Korean chicken with sesame sprinkle
Chicken thighs (or drumsticks) are perfect for this dish, but you could use wings, especially if you like eating with your fingers. The Korean-inspired sauce would go well with any meat or fish, as well as vegetable and noodle stir-fries. Look out for Korean chilli powder, if you can, and be sure to make the topping – you’ll be sprinkling it on everything! Serve these with a simple green salad or with my Herb & Pak Choi Salad, Vegetable Rice and Sesame Carrot & Courgette Noodles (all recipes in the book).
SERVES 4
4 chicken thighs (skin on and bone in; total 600g)
1 onion, finely chopped or grated
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
3cm piece of ginger, finely chopped or grated
1 tsp chilli flakes or Korean chilli powder (or to taste)
1½ tbsp toasted sesame oil
6 tbsp tamari
2½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp maple syrup
SESAME SPRINKLE
4 tbsp black and white sesame seeds
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
½ tsp chilli flakes or Korean chilli powder (or to taste)
1 Preheat the oven to fan 220C/240C/gas 9.
2 Mix everything together (except the ingredients for the sesame sprinkle) in a large baking dish or roasting tin. Spread the chicken pieces out in a single layer, skin-side down, and bake in the oven for 12 minutes.
3 Remove from the oven and toss everything in the dish. Turn the chicken skin-side up and roast for another 12-15 minutes until golden and cooked through, the juices running clear when pierced with a sharp knife.
4 Meanwhile, prepare any sides, mix the sesame sprinkle ingredients together and sprinkle over the cooked chicken to serve.
USE IT UP Make double, then shred the chicken for a packed lunch salad that you’ll be desperate to eat.
TIP The onion, garlic and ginger are grated for a more textured sauce, but you can blitz all the sauce ingredients together in a food processor if you prefer.