The first time I cooked chicken this way—pan-frying whole chicken thighs briefly, then steaming them with a little sake, and finishing with our Umi yakisoba sauce—I was floored at how succulent the meat was. I really couldn’t get enough and wanted to shout this recipe from many rooftops. So here I am! It’s also wildly simply and almost impossible to screw up. It’s not truly a teriyaki because our sauce has more rounded flavor thanks to Worcestershire, tamarind, and apple puree, but it’s definitely in the same family and scratches the same itch!
I typically eat this over Japanese rice, but of course, it does taste good with Umi noodles. I would probably dress them lightly in a mixture of rice vinegar, soy sauce or tamari, and sesame oil. The chicken flavor will be big and complex so having a relatively plain foundation is a good match. Enjoy this great dish! It’s so delicious!
Makes 4 servings
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sake
1/3 cup Umi Organic yakisoba sauce
Optional:
Cooked Japanese rice or Umi Organic ramen noodles
Blanched broccoli
Cherry tomatoes
Cabbage salad or kimchi
Furikake or toasted sesame seeds
Chili oil
Directions
Prick both sides of the chicken with a fork. Cut off excess fat. Lightly season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat a wide skillet or cast iron (that you have a lid for) over medium-high heat. Add oil. When it shimmers, add the chicken thighs, making sure they aren’t crowded in the pan. Pan-fry until the chicken becomes deeply golden on one side, about 4 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Flip the pieces, add the sake, and cover with a lid. Steam for 8 minutes.
Remove the lid and drizzle 1/4 cup of sauce over the chicken thighs. Keep the heat at medium-low. Cook, turning the chicken pieces regularly until the sauce adheres to the meat and thoroughly coats it, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and slice into strips. Serve over rice or noodles with a side of veggies, drizzling another tablespoon sauce and any sauce remaining in the pan over the top of the chicken. Enjoy!
Photos by Shawn Linehan.
