Since COVID happened, we've all been too reliant on food deliveries and I can't blame y'all because it's the closest thing we have to dining outside or at least having a taste of the cuisine we used to enjoy when we freely can roam outside without our face masks. But if I'm being honest, food deliveries can also get quite pricey, not to mention the tip we have to provide the riders who tirelessly bring us our cravings. Sometimes I also order for them, which I do wholeheartedly but then again also adds to how much one spends during deliveries. So, my point really is just I've been trying to learn how to cook some of these cravings so I can save some money because yknow we're not born rich lol.
So for today's recipe, I'm sharing a super easy version of one of my favorite Japanese rice meal. Word of caution, this may not be the authentic way of making it but this is what I like to call "pantry edition"--meaning making the most out of what I have in my pantry to make a dish taste as close as it should be to the original. Which leads me to today's recipe, Chicken Teriyaki! I love Chicken Teriyaki because it's sweet, salty, savory and is just so perfect with steamed rice. But yknow how sometimes when you eat out and they are so stingy with the teriyaki sauce that there isn't enough for the entire dish? Yeah, I hate that. So today I'm teaching you how to make a saucy one. I hope that made sense, so let's cook some chicken teriyaki!
INGREDIENTS
Chicken thighs/Chicken breast
Soy sauce
Mirin
Sake (but I use vodka, wink!)
Sugar
Ginger
Sesame seeds
Green onions
Cornstarch
PROCEDURE
1. in a pan, saute your chicken and cook for about 5 minutes.
2. Once the chicken has browned, let's make our sauce.
3. For the sauce combine equal parts soy sauce, mirin and vodka.
4. Grate some ginger on top and add 2-3 tablespoons of sugar.
5. Add a little water and simmer for about 3mins.
6. Once simmered, add slurry (cornstarch + water) to thicken the sauce.
7. Simmer for about 5 more minutes, top with sesame seeds and green onions.
NOTES
If you noticed, the recipe calls for Sake but since I have a hard time finding it in grocery stores all the time, I substitute it with vodka. If you guys saw my beef gyudon recipe, I also used vodka in place of Sake. I'm pretty sure the dish would taste better if you did use Sake, but again this is my pantry version hence the vodka. Also, you can note the resemblance with the gyudon recipe, but what makes teriyaki different is the addition of ginger. If you have dashi also, you can add that and it will definitely level up your dish. If you also watch the video, you'll notice that I kind of doubled the volume of the ingredients so that I can make a more saucy version. If you're fine with just the usual serving of the sauce, then just adjust your ingredients accordingly.
Let me know if you try this dish! It's one of my go-to recipes when I want something filling but easy to make. Can be paired with steamed vegetables or toppped in a bowl of steamed rice. Whichever way you choose to enjoy it, I assure it'll be amazing. Plus, you can do it with pork and fish too. Have an awesome week ahead!