Sticky Ginger Soy Glazed Chicken
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$8.08 RECIPE / $1.01 PER PIECE

If you’re new to cooking, this Sticky Ginger Soy Glazed Chicken is a terrific place to start because it’s so simple.

My favorite thing to do with a dish is to reduce it to its simplest form while retaining the most flavor.

I’ve created a lot of Asian-inspired marinades and glazes in the past, but this time I stripped down my marinade to its base essentials to prepare this Sticky Ginger Soy Glazed Chicken, and guess what?

It’s by far my favorite. Simple is the best and I promise you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the flavor.

CAN I USE CHICKEN BREAST IN THIS RECIPE?

Sticky Ginger Soy Glazed Chicken
Food: Sticky Ginger Soy Glazed Chicken
Source: The Recipe Critic

This easy marinade may be used on chicken breasts or thighs, but I like thighs because they’re usually already cut into small, manageable pieces that cook quickly and remain juicy and delicious.

If you’re using chicken breasts, I recommend chopping them into smaller pieces or smashing them thin to ensure maximum marinade contact and speedy cooking.

STICKY GINGER SOY GLAZED CHICKEN CAN BE COOKED OR GRILLED

Cook the Sticky Ginger Soy Glazed Chicken in a skillet or on a grill once marinated. A grill will certainly produce nicer browned edges and caramelized sugars, but a skillet is so simple.

And I prefer simplicity.

STICKY GINGER SOY GLAZED CHICKEN

A simple marinade transforms into a sticky and delectable glaze in this Sticky Ginger Soy Glazed Chicken.
Prep Time: 40 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 1 hr
Servings: 8 pieces

INGREDIENTS

MARINADE

  • 1/4 cup brown sugar ($0.16)
  • 3 Tbsp. soy sauce ($0.26)
  • 2 cloves of garlic ($0.16)
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger grated ($0.05)
  • Freshly cracked pepper ($0.05)
  • 1 Tbsp. cooking oil ($0.04)

CHICKEN

  • 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1.75 lbs total) ($7.10)
  • 1/2 Tbsp. cooking oil ($0.02)

GARNISHES (OPTIONAL)

  • 2 green onions ($0.17)
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds ($0.07)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Using a fine-holed cheese grater or a box grater, mince the garlic and grate the ginger. Combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, 15 cranks of a pepper mill, and cooking oil in a small bowl. Put the chicken thighs in a shallow dish or a gallon zip-top bag. Turn the chicken to coat it in the marinade. Cover and marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes or up to a day (refrigerated).
  2. Heat a big skillet over medium heat when ready to cook the chicken. Heat the skillet, add 1/2 tbsp cooking oil and stir to coat the bottom. Add half of the chicken pieces and heat until thoroughly browned and cooked through on both sides. Place the cooked chicken on a clean platter and continue with the second batch.
  3. Once all of the chicken has been taken from the skillet, add the remaining marinade and bring to a boil. As the marinade boils, whisk it to incorporate any browned bits from the skillet. Allow it to simmer until it reduces to a thick glaze*. Turn off the heat and dredge the cooked chicken in the thick glaze. If desired, top with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.

NOTES

*According to FDA food safety guidelines, it is okay to cook old marinades as long as they reach a complete boil. To kill bacteria, this thoroughly cooks the marinade, just like the raw chicken that was in it.

The marinade used should be prepared right away and not kept uncooked for subsequent use.

If you’re worried, make a double batch of the marinade and use half for the chicken and the other half to reduce in a small saucepan before brushing it on.

NUTRITION

  • Serving: 1 Serving
  • Calories: 191.48 kcal
  • Carbohydrates: 7.78 g
  • Protein: 17.59 g
  • Fat: 10.38 g
  • Sodium: 596.44 mg
  • Fiber: 0.23 g

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING SOY GLAZED CHICKEN

Sticky Ginger Soy Glazed Chicken
Food: Sticky Ginger Soy Glazed Chicken
Source: The Recipe Critic
  1. To make the super-easy ginger-soy marinade, mince two garlic cloves and grate around 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger. 1/4 cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon frying oil, and freshly cracked pepper combine the garlic and ginger (about 15 cranks of a pepper mill).
  2. Pour the marinade over eight boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a shallow container or gallon zip lock bag. Cover and marinate (refrigerate) the chicken for at least 30 minutes or up to one day.
  3. Heat a big skillet over medium heat when you’re ready to cook. Heat the skillet, add 1/2 tbsp cooking oil and tilt it to swirl the oil all over the surface. Cook on each side until the chicken thighs are thoroughly browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and place it on a clean dish, then do the same with the remaining chicken.
  4. Because too much moisture in the skillet prevents those wonderful browned edges and caramelized sugars, the marinade isn’t thrown in with the chicken, and the chicken is cooked in two separate batches. As a result, divide the job into two batches and prepare the marinade separately.
  5. Pour in the leftover marinade and bring to a boil once the second batch of chicken has been cooked and removed from the skillet. As the marinade boils, whisk it to include the browned bits from the skillet. Allow boiling until the marinade has reduced to a thick glaze (this should only take a few minutes because there isn’t much marinade). This kills bacteria by cooking the marinade in the same way that you cooked the chicken (it’s no less safe than the actual chicken or the marinade that’s on the surface of the chicken as it cooks). Marinade safety instructions from the FDA. If you’re still not sure, eliminate the extra glaze (the chicken will still be sticky) or double the marinade and simply use half on the chicken. Cook the second “clean” half until it thickens to a glaze in a saucepan.
  6. Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and dredge it in the sticky glaze on both sides. If desired, garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.

You can serve this Sticky Ginger Soy Glazed Chicken with jasmine rice and a cucumber-mango salad.