Crispy-Skinned Southeast Asian Grilled Chicken Thighs

Thighs are fabulous for grilling, first because dark meat takes so well to smoky flavor, and it doesn't dry out easily. And second because their fairly uniform shape makes it easy to cook them evenly. Read all about it here.

Serves 4 to 5.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/3 tablespoons fish sauce

Juice of 1 1/2 limes

One two-inch piece of ginger, minced

4 medium garlic cloves, put through a press

3 scallions, sliced (green and white parts)

1 1/2 teaspoons Sriricha or other chile sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

8 - 10 chicken thighs (skin-on, bone-in), about 3 - 3 1/2 pounds

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, ginger, garlic, scallions and Sriricha. Whisk in the olive oil.

2. Pat the chicken thighs dry and put them in the bowl with the marinade. Toss them with your hands to coat. Transfer the thighs and marinade to a plastic zipper bag and seal. Let the chicken marinate, refrigerated, for at least 2 and up to 8 hours, turning once or twice to make sure it's marinated evenly.

3. About 45 minutes before you're ready to grill, take the chicken out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature.

4. Light a charcoal grill. When the coals are white-hot, spread them out on one side, so half the grill will be very hot and the other not as hot. Put a lightly oiled grill in place over the coals and cover, and let the grill heat up about 5 minutes. 

5. Shake the marinade off of the chicken thighs, and keep the bowl handy with a basting brush. Place the thighs, skin-side down, on the hot part of the grill and let them sear, uncovered, till nicely charred. Watch them so they don't burn or flare up too much. If they do flare, move them for a bit to the cooler side of the grill. Baste them with the marinade, then flip them over and let them sear on the other side till nicely grilled, but not burned, about 4 minutes. Move the thighs, still skin-side up, to the less-hot side of the grill, baste them again, and cover the grill. Cook about 20 minutes (for fairly meaty thighs) or a little less (for smaller ones), until the temperature taken with an instant-read thermometer is 165 degrees. Transfer to a platter, let them rest about 5 minutes, then serve.