Steps

1. Wrap 1 clove of garlic in a small piece of plastic wrap and crush it firmly with the palm of your hand or a spatula. (This is the secret!) Crushing enhances the aroma.
   🕒 01:40
2. Add the crushed garlic, 2.5 to 3 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp cooking sake (rice wine), 1 tbsp vinegar, and 1 tbsp sugar to the frying pan.
   🕒 02:14
3. Stretch the skin of 2 chicken thighs and place them into the sauce in the frying pan. (This is the secret!) Stretching the skin helps them cook evenly and makes the meat juicy.
   🕒 02:56
4. Heat the frying pan over medium heat. Once the sauce starts to simmer, cover with a lid.
   🕒 03:25
5. After simmering for about 2 minutes, remove the lid and spoon the sauce over the chicken. Cover again, reduce the heat slightly, and steam-braise. (This is the secret!) Cooking with the skin side mostly down will result in plump chicken.
   🕒 03:39
6. Open the lid several times during cooking and spoon the sauce over the chicken.
   🕒 04:19
7. Flip the chicken and simmer briefly.
   🕒 05:00
8. Return the skin side down and simmer until the sauce thickens.
   🕒 05:15
9. Finally, increase the heat to reduce the sauce and coat the chicken. (This is the secret!) It's recommended to have the sauce slightly thickened when serving.
   🕒 05:36
10. Plate the chicken and generously pour the remaining sauce from the pan over it.
    🕒 06:07