Chicken so full of flavour, yet so simple, that these need NO marinading. Roasted Asian Glazed Chicken Thighs with Steamed Bok Choy is simplistic and satisfying!
Who has time to marinade anyway? Especially when you come home in a manic rush and starving to the point of raiding anything that looks good in the pantry.
You know how I like to keep things simple, right? And juicy? Well, to get to the point…that’s this chicken.
The glaze on its own is such a beautiful thick sauce, the perfect combination of sweet and sexy — I mean sweet and salty — it’s hard not to dip your chicken into it with every bite.
To prepare the glaze, bring it to a boil and then simmer until it thickens. Once it’s cooled slightly, pour just over half a cup over the chicken and coat it any way you want. I found it easier to use a pastry brush, but you can roll it around the sauce until completely coated.
There’s something about the deep flavour of chicken thighs baked with the skin on that’s unbeatable…golden, crispy skin; tender and juicy on the inside. Full of so much flavour — one thigh isn’t enough. Trust me. I usually find someone face planting the pan, burnt fingers and all, just ‘trying’ it before it hits the table. Mmm-hhm.
While the chicken is baking, steam your veggies until perfectly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. When the chicken is done, dip your bok choy (or any green veg really), into the sauce in the pan and serve just like that.
Sprinkle some green onion/shallot slices over your chicken and DINNER IS DONE!
A meal that can be eaten on its own; served over rice or cauli rice for a lower carb/calorie option, or with more vegetables. It’s completely up to you. Just make sure you drizzle the sauce over whatever it is your teaming it up with!
See? Simple.
More easy chicken dishes:
Slow Cooker Asian Glazed Chicken
Easy Cajun Butter Chicken Breasts
Simple Asian Glazed Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs bone in and skin on
- ⅓ cup rice wine vinegar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons pure sesame oil
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon crushed ginger fresh
- 2 bunches baby bok choy quartered horizontally
- 1 stem sliced green onion/shallot to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 220°C | 425°F
- Wash chicken thighs and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Whisk the vinegar, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic and ginger together in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a rolling boil; reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes while stirring occasionally until sauce thickens. Take off heat and allow to cool slightly. Place chicken thighs into an oven proof pan/skillet or baking dish. Pour ⅔ of the sauce mixture over the chicken, rotating each thigh until evenly covered. Rotate the chicken to be skin side down, and bake for 30 minutes. Turn thighs and continue to bake until beginning to brown on the skin (about another 15 minutes). At this point, start steaming your bok choy (or any other vegetable), to your desired texture (crunchy, soft, etc).
- Change oven settings to grill/broil on medium heat and grill until the skin changes to deep golden in colour (about 5 minutes).
- Allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes. Serve with the steamed bok choy, shallots/green onion slices and remaining sauce.
Rob says
This is a winner, winner chicken thigh dinner recipe. Good call on the broil for the last 5 minutes. And it’s flexible. Substituted napa cabbage for the bok choy, and rice wine from China for the rice wine vinegar. After letting the sauce cool for 15 minutes, I poured it over the chicken pieces and let them marinate chilled for two hours. Result after 30-15-5 minute shifts in the oven was golden brown, juicy crispy thighs with extra flavor embrace from China!
Gina Jackson says
I made this tonight and it was Fabulous! Going to be in our weekly rotation for awhile now! Fingerlickin’ good!
Sumnmer says
Love this recipe! It really is a good balance between sweet and savory.
Dennis says
Terrific. Easy to make and great with rice. Bone in, skin on chicken thighs are my favorite part of the chicken. I’ve been dabbling in Asian cuisine lately and this one is so easy to make, and so delicious, it’s a great one for people who want to venture into this truly fascinating and deep world of food to begin with.
Karina says
Hi Dennis, I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the recipe! It sounds like you’re having a wonderful culinary adventure exploring Asian cuisine. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs do add a fantastic depth of flavour!
Leanne says
Very tasty but I did make some changes. Wllit is a very hot day in August and I didn’t want to turn on my oven so I seared and cooked my 5 chicken thighs in the instant pot. Then I removed the meat from the bones and transferred into a sauce pan and let the sauce simmer and thicken around the meat. Worked great! And I added a couple of teaspoons of Sambal oelek for a spicy kick. Served on rice and topped with green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Will make again.
Mike says
I am a stay home dad and being Caucasian, it is a challenge to please my wife who is Chinese. Well, when I found your recipe and made the dish, I have to say many many thanks to you for not only does my wife loves this meal, she can now be pleased to see the ASIAN in my being CaucASIAN! 🙂
Suzi says
Made this tonight. Delicious! And easy. You could actually taste the “marinade”. This will be a new go to. Thanks so much!
James Gordon says
Made it tonight, and it is yummy! One suggestion is that you break up instruction #3 into a few more numbers. Kinda long…
Peggy Hunt says
This was absolutely delicious. Can’t wait to make it again. Served it with yellow rice and Caribbean beans. Yum
Melissa O says
This is hands down one of the best recipes I have found for chicken thighs and the only way my family will eat bok choy. I wish it didn’t make such a mess of my pan, but the taste is so worth it!