Honey Chicken

Marinating the fillets

1. You can cook fillets, thighs, wings or small whole broilers this way, and the honey chicken will turn out great. Ideally the meat should not have been frozen, as it will be juicier and tastier. At home we prefer chicken fillet, and it doesn’t turn out dry.

2. Trim the fillets of membranes and bones.

   

3. With a sharp knife, score the fillet on the smooth side to half its thickness, making a pineapple-like grid. 3-4 cuts in each of the two directions are enough.

4. Rub the fillets with a mix of black pepper and dried aromatic herbs.

   

5. Put the meat in a deep bowl.

6. In a cup, mix 1 tbsp of soy sauce, 1-2 tbsp of honey (21–42 g) and 0.5 cup of dry white wine (100 ml). If you like, add 1 tbsp of wine vinegar or lemon juice. Mirin and rice vinegar also work in the marinade and give a pretty good result.

7. Stir the marinade and pour it over the chicken.

8. Cover the meat with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-1.5 hours.

   

Frying and braising

1. In a skillet, melt 1 tbsp of butter and add the same amount of olive oil. It makes a great, aromatic fat for frying.

2. Take the chicken fillets out of the marinade and pat them dry with a paper towel. Don’t discard the marinade, as you’ll need it for braising.

3. Put the fillets into the well-heated fat and fry on all sides until a crust forms. I suggest turning the meat often and frying it over medium heat without a lid.

   

4. Peel 1-2 garlic cloves and finely chop them with the small hot pepper.

5. Add the garlic and chili to the skillet with the chicken.

6. Pour the remaining marinade over the chicken and bring it to a boil.

7. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet with a lid and braise the meat for 15-20 minutes.

8. Remove the lid and let the remaining liquid evaporate until the sauce thickens. By the way, the honey chicken will absorb most of the marinade.

   

Side dish and serving

1. While the meat braises, peel the potatoes and cut them into wedges or large chunks.

2. Boil in salted water until soft. It’s the best side dish.

3. Put the potatoes on a plate and add the chicken fillet braised in the honey sauce.

4. Be sure to drizzle the meat with 1 tsp of honey (7 g) as a sauce. If you like, finely chop some parsley or green onion and sprinkle it over the dish. You can also sprinkle the chicken with sesame seeds, as is often done with wings.

   

5. Serve the chicken hot, as it loses its juiciness when it cools.

   People sometimes ask whether you can leave the honey out of the marinade. Yes, you can. Replace it with a mix of brown sugar and mirin, the Japanese rice liqueur. But when serving, drizzle the chicken with honey, as it gives the flavor.