1
chicken, about 3 1/2 lbs., cut into 9 pieces, the whole breast should be cut across the back bone not with it into three pieces
1/4 cup
sugar
1/4 cup
salt
4 cups
ice water
peanut oil for frying
For the honey ginger sauce:
1 tablespoon
ginger, extremely finely minced
1 tablespoon
garlic, extremely finely minced
3 tablespoons
honey
1/4 cup
soy sauce
2 tablespoons
peanut or canola oil
2 tablespoons
fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon
red pepper flakes
1/2 cup
green onions, sliced into thin rounds
Directions
Combine the salt, sugar and ice cold water in a large bowl and mix till the sugar and salt have dissolved. Add the chicken, making sure it is submerged, and let it brine for one hour. After the hour remove it to a tray lined with paper towel and dry the chicken completely.
Place a large pot onto the stove. Fill the pot no more than a third full with oil. Turn the heat to medium high. Place a fry thermometer into the oil.
While the oil is heating to the magic 375? F combine the sauce ingredients minus a quarter cup of the green onions in a bowl that will eventually be large enough to carefully toss the hot chicken with the sauce.
When the oil is to temperature carefully add the chicken. Cook until the skin is brown and crispy and the chicken is done, ten to fifteen minutes.
Remove the chicken from the hot oil to the sauce bowl and toss to combine. Serve garnished with the remaining green onions and the extra sauce for dipping chicken and sticky rice.
I used bone in chicken thighs. The change I made was to pan fry in about 1/2 inch of oil until lightly browned on both sides about 8 minutes total. Then I finished cooking in the oven. The thighs turned out beautifully browned and juicy without all the frying oil. Accompanied with sautéed bok choy with mushrooms and rice. Very yummy.
I am giving 10 stars to the sauce! As for the chicken, I prefer baked version, but that's a personal preference which does not affect the recipe at all.
love this recipe! like lorenza, i used only chicken thighs and it turned out great. i've heard so much about the moisture your protein gets from brining, so i thought this would be a great opportunity to try it out. i'm so happy i did. this is definitely a "keeper" recipe!
love this recipe! like lorenza, i used only chicken thighs and it turned out great. i've heard so much about the moisture your protein gets from brining, so i thought this would be a great opportunity to try it out. i'm so happy i did. this is definitely a "keeper" recipe!
thirschfeld, this is perhaps the BEST Asian inspired chicken dish EVER. I used thighs only, brined per your instructions. My family does not observe the technique of deep frying as you specify. I roasted the thighs, skin side down on a heavy sheet pan at 475, turned after 10 minutes and finished them in another 7-8 minutes. Then tossed in the sauce and VOILA, the BEST Asian inspired chicken dish EVER. I know, I repeat myself, but oh so good. The flavors are so much more subtle than those that result from a marinade of the chicken before cooking. Keep those great recipes coming thirschfeld! Yours in cooking and dining, Lorenza
Just tried this. Delicious sauce. However, one-hour brining does not seem enough. Would overnight be okay or even simmer the chicken slowly in the brine before frying? Definitely will try to make this again.
Lelebakes, sticky rice is a type of rice most often served with Thai food and can be purchased at many Asian groceries. You soak it for 24 hours then steam it.
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