Barefoot Bloggers - Indonesian Ginger Chicken

Here comes a quick and easy recipe from the Barefoot Bloggers this month. Yes, I am trying to get back up to speed on this group after falling off their wagon the last few months! Todd of A Cooking Dad has chosen this recipe for January.

Save for the overnight marination, this dish is a snap to put together. Marinate chicken in a blend of garlic, ginger, soy sauce and honey, and then bake for a yummy treat. The kids should take to this dish because of the sweetness of honey. I personally love ginger and garlic on any type of meat, so this dish was a done deal from the get-go.

I didn't quite follow the quantities in the original recipe because I used chicken legs/drumsticks as opposed to a whole chicken, so my quantities are reflected below. I also added some crushed red chilli flakes for some heat and added a tablespoon of Kecap Manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce) for kicks!

If there was anything I would do differently the next time, I will puree the ginger and garlic in the soy marinade in a blender to get a more uniform "sauce".

Thanks Tod for a great choice!

Indonesian Ginger Chicken (adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook)

1/4 cup honey
1 Tbsp Kecap Manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tsp crushed red chilli flakes
10 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
8 chicken legs

1. Cook the honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger root in a small saucepan over low heat until the honey is melted. (Add salt to taste if using reduced sodium soy sauce). Add Kecap Manis and red chilli flakes if using.
2. Arrange the chicken in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan, skin side down, and pour on the sauce.
3. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Place the baking pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
6. Uncover the pan, turn the chicken skin side up, and raise the temperature to 375 degrees F.
7. Continue baking for 30 minutes or until the juices from the meat run clear and the sauce is a rich, dark brown.