Today, I’m blessing you with one of my favorite Indonesian recipes. I grew up eating this frequently, and it’s one of my favorite comfort foods from my Indonesian family’s collection of recipes! When I had to give up some foods a couple years ago, I came up with this adjusted version, and it’s so good I felt I needed to share the love. As always, my measurements are estimations and you should taste as you go. Enjoy!

-Sarah

Indonesian Brown Chicken

Ingredients:
1.5-2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
⅔-ish cup coconut aminos (Big Tree is my favorite brand because it’s not as sweet as others)
2 pitted dates
1 shallot, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 Tbsp. sambal oelek (adjust to your taste – I like a ton of spice, so I use 2+ tablespoons, plus more for serving)
½-1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. chopped fresh ginger or ¼ tsp. ground ginger
Juice of half a lime (or the whole thing if it’s not very juicy)
Smidge of sesame oil

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350.
-Put coconut aminos and dates in a measuring cup/jar/bowl and blend with an immersion blender (or do it in a regular blender) until dates are pureed. Add the other ingredients except the chicken and stir to combine. Dip your finger in, taste, and adjust seasonings to your liking.
-Lay chicken thighs down in a baking dish and pour sauce over them evenly, then turn them a couple times to make sure they’re coated.
-Bake for 30 minutes, then flip thighs. Bake for another 15 minutes and flip again, repeating until they’ve cooked for about an hour and fifteen minutes or so (depending on the size of the thighs, it could be more or less time).
-Remove from the oven, serve over rice or cauliflower rice or roasted veggies or whatever your heart desires, and enjoy!