Juicy Black Pepper Chicken Thigh
Tender, juicy black pepper chicken thighs made with simple seasonings and no cornstarch or baking soda, seared to a golden finish.
This homestyle dish proves you dont need complicated tenderizers like cornstarch or baking soda to achieve incredible texture. By starting with deboned chicken thighs, marinating them in freshly ground black pepper, garlic paste, and light soy sauce, and utilizing a simple pan-searing and simmering technique, you get exceptionally succulent meat with crispy skin and bold flavor.
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken legs
- to taste freshly ground black pepper
- 12 to 15 g light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- a small amount cooking oil
Instructions
- 1Trim Excess Fat
Place the raw chicken legs in a metal tray. Use kitchen shears to carefully trim off the thicker fat along the edges of the chicken legs.
Tip: Trimming excess fat helps prevent the dish from becoming too greasy while cooking. - 2Debone the Chicken Legs
Cut straight down the length of the chicken leg with kitchen shears, clip the circle of tendon at the top, and remove the cartilage together to easily pull the meat down. Cut the lower circle of tendon to completely detach the meat from the bone.
Tip: Using kitchen shears is safer and easier than using a knife for deboning poultry. - 3Season and Marinate
Sprinkle a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper over the deboned chicken thighs. Add light soy sauce and garlic paste, mix well, and let it marinate for 30 minutes.
Tip: Ensure the seasoning is thoroughly rubbed onto all pieces for maximum flavor penetration. - 4Sear the Chicken Skin
Spray a small amount of oil into a non-stick pan. Place the marinated chicken thighs skin side down and cook on low heat for 2 minutes until browned and fragrant.
Tip: Cooking skin side down first renders the natural chicken fat to fry the meat in its own juices. - 5Add Water and Simmer
After flipping the seared chicken thighs to cook for another 2 minutes, pour in hot water just shallowly covering the bottom of the pan.
Tip: Use hot water instead of cold water to maintain the pan temperature and keep the meat tender. - 6Simmer the chicken
Pour a shallow amount of hot water to cover the bottom of the pan, cover with a lid, and let the chicken thighs simmer on low heat for 8 to 10 minutes to cook through.
Tip: Use hot water rather than cold water to maintain the pan temperature and keep the chicken meat tender.
