Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Oven Roasted Honey Ginger Chicken Thighs


This chicken dish is super easy and a particular favorite around here and that's a win/win for me. The preparation is surprisingly simple, but the flavor that you get is amazing, considering the short amount of time that it takes from start to finish. By the time this chicken comes out of the oven, the skin is crispy and golden brown and the meat is moist, tender and practically melting off the bone. I use dried ground ginger, because the freshly grated stuff would overpower the other subtle flavors of honey and soy - and is more likely to burn and become bitter during cooking. I also slice the garlic instead of mincing or pressing it for the same reason. A little buttered white or brown rice and some sauteed carrots or steamed broccoli are perfect for a quick and really delicious weeknight supper.

Oven Roasted Honey Ginger Chicken Thighs
  • 4 to 6 **Bone-In, Skin-On Chicken Thighs
  • 1 Tbls Olive Oil
  • 2 Tbls Honey
  • 1 Tbls Soy Sauce
  • 2 Tsp Dried (Ground) Ginger
  • Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper
  • 2 to 3 Lg Garlic Cloves, sliced
** If using boneless chicken thighs, you'll need to reduce the cooking time to 30 to 35 minutes.


Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.  In a small bowl or measuring cup, add the Olive Oil, Soy Sauce and Honey and whisk or stir it well to combine.  In a separate dish, mix together the Salt, Pepper and Ground Ginger. Peel and slice the Garlic Cloves and set them aside. (slice your Garlic somewhat thickly because this will be cooking for a while and you don't want it to burn)


Place the Chicken in a single layer, skin side up, in a heat proof glass or ceramic baking dish. Using a basting/pastry brush or spoon, spread the Honey/Soy Sauce mixture liberally over the Chicken. Season generously with the Salt, Pepper and Ginger mixture and place the slices of Garlic on top of each piece.

If you really prefer to use fresh grated Ginger, I would definitely suggest using less than the recipe calls for - about 1 heaping teaspoon - and mixing it in with the honey and soy sauce. Also, make sure to check your oven frequently toward the end of the cooking time, to make sure that it doesn't burn.


Roast the Chicken, uncovered, for about 55 - 60 minutes, or until the skin is a dark golden brown and Chicken is cooked through. About half way through, pull the pan out for a second and spoon a little bit of the pan juices over the chicken. (ovens vary, so you can test the meat with an instant read thermometer. You're looking for an internal temperature of 165 to 170 degrees)


I don't use my own nearly enough, but I'm sure this could be done in a crock pot or slow cooker as well. You probably wouldn't endup with the super crispy skin, but the meat would still be as succulent and juicy.

Either way, the pan juices are scrumptious spooned over hot buttered rice or roasted potatoes. I often cook several extra thighs and pull or shred the meat off the leftovers and freeze it for later use in soups, salads or casseroles. Enjoy!

That gorgeous dark golden brown color comes from the honey and soy mixture. It adds a deep, rich savory/sweet flavor to the pan juices, too! Mmmm Mmmmm Good!
Enjoy!

Mary


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8 comments:

  1. Oh my! That looks so yummy! Going to have to add this to my list of things to try. Love the easy part too!
    Merry (late) Christmas to you and yours!

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  2. Mrs. B I swear I could smell these ;)
    Look GREAT!

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  3. Oh my gosh - that looks wonderful! I have so many whole chickens in my freezer I may try doing the whole thing! YUM YUM! Thank you so much for visiting my blog today so that I could discover you!! Tracy is gooood people!

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  4. This looks delicious! How do you get your chicken thighs so golden brown?

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  5. Would I ever like to take a bite...RIGHT NOW. These look so delicious and now I'm hungry. Wonderful recipe. Look forward to seeing more. Saw you on FF and it beckoned me to come. REally nice blog. So glad I came.

    Nann

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  6. Dear Mary

    Thanks so much for joining me at Create With Joy & for leaving such sweet comments! Your chicken looks fabulous - I love honey chicken!

    I'm now following you & look forward to getting to know you and swapping recipes with you in the new year!

    Ramona
    http://create-with-joy.com

    P.S. On your next visit, be sure to sign up via e-mail or RSS feed as Google is removing GFC from non-Blogger blogs in the new year! :-(

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  7. Looks sooo yummy! Happy to be your newest follower!

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I love comments! I read every one and they truly make my day! I no longer allow anonymous comments due to increases in spam, etc. SUBSCRIBE to the COMMENTS on this post (below) to get a notice of my reply via email! Thanks for stopping by and for absolutely making my day! XOXO Mary

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