Sweet and sour ginger chicken

I like using bonein chicken thigh quarters for this recipe as the meat is more flavoursome and it stays wonderfully succulent when baked.

Serves 4 Ready in 50 min

4 chicken marylands (thigh quarters) Salt and ground black pepper

2 Tbsp neutral oil

3 Tbsp sugar

3 Tbsp white vinegar

1⁄2 cup white wine

1 cup chicken stock

1 Tbsp fish sauce

1⁄2 long red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped, or more to taste

2 fat cloves garlic, chopped

1⁄4 cup coarsely grated or pureed ginger

To garnish (optional)

Small handful mint or basil leaves To serve Cooked rice and lightly cooked greens

Method

Preheat oven to 200degC. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large castiron baking dish and brown chicken all over, working in batches if necessary so as not to overcrowd the pan. Remove chicken and set aside.

Drain oil from the pan, add sugar and vinegar and cook over high heat until mixture starts to caramelise. Add wine, stock, fish sauce, chilli and garlic. Pick up the grated ginger in your hand and squeeze the juice from it into the pan, discarding the solids. Squeeze out as much juice as you can.

Bring sauce to a boil then return chicken to dish and spoon over the liquids.

Bake uncovered, basting several times with the cooking liquids, until chicken is golden and fully cooked (about 3540 minutes).

While chicken is baking, prepare the fried herb garnish, if using. Heat 2cm oil in a small pot until it shimmers and fry mint, basil or Vietnamese mint leaves until they just change colour (about 510 seconds). Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Serve chicken with cooking liquids spooned over the top, accompanied with rice and lightly cooked greens. Garnish with fried herbs, if using.