
- sliced jalapeño pepper
Instructions
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
- Place chicken in the skillet skin-side down. Cook until golden, flip, and cook until the other side is golden; about 5-6 minutes per side.
- Remove the chicken from the pan, place on a clean plate, and set aside.
- To the same skillet, add the garlic and cook until golden brown; about 2 minutes.
- Add the cooked garlic to the plate with the chicken. Drain any remaining fat from the pan.
- Over medium high heat, add the water to the pan, scraping up any browned bits.
- Stir in the brown sugar and cook for 3-4 minutes, until it thickens and darkens in color.
- Add the vinegar and continue to stir as the mixture bubbles up.
- Add the ginger, broth, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Add the garlic and chicken skin-side up. Simmer in the sauce for 20-25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and place it on a plate.
- Continue to simmer the sauce for 8-10 more minutes, or until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Return the chicken to the pot and toss it to coat in the sauce.
- Garnish with scallions and jalapeños, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
- For additional flavor, marinate the chicken thighs in soy sauce and garlic for a few hours before cooking.
- Serve with steamed rice or noodles to soak up the extra sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: braising
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh with sauce
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 120mg