Oven-Fried Soy Sauce & Ginger Chicken Thighs

Author Notes

This is my family’s favorite chicken recipe and best kept secret (up until this point). We call it “Bama chicken,” named after the moniker we affectionately called my great-grandmother by, and whose recipe this happens to be. The recipe, originally given to her by a woman named Gloria Jones, a close family friend, has enjoyed other names over the years, depending on who was cooking it. These range from “Mom’s fried chicken” (as written on a 3x5-inch card in my grandmother’s recipe box) to “picnic chicken,” because it tastes just as good at room temperature (or even cold!) as it does fresh from the oven.

What makes this chicken so spectacular is its salty-sweet crispy skin. The chicken is first marinated in a mixture of soy, sugar, garlic, and ginger—familiar flavors—but is then coated in flour and placed into a preheated pan filled with oil. The chicken essentially fries itself in the oven and produces the most delectable, crunchy skin without the need for flipping halfway through.

For the most flavorful results, I recommend using smaller chicken thighs, if you can find them, and letting them marinate overnight. In a pinch, I’ve sometimes let the chicken marinate for 45 minutes or so at room temperature right before baking, but the best results always come with more time.

This chicken made my mother famous at school potlucks. It’s appropriate for any occasion: a holiday get together, dinner with colleagues, or a picnic with family. I like it best served with steamed rice and a spoonful of the pan juices drizzled over it, yet it tastes just as good cold, straight from the refrigerator, the next day.
—Zola Gregory