Guam-Style Chicken Salad (Kelaguen Mannok) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 cups soy sauce
1 1/2 cups cane vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced, plus 1 cup finely chopped
2 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
4 cups thinly sliced scallions
1 1/2 cups unsweetened grated coconut
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
8 red thai bird chiles, stemmed and thinly sliced
toasted pita bread, for serving

Preparation

Combine soy sauce, vinegar, pepper, sliced onion, and 1 cup water in a large bowl; add chicken and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight to marinate.
Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill to medium-high. (Alternatively, heat a cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat.) Cook chicken, turning once, until just cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool; cut into 1/2\" cubes and place in a large bowl. Add chopped onion, scallions, coconut, juice, and chiles, and toss to combine; let sit at room temperature for 1 hour to meld flavors. Serve with pita, if you like.