Garlic Onion Chicken

Ingredients 

• 4 boneless, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp neutral oil

For the Garlic Onion Sauce

• 1/2 onion (5.3 oz, 150 g; don‘t cut off root & stem/basal plate)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 Tbsp sake
• 2 Tbsp mirin
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce

Instructions 

1. Gather all the ingredients.
2. Slice 4 cloves garlic and put them in a large container or bowl (I used an 8 x 8 inch or 20 x 20 cm baking dish).
3. Peel 1/2 onion but don‘t cut off the root section as it‘s easier to grate when the layer is connected. Using a grater (my favorite is this one), grate as much as you can, keeping the juice (I left 30% of it—it’s hard to grate everything).
4. To the garlic, add the grated onion with juice, 4 Tbsp sake, and 2 Tbsp mirin.
5. Add 3 Tbsp soy sauce and mix it all together.
6. With a fork, prick the skin of 4 boneless, skin-on chicken thighs. This will help absorb the marinade.
7. Season the chicken with half of the 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and half of the 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper on the skin side.
8. Season the other side with the remaining salt and freshly ground black pepper.
9. Add the chicken and keep in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes to marinate.
10. In a non-stick frying pan, heat 1 Tbsp neutral oil on medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the chicken, skin side down. Make sure to leave the marinade behind; the sauce will burn quickly, so do not add at this time.
11. Be sure to add all the garlic.
12. Pan-fry the chicken until the skin side is nicely golden brown, about 3 minutes. Do not flip until then.
13. After you flip over the chicken, lower the heat to medium low. Put the lid on, leaving slightly ajar, and cook for 6–7 minutes.
14. Remove the lid and see if the chicken is cooked through (the internal temperature should be 165ºF or 74ºC). If the chicken is done, wipe off the excess oil with a paper towel. Then, add the reserved marinade into the pan.
15. Simmer on medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes. Use a spoon to coat the chicken with the pan sauce.
16. When the sauce has been reduced and thickens slightly, turn off the heat. Serve the chicken on a plate and pour the sauce over. Serve immediately.

To Store

1. You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days or in the freezer for up to a month.