Method

Marinade & Chicken

Prepare chicken

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. If very thick, you can butterfly slightly or score the skin in 3 shallow diagonal cuts to help flavor penetrate and render fat evenly.

Make marinade

In a medium bowl, combine shio koji, mirin, soy sauce, grated ginger, and minced garlic. Whisk until homogeneous. Taste a tiny amount (optional) — the shio koji will be salty and slightly sweet.

Marinate

Place the chicken thighs in a resealable plastic bag or nonreactive container. Pour the shio koji mixture over the chicken, ensuring each piece is well coated. Massage the marinade into the chicken. Press out excess air and seal the bag or cover the container. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours and ideally 12–24 hours. For best results, flip the bag or stir the pieces once midway through marinating so marinade contacts both sides.

Finish & Cook

Bring to cool temperature

Remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator 20–30 minutes before cooking to allow it to come closer to room temperature (helps with even cooking). Reserve the excess marinade for finishing if you plan to glaze — note: if you will use reserved marinade as a sauce, it must be brought to a boil for at least 1–2 minutes to kill surface bacteria from raw chicken.

Preheat oven or skillet

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) if finishing in oven. Alternatively, heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon neutral oil until shimmering.

Sear skin

If using an oven: place skillet on stovetop. Pat excess marinade off the chicken lightly (do not rinse) so it will brown; keep some residue for flavor. Season lightly with a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Place thighs skin-side down in the hot skillet and press gently so skin makes full contact. Sear 4–6 minutes until skin is deeply golden and fat has rendered. If using only oven and no stovetop skillet, place thighs skin-side up on a lined baking sheet and roast — they will still cook but will not get as crisp as with stovetop sear.

Finish cooking

If seared in a skillet and oven-proof: flip thighs so skin-side is up and transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Roast for 12–18 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part (not touching bone) reads 165°F (74°C). If you roasted on a baking sheet, cook 20–25 minutes depending on thickness. If you prefer a glaze, while chicken finishes, bring the reserved marinade to a boil in a small saucepan for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened; brush over cooked thighs once out of the oven and let rest 3–5 minutes.

Rest

Transfer thighs to a cutting board or platter and let rest for 5–7 minutes. Resting allows juices to redistribute and gives the glaze a chance to set.

Finish & garnish

Drizzle 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil over the chicken pieces, sprinkle with sliced scallions, toasted sesame seeds, and an extra crack of black pepper. Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over just before eating.

Shio Koji Marinated Chicken Thigh Recipe