Chicken is a very popular ingredient in Japanese cuisine and is used in a variety of delicious dishes. In Japan, most chickens will be raised free-range and fed with superior grain to produce a quality meat that is rich in flavour and makes for succulent cuts. Almost all of the chicken meat will be eaten and it is prepared in a range of ways.
Here are 4 quick and tasty Japanese chicken recipes that will go down a treat with the whole family. Whether you’re craving a hearty bowl of ramen or juicy marinated chicken coated in a crispy shell, these dishes are sure to delight your chicken loving dinner guests.
Yakitori Chicken
Yakitori chicken is a Japanese dish characterised as grilled chicken pieces on a skewer. Yakitori can be literally translated into “grilled bird”. The dish is very versatile and can be presented as a starter, bar snack, side, or served as a main with vegetables, rice, salad or even put in a wrap. Thighs are the best cut to use for this dish due to their full flavour and capability to hold moisture on the grill.
The first thing to master when recreating this popular street food is the mouthwatering yakitori sauce. Place light soy sauce and sugar in a saucepan, stir and gently simmer over a low heat until the liquid begins to thicken. Add dark soy and sake, stir, then leave aside to cool.
Next step is to thread the chicken onto skewers, don’t forget to cook on a high heat for 30 seconds, then turn over and cook for 10 seconds before lowering the heat to ensure the signature bar marks on the chicken. Add the sauce as you turn the skewers then transfer the skewers to a serving plate, drizzle with the remaining yakitori sauce and sprinkle with shichimi – a Japanese spice mix made of 7 ingredients.
Chicken Karaage
Inspired by Chinese fried chicken recipes, karaage is ultra crispy on the outside and lusciously juicy on the inside. The dish consists of crunchy, deep fried pieces of marinated chicken served with a generous squeeze of lemon juice or a side pot of kewpie mayo. The meat is traditionally fried in potato starch, but cornstarch and flour are also sometimes used.
You may be thinking that karaage sounds similar to the popular chicken katsu dish. Although katsu and karaage are closely related, katsu is more commonly shallow fried chicken breast coated in breadcrumbs, whereas karaage is deep fried chicken thigh coated in starch/flour.
There aren’t many ingredients involved in making this dinner party favourite – chicken thigh, cornstarch and vegetable oil. The marinade is made up of typical Japanese pantry items – soy sauce, cooking sake, mirin, and ginger.
Oyakodon
During lunchtime, crowds of Japanese office workers flood their local diners and noodle shops for this classic comfort food. Oyakodon is a Japanese chicken and egg rice bowl that you can cook in under 30 minutes. Oyakodon translates as ‘parent and child donburi’, because both chicken and egg are used in the dish.
This one-bowl favourite is very easy to recreate. Combine chicken, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar in a bowl. Crack the eggs into a bowl and gently break the yolks. Bring the dashi to a boil and add onion – add a few other ingredients into the mix (shiitake mushrooms, green beans, edamame) if you want more flavour. Add the chicken mixture, when the chicken is almost cooked through, lightly scramble the eggs until the eggs are still a bit runny. Serve over a bowl of steamed fluffy rice, garnish and enjoy!
Chicken Ramen
This classic Japanese noodle soup has taken the western world by storm. In Japan, ramen is considered the go-to fast food, satisfying cravings for something comforting yet light and wholesome. Noodle soups are inexpensive and widely available and small ramen restaurants are found in virtually every corner of Japan.
Chicken ramen is a moreish combination of a rich flavoured broth, noodles, chicken, vegetables, often topped with a boiled egg. This classic dish can be made in 4 simple steps: cook the chicken, make the broth, boil the egg, then assemble your bowls! It is certainly worth dedicating some time to creating a flavoursome broth to add your noodles and ingredients to – remember to add garlic, ginger, soy sauce, mirin, and dried mushrooms.
To assemble your chicken ramen bowls, prepare by chopping the scallions and jalapeño, then slice the chicken into thin pieces. When the eggs finish cooking, add noodles to the boiling water. Cook until soft then divide them into two large bowls. Add the sliced chicken and ramen broth, then top with scallions, jalapeño, and the soft boiled egg. Ta-da! Chicken ramen is a rich and flavourful authentic Japanese noodle soup that you’ll love to go back to time and time again.
