April's sister-in-law from the Philippines stopped by the kitchen to make this Philippine national dish. If you can't get access to Magic Sarap or have a sensitivity to MSG, add 2 teaspoons of garlic powder, onion powder, and salt mixed together instead.
3 lbs of chicken thighs, skin on
Salt and pepper
I onion, sliced
4-5 cloves (about 2 Tbsp) of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp soy sauce
4 Tbsp white vinegar
4-5 Bay leaves
1-2 tsp Magic Sarap
About 1/3 cup water
1 Tbsp brown sugar
Place the chicken thighs in a bowl several minutes before cooking and liberally salt and pepper them. Set aside. Heat a large skillet or pot to medium high heat. Add chicken skin side down until browned and turn over to cook the other side in the same manner. This should take about 10-15 minutes. You should have a decent amount of fat rendered from the chicken, but if the pan is dry after you begin cooking, you can add some vegetable oil or sesame seed oil to the pan.
Once the chicken has browned a fat has rendered, remove the chicken and set aside. Return the pan to the heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onions are browned, but not caramelized. You just want them soft. Then return the chicken to join the onion and garlic, along with any juices that have accumulated on your platter. Add the vinegar, soy sauce, bay leaves, and Magic Sarap. Add the water. Flip the chicken to help mix together all of the ingredients just added. Cover and let simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Uncover the chicken and sprinkle the brown sugar on top. Flip the chicken again to incorporate the sugar. Allow the mixture to simmer uncovered for 5-10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
Once the sauce is to your desired thickness, remove from the heat. Serve over rice and if you want to deviate from tradition a bit, sprinkle some parsley or green onion over the top for a pop of color.
No comment yet, add your voice below!