When you need a little break from the classic Chicken Teriyaki, try this Miso Chicken (鶏肉の甘辛味噌焼き). Marinated in a sweet and savory umami-packed miso sauce, this Miso Chicken yields plenty of flavors. The best part? It’s so easy to pull together and goes well with steamed rice. Because it’s best when you prep ahead, this delicious chicken dish might become a regular on your midweek dinners.
Use of All-Purpose Miso Sauce
This recipe uses my favorite All-Purpose Miso Sauce recipe. A versatile sauce that takes just a short time to make and can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 months. From marinade to stir-fry to dressing, you’ll be surprised how this secret sauce can change how the food tastes. I shared the All-Purpose Miso Sauce recipe and tips in details on this post.
Experiment with Different Types of Miso
For this Miso Chicken recipe, I used Hikari Miso® Organic Miso – Red Miso. It is made of 100% USDA Certified Organic rice and soybeans and is additive-free. It has a dark brown color original to Shinshu-style miso. A high volume of rice koji produces its mild taste and smooth texture. There is also a variety of miso, each with a different flavor you can use for various purposes. When you make All-Purpose Miso Sauce, you can choose any type of miso you like. Each miso has its own unique flavors that you can experiment with and enjoy.
3 Tips for Cooking Miso Chicken
1. Use Skin-on Chicken Thighs
Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are a budget-friendly cut, but they are also more flavorful and delicious. You must sear the thighs skin-side down in a hot frying pan undisturbed until the skin is well-browned and crispy, which typically takes about 7 minutes. Fat (healthy unsaturated fats) will slowly render, and the skin will become browned and crisp – the perfectly cooked chicken thigh. In the U.S., boneless skin-on thighs are not common. You can purchase bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and remove the bones yourself, or ask the butcher to remove them for you (but you are paying for the total weight with bones).
2. Marinate for 24 hours
For the best result, I suggest marinating the chicken in All-Purpose Miso Sauce for 24 hours. I personally think chicken should not be marinated for more than 24 hours because it can get too salty. I’ve tried marinating for 1 hour and for several hours, but the flavor seems to be still on the lighter side.
3. Remove Miso Sauce COMPLETELY
Miso burns easily and fast, so do your best to remove the Miso Sauce with a paper towel before you cook the chicken. Don’t worry about the flavors. Marinating the chicken for one day gives plenty of flavor to soak into the chicken. If you like to drizzle additional sauce, then combine the All-Purpose Miso Sauce and a little bit of water in the pan to make a quick sauce. When you are removing the Miso Sauce with a paper towel, thoroughly pat the skin dry. When the skin is moist or wet, it’s more likely to stick to the pan, and therefore won’t crisp up quite as nicely. The cooking part is fairly straightforward and the key is to leave the chicken undisturbed when you pan fry it in a hot pan. Serve this Miso Chicken with a side vegetable or over steamed rice, and miso soup, and you’ll be rewarded with a wholesome meal that wins over a takeout anytime. Oh, and the leftovers are perfect to pack up for your bento lunch too.
Other recipes with Miso
Summer Vegetables Baked in Parchment Paper Miso Nikomi Udon
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