Santa Monica native Josiah Citrin has been delighting diners with inventive takes on classic dishes for more than 35 years — and the celebrated chef credits his mother and grandmother for first sparking his love of cooking.
The owner of Santa Monica’s two Michelin-starred Mélisse and adjoining one Michelin-starred Citrin (and culinary hot spots Augie’s on Main and Charcoal Venice), Citrin learned his craft via his mom, who was a caterer, and his French grandma. Both women made family dinners a focal point of home life. After graduating from Santa Monica High School, Citrin moved to Paris to study French cooking, then returned to his hometown to share his talents.
His slate of restaurants — which also includes the trendy Openaire at the Line Hotel in Koreatown — keeps him busy, but he still found time to write two cookbooks, “In Pursuit of Excellence,” which features elevated flavor profiles and family-inspired food prep that’s accessible to everyone, and “Charcoal: New Ways to Cook With Fire,”which features the recipe, Mom’s Honey-Baked Chicken, he shares here.
“My mother, Huli, was a big influence and inspiration on me becoming a chef,” Citrin says. “She was a well-known caterer back in the day and owned a prominent cooking school in Santa Monica. After cooking professionally all day, she would then come home and prepare dinner for my two sisters and me.
“Her baked honey chicken was the one meal our entire family could unanimously agree upon,” he remembers. “Using accessible ingredients like soy sauce, honey, lemon and mustard, this dish is a simple, craveable crowd-pleaser and deserves a spot on your permanent repertoire. Thanks, Mom!”
Mom’s Honey-Baked Chicken
Serves 4
¾ cup soy sauce
½ cup honey
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
8 chicken thighs, (about 2 pounds), boneless with skin on
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon lemon pepper, plus more for serving
6 scallions, ends trimmed, green parts only, chopped
¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
In a mixing bowl, combine the soy, honey, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, mustard, thyme and lemon zest with a whisk. Pour the marinade into a baking dish and spread it out evenly. Season the chicken skin with the salt and season the flesh side of the chicken with the lemon pepper. Arrange the chicken thighs, flesh side down, in the marinade, so that the marinade covers the flesh only, just until it reaches the skin. You want to take care not to get the marinade on the chicken skin as it will cause it to caramelize and burn quicker on the grill and not allow the fat to render and skin crisp up.
Marinate the chicken uncovered in the refrigerator for 3½ to 4 hours. Take the chicken out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking to come up to temperature.
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, preferably on convection mode. Place the chicken skin side up on a sheet pan and slowly cook for 50 minutes, until all the fat is rendered out. This will create crispy, golden skin. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken should read 153 degrees Fahrenheit.
Transfer the chicken skin side up to a wire rack and let rest for about 5 minutes to allow the juices to recirculate. Arrange the chicken on a serving platter. Season with lemon pepper and scatter the scallions and mint over top.
