Saltcraft / Recipes / Asian
No. 16Asian · Dinner

Honey Soy Glazed Chicken

This is the chicken I want on a busy night: sticky, charred edges, a glossy glaze, and sweetness kept in check by soy, ginger and a hit of acid. I use a whole chicken, flattened so it roasts fast and evenly, but leg quarters are the cheap and cheerful way in. Serve it over rice, beside roasted broccoli, or straight off the pan if nobody's watching.

WeeknightJump to recipe
Honey soy glazed roast chicken carved on a yellow platter with sesame, ginger and green onion
Shot on my phone.No. 16
Serves
4
Total
1 hr 15 min
Hands-on
20 min
Season
Year-round

Method

  1. Spatchcock the chicken (or skip this with leg quarters). Set the chicken breast-side down. With sturdy kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone and pull it out. Flip the bird over and press down hard on the breastbone with the heel of your hand until it cracks and the chicken lies flat. Tuck the wing tips behind the breast.
  2. Dry and season. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Pat the chicken very dry, rub it with the oil and season well with salt and pepper. Set it skin-side up on a rack over a foil-lined sheet pan.
  3. Roast. 35 minutes for a whole spatchcocked chicken, about 25 for leg quarters.
  4. Make the glaze while it roasts. Simmer the soy, honey, vinegar, garlic, grated ginger and ginger matchsticks in a small pot for 4–5 minutes, until syrupy and the matchsticks have softened. Take it off the heat and stir in the sesame oil.
  5. Glaze twice. Brush on half the glaze and roast 10 minutes. Brush on the rest, piling the ginger matchsticks on top, and roast another 5–10 minutes, until the breast reads 165°F (74°C) and the thighs 175°F (80°C). For extra char, broil for 1–2 minutes at the end. Do not walk away.
  6. Rest and carve. Rest it 10 minutes, carve, spoon over the pan juices, and finish with green onions, sesame seeds and lime.

From my kitchen

  • Leg quarters are the value play. Cheap, cheerful, almost impossible to dry out, and they need no butchery at all.
  • Why spatchcock? A flat chicken roasts in about 50 minutes instead of 90, and the breast and thighs finish at the same time. Freeze the backbone for stock.
  • The ginger matchsticks go soft and a little candied in the glaze. They are the best bite on the plate.
  • Glaze late. Honey burns fast. Brush it on only for the last 20 minutes, and line the pan unless you enjoy scrubbing.
  • Want heat? Chili crisp at the table, for whoever wants it.

For the kids

Sweet, sticky and served over rice: this one is kid-friendly by default. Keep the chili crisp on the adult side of the table.

To drink

Easy A cold lager, or a fruity Pinot Noir.

A step further An Alsace Gewürztraminer: aromatic, a touch off-dry, and ginger's best friend.

Zero proof Iced green tea on a school night.

Richly yours, H

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