Add 5-6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 8 cloves of garlic, 4 bay leaves, 1tsp black peppercorns, and 1 tsp sugar in a container, mix and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
In a lightly oiled pan (dutch oven would be ideal) on medium heat, brown the chicken on each side for about 2-3 minutes.
Add the marinade as well as a cup of water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove the lid, add 1/4 cup of vinegar and simmer uncovered until sauce is darker and a bit thicker, which should take about 8-10 minutes.
Serve and enjoy :)
Note: keep in mind that pan used for this recipe needs to be fairly deep to contain the mariade, cup of water, and quarter cup of vinegar with the thighs.