Oven-Cooked Ponzu-Marinated Chicken Breasts
Hey there! Here's a tasty, Japanese-style chicken recipe that you can whip up on a weeknight. If you don't have Japanese Ponzu, no worries! You can make a substitute with lime and lemon juice.
Serves: Two dinner buddiesDifficulty level: Easy peasy!Prep time: Approximately 45 minutes, with 10 minutes of active time
You'll need:- Chicken Breasts, skin on and split into halves- 3 tablespoons of Ponzu or a mix of lime and lemon juice- 3 tablespoons of soy sauce (Japanese light soya is best)- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar- About 1/4 cup of water- 4 unpeeled garlic cloves, crushed and coated with oil- Salt – about 2 tablespoons to cover the Chicken Breasts- optional: Toasted Sesame Oil
Let's get cooking!
- Apply the Ponzu onto the Chicken Breasts and heavily salt them. Let them marinate for 30-60 minutes, but you can skip this step if you're short on time.
- Position the oven rack in the top third of your oven, then preheat it to 425F.
- Pop your Chicken Breasts into a small cast iron skillet, add the garlic, and roast for about 30 minutes, or until it's done and nicely browned.
- Remove the breasts from the oven, place them on a cutting board, and let them rest for a few minutes.
- Transfer the skillet with the drippings onto your stove's medium heat, discard the garlic, and add the Water, Soy Sauce, Sugar, and a splash of Ponzu. Boil and stir until the Sugar is dissolved.
- Give the sauce a taste. It should be just the right balance of sweet, tart, and salty. Adjust the taste to your liking by diluting with more water or adding a touch of Sesame Oil (if you fancy).
- Slice the Chicken Breasts into half-inch pieces, arrange them on a serving dish, and pour the sauce around the pieces.
- Serve and enjoy!
Want to spice things up? Try substituting the Ponzu with teriyaki or yakitori sauce for a bit of experimentation! Experiment to discover your favorite combinations. Happy cooking!
- If you don't have Japanese Ponzu for the marinade, you can substitute it with a mix of lime and lemon juice.
- In the recipe, there's an uncategorized ingredient, about 1/4 cup of water, which is added to the skillet while making the sauce.
- The instructions for the marinade suggest that you add 3 tablespoons of Ponzu or the substitute to the chicken breasts.
- After removing the cooked chicken from the oven, you can add more flavor by stirring in some additional Ponzu into the sauce before pouring it around the chicken halves.
