Honey Soy Baked Chicken

Method

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1. Whisk the soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, vegetable oil and sesame oil in a large bowl. Add the chicken, turn to coat, cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

   Mark done

2. Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Line a large roasting tin with baking paper.

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3. Arrange the chicken skin side up in the tin, in a single layer, with a little space between the pieces. Pour the marinade over the top.

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4. Bake for 25 minutes. Baste the chicken with the juices from the tin.

   Mark done Start 25 min timer

5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes more, until the skin is dark and sticky and a thermometer in the thickest part of a thigh reads 74°C.

   Mark done Start 15 min timer

6. Rest for 5 minutes. Spoon the juices over the chicken, scatter with the spring onions and sesame seeds, and serve with steamed rice.

   Mark done Start 5 min timer

Chef’s Tips

• Lay the chicken skin side up in one layer, with space between the pieces. Crowded chicken steams, and the skin does not colour.
• Baste once halfway through. It builds the glaze, and a chicken that is basted too often has soggy skin.
• Watch the last 10 minutes. The honey burns quickly, and the glaze turns from dark and glossy to bitter.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• Steamed rice
• Steamed broccoli
• Cucumber salad

Storage & Reheating

Keep in the fridge up to 3 days and reheat in a 190°C oven for 15 minutes. Freeze for 2 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.