Sesame Chicken Thighs

Here’s another recipe from on of my beloved cookbooks. Cooking Like A Master Chef by Graham Elliot is one of my go-to cookbooks. This recipe was originally meant as a recipe for grilling chicken, but I converted it into a “NYC” version, where our sorta fresh air comes from the our window on the 7th floor, or however high up you are. In other words: you can make it without a grill. It’s super delicious, and I dare you to eat only one of the chicken thighs. You can’t do it. So good.

What you’ll need:

  • 6 – 8 pieces of chicken thighs, bone-in, skin on
  • peanut oil
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp minced shallot
  • 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
  • 2 tbsp sambal chili sauce
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup mirin
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp sriracha
  • 1 tsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 tsp fresh minced fresh chives
  • 1 tsp minced cilantro
  • 1 1/2 tsp lime zest
  • 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper, then place them in a baking sheet, drizzle olive oil on top. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes.

Pour enough peanut oil in a small sauce pan to cover the bottom, heat over medium high heat. Add garlic, shallot, ginger, and chili sauce, stir and cook until aromatic. Add soy sauce and stir, scraping up bits sticking to the pan.

Add the vinegar, mirin, honey, fish sauce, and Sriracha, and bring to a gentle simmer. Dissolve sugar in the lime juice, and add to the pan. Simmer for 4 – 5 minutes.

Fold in chives, cilantro, lime zest, and sesame seeds. Stir to mix and then remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Remove the chicken thighs from the oven and drain off liquids. Brush the marinade over the chicken and bake for another 10 minutes. Set oven to broil and wait a couple of minutes. Add the tray with the chicken to the broiler section of your oven and broil for about 3 – 5 minutes. Be careful not to let it burn. You’re just looking to create a nice crispy skin.

Serve with rice and vegetables of your choice.

For more info on Cooking Like a Master Chef by Graham Elliott click here

Author: Gotham Foodie

Hello there, fellow foodies! My name is Erica, I was born and raised in Germany, and moved to the US, New York City to be exact, in July of 1987. I have worked most of my time here in the Big Apple as a bartender, but my true love is food. I cook just about every day, I search for good food everywhere, and pretty much always find it. I don't consider myself a food critic, I don't have the culinary background for that kind of expertise. I do however know good food, good chefs and good restaurants. I report back about my culinary adventures, and I choose to leave out my unsatisfactory experiences. We have enough negativity in our daily lives, I don't want to add to that. All the recipes in my FROM MY KITCHEN and DOTW blogs are cooked and prepared by me. All pictures are taken by me. I don't always eat everything you see in my pictures, but you bet your buns, I do try everything. Last but not least, you should know that I am a huge Top Chef fan. I have never missed an episode of the Bravo TV show. I have at this point visited almost 20 restaurants run by Top Chef contestants, and I'm continuously impressed by their skill, drive and passion. So I will continue to seek them out, and I hope you join me in my journey!

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