Marinating a fatty fish like salmon or mackerel in miso paste for one or two days before broiling it is a plan-ahead flex in my kitchen. The formula works amazingly well for chicken thighs, too, with the dark meat absorbing all the flavors of the simple marinade. As proof of the powers of an overnight marinade, you rinse off all the paste before cooking this chicken (it’ll burn on the surface otherwise), but can still really taste the slightly sweet, generously salty, and deep umami flavor that has penetrated the meat throughout. I like surrounding this super-savory chicken with some bitter vegetables like brussels sprouts and turnips and crisp apples to bring out the sweetness for a finishing touch. Try it with another combo of vegetables, too. If you’re looking for a bit more sauciness, I’ve included an optional bright sauce or dressing to serve with the dish.
This recipe appears in Sheet Pan Chicken, to be released in September 2020.
Directions
- Combine the miso paste, vinegar, mirin and sugar in a small bowl. Rub the miso mixture over the chicken to coat thoroughly. Transfer to an airtight container or zip-top bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Rinse the chicken to remove all the miso mixture and pat it dry. Coat the chicken with 1 tablespoon of the neutral oil.
- Combine the brussels sprouts, radishes, onion, remaining 2 tablespoons neutral oil, and the salt on a large sheet pan and toss to coat. Arrange the turnip halves cut-side down in a single layer on one end of the pan. Place the brussels sprouts cut-side down in a single layer in the center of the pan. Place the chicken skin-side up on the other side of the pan. (This arrangement helps contain the juices from the chicken to one side, so that many of the vegetables stay relatively dry and get crisp.) Nestle the onion snugly between the chicken pieces. Roast for 20 minutes, then flip any vegetables that are well browned on the bottom and scatter them around on the pan. Rotate the pan and roast for another 5 to 10 minutes if using boneless thighs, or 20 to 25 minutes if using bone-in pieces, until a kitchen thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh registers 160°F.
- Meanwhile, make the miso-shallot dressing (if using): Combine the miso paste, rice vinegar, shallot, honey, water, and sesame oil for the dressing in a small bowl.
- Drizzle the dressing over the sheet pan, top with the apples, and serve.
Cathy Erway
Cathy Erway is the author of the cookbooks The Food of Taiwan and Sheet Pan Chicken, and the memoir The Art of Eating In. She co-wrote Win Son Presents: A Taiwanese American Cookbook. She hosts the podcast Self Evident, exploring Asian American stories. She has won a James Beard Award and IACP award for her writing at TASTE.