Sweet and sticky Asian style chicken. Finger licking required.

Barbecued chicken is something I could eat most every day in the summer. And now I have found a new favorite winter chicken obsession: Asian sticky chicken.

The sauce in this dish is absolutely magical – it is the perfect blend of sweet and hot and sticky. It clings to the chicken and forms a clear glaze that is beautiful and rich looking. These are very messy to eat, but well worth licking your fingers.

ASIAN LACQUERED CHICKEN THIGHS (or wings!)

1/3 cup water
1/3 cup sake
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
4 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons mirin
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon sriracha sauce
4 large slices ginger
2 cloves star anise
1 cinnamon stick
2 green onions (plus more for garnish)
Sesame seeds for garnish
12 chicken wings or 6 chicken thighs (skin-on and bone-in)

Stir together all ingredients except garnishes and chicken. Set aside.

In a very large skillet over medium high heat, place chicken pieces in dry skillet. Place another skillet on top, pressing chicken pieces down. Let cook for about 5 minutes, until chicken skin is browned. Turn chicken pieces over, place other skillet on top and cook on other side for an additional 5 minutes or so, until browned.

Pour the liquid mixture you had set aside into the skillet and cover and cook 5 minutes (10 minutes for thighs). Turn chicken pieces over. ((NOTE – if you are cooking thighs, cook another 10 minutes. If you are cooking wings, cook another 5 minutes.)

Remove chicken pieces from skillet.  Strain the liquid from the skillet. Pour strained sauce back into skillet and add chicken pieces back in. Turn up heat to high and begin turning chicken pieces constantly, until all sauce is adhered to the chicken pieces. There will be very little liquid remaining in skillet.

Serve immediately with garnishes of slices green onion and sesame seeds.

See also:

Sticky Asian Drumsticks, 15 Spatulas
Sticky Chicken, Big Red Kitchen
Sticky Asian Chicken, Full Bellies, Happy Kids
Spicy Sticky Chicken, Christine’s Recipes
Sticky Asian Short Ribs, Not Quite Nigella