Aburi Chicken & Gf Recipe

Prep chicken

Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and pat dry with paper towels. If thighs are large, halve to create even pieces about 3–4 oz each.

Make marinade

In a bowl combine tamari (2 tbs), mirin (1 tbs), rice vinegar (1 tsp), sesame oil (1 tsp), grated ginger (1 tsp), minced garlic (1 tsp) and brown sugar or maple syrup (1 tsp). Whisk until sugar dissolves.

Marinate

Place chicken in a shallow dish or zip-top bag and pour 2/3 of the marinade over the chicken (reserve remaining marinade). Massage to coat, then refrigerate for 20–30 minutes (up to 2 hours).

Cook chicken

Heat a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tsp neutral oil. Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off. Sear skin side down for 4–6 minutes until skin is golden-brown and crisp. Flip and cook 3–5 minutes more until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Reduce heat if skin browns too fast.

Reduce reserved marinade to glaze

While chicken cooks, pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy. Remove from heat and set aside as aburi glaze (about 3 tbs). Let cool slightly before using.

Torch (aburi) finish

Place cooked chicken on a heatproof tray. Brush a thin layer of the reduced glaze over the skin. Using a kitchen blowtorch held 4–6 inches away, sweep the flame across the glazed skin to char and caramelize (move continuously to avoid burning), about 20–40 seconds per piece until edges are nicely blistered. If no torch available, place under a very hot broiler for 1–2 minutes, watching closely.

Make spicy mayo

Mix the mayonnaise (2 tbs) with sriracha (1 tsp) to taste in a small bowl. Adjust heat as desired. Keep chilled until plating.

Finish chicken

After torching, brush one more light layer of the reduced aburi glaze over the chicken. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds (1 tsp) and thinly sliced scallions (1 tbs) over the pieces. Optionally add a few thin strips of pickled ginger for brightness.

Prepare rice and greens

If using short-grain rice: rinse 1 cup rice until water runs clear, then cook with 1 1/4 cups water (or follow package instructions) until tender. Fluff and keep warm. If using cauliflower rice, lightly steam or sauté until tender, about 3–4 minutes. Steam baby spinach or warm mixed greens briefly and season lightly with a pinch of salt and sesame oil if desired.

Assemble plates

Divide warm rice (about 1 cup per two servings) and steamed greens among two plates or one sharing platter. Place 2–3 pieces of aburi chicken over the rice/greens. Drizzle a small line or dots of spicy mayo and an additional teaspoon of the reduced aburi glaze. Garnish with shredded daikon or carrot (1 cup total divided), a lemon or yuzu wedge, and extra scallions or sesame seeds.

Serve

Serve immediately while chicken is warm and glaze is glossy. Squeeze lemon/yuzu if desired. Leftover chicken keeps 2 days refrigerated; reheat gently and re-torch or broil briefly to re-crisp skin.