Marinated Fried Chicken Thighs

I've watched many episodes of Grandpa's Kitchen and finally decided to put together something similar with the ingredients I (mostly) had on hand! I'd been very cautious of using yogurt in the past but I finally went with it and I am now a huge fan. Feel free to exchange other citrus fruits for what I used. It imparts a subtle citrus flavor which went well with the garlic and ginger.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Calories: 515 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1 ½ cups plain yogurt
• ½ medium lemon, juiced
• 1 tablespoon orange marmalade
• 2 cloves garlic, or more to taste, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground paprika
• 2 cups peanut oil, or as needed
• 4 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
• 1 (1/2 inch) piece fresh ginger, finely chopped

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Use a sharp knife to slice a criss-cross pattern (#) into the top of each chicken thigh. Place chicken, hatched-sides up, into a large glass or ceramic bowl.

Step 2

Add yogurt, marmalade, pepper flakes, paprika, onion powder, salt, pepper, lemon juice, garlic, and ginger to the chicken. Mix with a spatula until all ingredients are well mixed and chicken is completely covered in the marinade. The paprika will give the marinade a light red color; don't be alarmed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 4 hours.

Step 3

Remove chicken from the marinade and let sit for 1 hour before frying.

Step 4

When ready to fry, heat 1 inch oil in a large frying pan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Step 5

Shake excess marinade off chicken; don't shake off too much though! Discard the remaining marinade. Add chicken to the hot oil with the hatched-sides down. Fry until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 4 to 5 minutes per side. A little black is good, it adds tons of flavor. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Step 6

Remove from the oil and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.