A marinade of soy, lime, honey and thyme renders these chicken thighs intensely moreish
Diana Henry
The Telegraph's award-winning cookery writer
Diana Henry is the Telegraph’s much-loved cookery writer. She shares recipes each week, for everything from speedy family dinners to special menus that friends will remember for months. She is also a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4, and her journalism and recipe books, including Simple and How to Eat a Peach, are multi-award-winning. A mother of two sons, Diana can satisfy even the fussiest of eaters.
Published
This easy dish, which appeared in my book Cook Simple, is probably the one most people have written to me about over the years. It goes down well with everyone, including children. Add grated ginger and chopped chilli to the marinade if you want.
Requires at least 15 minutes marinating time
Overview
Prep time
5 mins
Cook time
40 mins
Serves
4
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 5 tbsp runny honey
- 5 tbsp dark soy sauce
- Juice of 3 limes
- 3 tsp soft brown sugar
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Crushed leaves from 5 sprigs of thyme
For the chicken
- 8 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
- Wedges of lime to serve
Method
Step
Mix 5 tbsp runny honey, 5 tbsp dark soy sauce, the juice of 3 limes, 3 tsp soft brown sugar, 3 finely chopped garlic cloves and the crushed leaves from 5 thyme sprigs together, with black pepper to taste.
Step
Make incisions in the underside of 8 chicken thighs and pour the marinade over it in a dish. Cover with cling film. If you have time, leave the chicken to marinate – from 15 minutes to the whole afternoon – in the fridge, turning the chicken pieces every so often.
Step
Preheat the oven to 200C/190C fan/gas mark 6.
Step
Lift the chicken out of the marinade and put it in a small roasting tin or shallow gratin dish; it needs to lie snugly in a single layer (if too spread out the sweet marinade will run off and burn).
Step
Roast for 35-40 minutes, basting every so often with the leftover marinade and cooking juices until cooked through. If it gets too dark in colour, cover the dish with foil.
Step
It should finish sticky and glossy. Serve with lime wedges, plus stir-fried greens and rice, if you like.