Teriyaki Chicken

Tried and True. An old favorite. Never fails. These are some of the descriptions that make recipes worth trying and to continue cooking from then on.

When Sir Sportsalot and I were first married, I bought a little Sunset Cookbook called Easy Basics for Good Cooking. When I saw Teriyaki Chicken...I thought 'wow! I can make something international!' And so I did. And brought some leftovers to work the following day, feeling extremely proud of myself for making an oriental dish from scratch.

That was when I learned a few things:

1. I was (and still might be) very naive.
2. Oriental food in the U.S. is far from "authentic". 
3. I can cook something new from a cookbook and it's good!
4. I needed new cookbooks with authentic oriental dishes and a wok.

Anyways...even after all these years, this little cookbook still comes in handy now and then. Although I now know that just because something is cooked and / or marinated in soy sauce or teriyaki sauce, and just because all the commercials and signs say "oriental food", doesn't mean it is.  I've been lied to all these years by advertisers. But it's ok. Because no matter what it really is...it still tastes good.

I just wish I'd remember to plan ahead more often. This is a fantastic recipe when prepared the night before.

Teriyaki Chicken
Printable Version

4 chicken legs
4 chicken thighs
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons honey (oops, I think sometimes it becomes 3)
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Tip: just before measuring the honey, coat the spoon with oil. Honey will slip right out.....no sticky mess

In a small bowl, combine everything except for the chicken. Place the chicken in a zip lock baggy and pour the marinade over the chicken. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, turning occasionally. If you can do it over night....even better. If you only have an hour....that'll work too. The flavor just wont be as intense.

Preheat the oven to 350' F. Line a cookie sheet or shallow roasting pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Place chicken skin side up, on foil, discarding the marinade. Bake for 1 hour or until done (meat near the bone is no longer pink, juices run clear......you know the drill).

Serve with some rice and stir fried veggies. See? Way easy. If I could do this when I was in my early 20's....anyone can.

 

Btw...there's still a couple of hours left (providing you are reading this before 11:59pm, Monday, December 13th) to enter my Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook and Homemade Cookies Giveaway!