Hoisin Chicken

Hoisin chicken is easy and quick enough for busy weeknights. With minimal ingredients, all of which can be found in a grocery store, this is sure to your monthly meal rotation. It’s faster than a stir fry recipe, as there’s nothing to cut up. Marinate the night before, and dinner will be ready in just about 30 minutes. This recipe is also low in sugar, making it healthier than take out!

Ingredients for hoisin chicken

While you can use any cut of chicken, bone-in, thighs with the skin tend to be juicier, and have more flavor than skinless chicken breasts. If you substitute chicken breasts or boneless thighs, adjust the cooking time as both cuts will take less time to cook.

• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 3 Tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
• 6 bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons corn starch

How to make hoisin chicken

• Combine the first six ingredients;; soy sauce, orange juice vinegar, honey, hoisin sauce and chili garlic sauce in a baking dish. Whisk until combined.
• Add chicken thighs in a single layer, turning to coat. Marinate them at room temperature for about 30 minutes, turning occasionally. 
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. 
• Remove chicken from the marinade and place chicken on a wire rack coated with olive oil.
• Reserve marinade to glaze chicken.
• Bake chicken for 15 minutes at 450 degree F. While chicken is baking, place marinade into a small sauce pan and whisk in cornstarch and bring to a boil over a medium-high heat on stove top; cook for about 3 minutes, or until marinade thickens, stirring constantly. Adjust heat if necessary.
• NOTE: Don’t skip this step. It’s important to bring the marinade to boiling before brushing it on the cooked chicken.
• Brush cooked marinade on chicken thighs and cook an additional 15 minutes, or until done. I like to use a meat thermometer, especially with chicken to ensure that the internal temperature is 165 degrees F.

• Place cooked thighs in a large bowl and toss with remaining marinade until chicken is thoroughly coated.

Additional tips:

• For weekly meal prep, prepare marinade and seal chicken in zip lock freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost chicken in the refrigerator for 24 hours before cooking.
• Because the marinade is used on raw chicken, it’s important to bring the marinade to a boil and cook for about 3 minutes before brushing it on cooked chicken.
• Tamari may be substituted for soy sauce.
• Chicken drum sticks can be substituted in place of thighs. They won’t need as long to cook.
• Use skin on thighs over skinless chicken thighs for best results.
• Hoisin sauce and chili garlic sauce can be found in the Asian aisle of most supermarkets.

What to serve with this dish

Fluffy white rice or brown rice are the perfect accompaniment to this easy weeknight dinner. Sautéed snow peas or baby bok choy for a complete meal

 

More Chinese dishes:  

Won Ton Soup

Lumpia (Filipino Egg Rolls)

Stir fry dishes:

Classic Stir-Fry

Szechuan Pork

Pork Fried Rice

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Simple dinners with simple ingredients for busy nights:

Thai Yellow Curry with bell peppers is a healthy dinner on a busy night.

Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup is an easy dinner recipe that’s ready in under 30 minutes.

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