We've been eating SE Asian food for 40 years, at a variety of friends' homes and restaurants. The food - not just SE Asian, but Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and even Californian bistros - has become increasingly sugar-heavy. Using some sugar is traditional in much of Asian cooking, but I'd agree it's becoming overdone. It's not a trend we like. Yes, I'd feel free to reduce some, but not all, of the sugar. However, the author states up-front that her intent was to make a very intense sauce. A couple of times I've subbed honey or brown sugar in Asian recipes, the latter being actually closer to what Asians traditionally used. But you have to use a very neutral honey, if you choose that route. You also have to be careful - in a frying recipe, the food may brown too fast. My DH and I have found it very interesting how the Millennial foodies have much more liking for sweet hard-liquor cocktails, plus saltier and sweeter food, than we do as Boomers. We can sometimes tell what we're going to dislike about the food just from the clientele of diners when we first walk into a new restaurant. This post was edited by jkom51 on Tue, Dec 30, 14 at 16:40

Looking forward to cooler weather, (not really), when we make our favorite braised thigh dish. The skin pulls off easily, especially if partial frozen. I just snip or cut off excess fat. The soft fatty bits are much different than say the gristle fat on a steak. Like mentioned, we don't mind a tiny bit in the braising liquid as it melts off and becomes the 'butter' in the dish and richens it. I don't use any other fats or oil. Not sure what your recipe is but maybe you could trim it lightly without all the effort you give it, the PITA part, then simmer them in water for 10 min to melt off the fat. Drain and rinse, then continue with your recipe taking into consideration the partial cooking time. All the fat will melt off into the heated water. Thighs are not at all greasy when braised. I never cared much for thighs for years but love the flavor now. Prefer it over the white meat. A whole roasted organic chicken i like the breast meat fine. Not pumped up with salt water so does not dry out. I agree the thighs can be a bit greasy in that recipe. I also agree that small amounts of fats are not the enemy. It is excess sugars, processed foods and big portions. Not sure if this post is about calories from the fat though. Thighs are the best in price and the most flavor. AND can be greasy in some recipes.

I do like chicken pot pie, and AnnT's green enchiladas. We had a version of chicken ala king too, served over biscuits, but Grandma just called it "creamed chicken" and it contained whatever leftover vegetables we had, the leftover chicken, some stock and milk, flour to thicken if necessary. My girls loved anything that contained chicken and rice, so that made it easy to make fried rice with leftovers. I've also taken leftover chicken, pulled it apart, added BBQ sauce and made sandwiches, and the girls always liked ramen noodles, so I'd throw some chopped chicken in there for some protein and I've made chicken croquettes with leftover chicken as well. I've even put leftover chicken on pizza crust with other ingredients, whatever sounds good. Like Peppi, Elery and I are fans of legs and thighs instead of breasts, and because we raise our own chicken, there are always wings and breasts available. I just dumped a bag of wings into the roaster and made chicken stock, as I'm down to 4 quarts, and Amanda will always take the breast portions for chicken nuggets. Annie

Adobo, the Spanish, Filipino, Mexican,...more variations than households. Most recipes have way too many steps I find unnecessary. Reverse sear is the way to go. We make a version about once a month except July August. DH first made a Filipino recipe probably 30yrs ago using out first enameled cast iron. It was so salty I could not eat it. So we have adjusted the marinade. Single layer, no added liquid, on med heat stovetop while prepping any veg on hand. (never the same in our house)...I just use what I have. Cover with the veg, onion is most necessary. Into the oven for an hour 325-350. We like to pull out the chicken and glaze or dry rub, on a sheet pan, back into the oven for 15 min to sear/crust. That is the reverse sear. Basically making a rich stock but not overcooked. Often take out veg slotted spoon or stick blend for a gravy. Sometimes becomes next day soup or filling for pot pie by just adding some peas and crust. Bbq sauce glaze on a couple for next day lunch or dinner. Can freeze a quart for later quick heat soup. Some recipes add curry and coconut milk. I don't always marinate if in a time crunch. I don't think it has ever been the same. A Lebanese friend recently gifted us a bottle of pomegranate molasses that I glazed a few to try. Delish. I often buy bone-in and take the skin off and pups get that. More economical. I still use the dutch oven if I just cook 8 thighs but this heavy bottomed braise pot holds 12 single layer. No skin, no added liquid, as the veg adds a lot as well as the thighs. Very forgiving as thighs are hard to overcook. Hard to screw this one up. Any above listed recipe ingredients will work. We don't fry ever so this, with a dry rub or glaze, having been in such a rich veg broth braising, then under the broiler or hot oven is very close to bbq or fried chicken without the fuss or fats. *The one recipe DH first made had a 1/2 cup soy sauce and a 1/2 cup vinegar and some other aromatics...then an overnight. Way too long of a marinade and strong. More than 6-8 hours the acids 'cook' and penetrate the flesh and make it mealy.