Step 1

Gather all the ingredients.

Step 2

Combine shio koji and soy sauce in a bowl or measuring cup.

Step 3

Season both sides of the chicken thighs with freshly ground black pepper.

Step 4

Pour the shio koji mixture and coat the chicken well on both sides. Cover and let it marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (minimum) to 3 hours.

Step 5

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). For a convection oven, reduce cooking temperature by 25ºF (15ºC). Remove the shio koji as much as possible and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Step 6

If your oven doesn't come with the temperature probe, you can use a ThermoWorks Chef Alarm. Insert the stem of the probe into the thickest part of the chicken, or in the center of the chicken if it is even in thickness.

Step 7

Bake at 350ºF (180ºC) until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches to 165ºF (74ºC), roughly 25 minutes.

Step 8

Once the chicken is cooked through, change the oven setting from Bake to Broil. Broil the chicken until the skin has nice char, about 3-5 minutes (depends on how far the chicken is from the heat source). Remove from the oven.

Step 9

Cut the chicken thigh into 4 pieces (if you eat with chopsticks) and serve immediately.

Step 10

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for 2-3 months.