You may have heard that you can’t pair wine with soy sauce, or likewise with Asian dishes like honey-soy-glazed chicken thighs. But with wine pairings, there are always exceptions! It’s possible to find a wine that perfectly complements the intensity of flavours.
Soy sauce has a lot of savoury umami, saltiness and a little bit of sourness. It can make some wines taste flabby. Saltiness in a dish can magnify the influence of tannins in red wines, and accentuate acidity in white wines. If you’re trying to find a matching wine for bold dishes like these honey-soy-glazed chicken thighs, go for unoaked whites that are medium-bodied (otherwise the dish will completely overpower them) or unoaked, lighter-bodied reds. A nice acidity will cleanse the palate in between bites.
Honey-Soy-Glazed Chicken Thighs
Course: MainDifficulty: EasyKeep the screen of your device on
4
servings20
minutes20
minutesSlightly sweet, and with a nice umami kick, these flavourful chicken thighs are hard to resist.
Make sure to properly mix the ingredients in the marinade. The longer you marinate the chicken thighs, the better. Make sure you cover the bowl with foil and place it in the fridge if you’re going to marinate the chicken overnight.
During the baking time, flip the chicken thighs over a few times to make sure the meat is not drying out – basting is also an option!
Ingredients
4 tbsp honey
6 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
1.2 kg chicken thighs
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 lemon, in wedges
Directions
- In a large bowl, mix the honey, soy sauce, oil, garlic, ginger, vinegar and sesame oil. Mix the marinade well.
- Dry the chicken thighs with paper towels and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the bowl, cover and marinade for at least 30 minutes or longer (or overnight in the fridge).
- Preheat the oven to 200 ºC (425 ºF).
- Add the chicken thighs and marinade to a large baking dish, cook for about 25 minutes until cooked through, flipping over the chicken twice during cooking to prevent the chicken from drying out.
- Garnish with sesame seeds, green onion slices, and serve with a wedge of lemon.
Wine Pairings
- Nelias Godello
Godello’s signature aroma is lime, and it’s on full display in this vibrant white. It’s medium-bodied and fresh on the palate, with a focussed beam of acidity that runs through the wine. The finish is dry and mouth-wateringly bright, with a balancing creaminess and weight thanks to the time on lees.
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Wine Pairing: Nelias Godello
Godello’s signature aroma is lime, and it’s on full display in this vibrant white. The wine is medium-bodied and fresh on the palate, with a focussed beam of acidity that runs through the wine. The finish is dry and mouth-wateringly bright, with a balancing creaminess and weight thanks to the time on lees.
Want to continue to push the envelope with bold food flavours and wines that make them bolder? This recipe is one of four bold dishes that celebrate loud and exuberant flavours and their ideal wine matches. Try out these Mushroom Blue Cheese Burgers next!
If you are feeling bold, join WineCollective today. You’ll get a selection of curated wines that are only available to WineCollective members delivered to your door each month, accompanied by wine pairing suggestions so that you can continue to explore new and exciting flavour experiences.