Caramel Chicken Thighs Recipe

Servings: 3-6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes

1 ¼ cups|296 ml caster sugar
¾ cup|177 ml good quality cider vinegar
¼ cup|60 ml Coca-Cola
small handful of fennel and coriander seeds
1 star anise
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, freshly grated
3 ½ ounces|100 grams chipotle in adobo, drained
6 free-range bone-in chicken thighs

1. Heat your oven to 110°C (230°F). In a pan, combine ⅓ cup of water and sugar. Over medium heat, heat the sugar-water until it forms a deep golden caramel. Be patient as it will take a while for the sugar syrup to reduce to a deep caramel, about 13 minutes.
2. In a separate pan, while the caramel is cooking, bring the cider vinegar, Coca-Cola, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, star anise, and ginger to a boil. When the caramel is ready, add this mixture to the caramel, but be careful not to stand over it as the rapidly evaporating vinegar will be pretty unpleasant. Rapidly boil this mixture for 1 minute, then remove from heat and let cool.
3. In a blender, blitz the chipotle with the caramel liquid until well-combined, and then pass through a chinois. Set aside.
4. Lay the chicken thighs on a roasting tray and bake until just softening. Internal temperature should be 75°C|167°F.
5. Remove from the oven and cook skin-side-down on the grill (or plancha) until the skin is deep golden and crispy, 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Liberally brush the thighs with the caramel and eat immediately.

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