Kimchi Butter Chicken Thighs

Kimchi butter braised chicken thighs with roasted garlic sesame mashed potatoes – a match made in heaven.

Done in 45 minutes

Serves 4

Dish by Spencer Lengsfield

Ingredients

for the chicken

8bone in chicken thighs

100gkimchi

3garlic cloves

2spring onions

2 tspgochugaru (Korean chilli flakes)

150gunsalted butter, softened

Big pinchflaky salt

1onion, roughly sliced

for the mashed potatoes

5 mediumpotatoes, peeled and diced

1 headgarlic

2 tbspsesame oil

50gunsalted butter, softened

100mlmilk of choice

Small bunchchives, finely chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

to serve

1/2cucumber, sliced

Extra kimchi

2spring onions, sliced

All the bright, tangy flavour of kimchi paired with the rich, buttery-ness of roast chicken - these kimchi butter chicken thighs are to die for, especially when paired with roasted garlic & sesame mashed potatoes.

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 C. Slice off the top of the garlic, drizzle with olive oil and wrap with foil, before leaving to roast for 45 minutes or until soft and jammy.

Blend together the kimchi, spring onions, and garlic. Mix well with softened butter, gochugaru, and salt. Don’t worry if it looks like it's separating - once it’s in the oven it’ll melt nicely

Separate the skin from the chicken, and push the butter under the skin. Season the skin with salt and pepper

Sear the chicken skin side down in a skillet with a splash of oil over medium/high heat. Leave undisturbed for at least 5 minutes or until golden, then flip.

Add some quartered onions, cut side down, in and around the chicken, along with some extra kimchi butter. Add a splash of water to help everything cook.

Pop into the oven to finish cooking, around 15-20 minutes, until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 73 C.

Meanwhile, boil the potatoes until fork tender. Drain, then mash the potatoes (either with a potato masher, ricer, or immersion blender) with butter, roasted garlic, and milk. Season with salt and pepper, sesame oil, and chives.

Smooth the potatoes over a platter, then serve the chicken on top. Don't forget to drizzle over any extra sauce, and finish with spring onions and more chilli.

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Spencer Lengsfield

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Spencer has been cooking since she got her first Easy-Bake oven at four years old, and began recipe developing professionally whilst completing her Master’s degree in 2020. Born in Los Angeles, she has an inherent love for all things Mexican, Japanese, and Korean, but is also heavily influenced by her family's Louisiana heritage. Spencer loves bright flavours, spice and fusion food. If she were a food, she'd be kimchi - versatile, spicy and funky.