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Restaurants›Sakai Japanese Bistro›Chicken Teriyaki Bento Box Recipe

Chicken Teriyaki Bento Box Recipe

Name: Sakai Japanese Bistros Chicken Teriyaki Bento Box Recipe
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs; 1 ⁄4 cup soy sauce (reduced sodium preferred); 2 tbs mirin; 2 tbs sake (or dry sherry); 2 tbs brown sugar; 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated; 1 tsp garlic, minced; 1 tbs vegetable oil (for cooking); 1 tsp cornstarch (optional, for glaze thickening); 1 tsp water (for cornstarch slurry); 1 tsp sesame seeds; 1 tbsp green onions, thinly sliced; 2 count large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails on); 0.5 cup sweet potato, cut into 1/4-inch rounds; 0.5 cup shiitake or zucchini, sliced (vegetable assortment); 3 ⁄4 cup ice-cold water; 1 ⁄2 cup all-purpose flour; 2 tsp cornstarch (for batter); 1 count egg (large), lightly beaten; 1 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp salt; 2 cup vegetable oil (for deep frying); 2 tbsp tempura dipping sauce (ten-tsuyu) or soy sauce; 1 cup short-grain Japanese rice (sushi rice) or medium-grain; 1.1 cups water (for rice); 1 tsp rice vinegar; 1 pinch salt (for rice); 2 tbsp pickled ginger (gari) or sliced cucumber; 1 cup steamed broccoli or salad greens

Inspired by Sakai Japanese Bistro

Time1h

Serves2

all of it was amazing, with my favorite being the small assortment of tempura items (2 shrimp and some veggies)

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Ingredients

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Teriyaki Chicken

1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 ⁄4 cup soy sauce (reduced sodium preferred)

2 tbs Mirin

2 tbs sake (or dry sherry)

2 tbs Brown sugar

1 tsp Fresh ginger, grated

1 tsp Garlic, minced

1 tbs vegetable oil (for cooking)

1 tsp cornstarch (optional, for glaze thickening)

1 tsp water (for cornstarch slurry)

1 tsp Sesame seeds

1 tbsp green onions, thinly sliced

Tempura (2 shrimp + vegetables)

2 count large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails on)

1/2 cup sweet potato, cut into 1/4-inch rounds

1/2 cup shiitake or zucchini, sliced (vegetable assortment)

3 ⁄4 cup ice-cold water

1 ⁄2 cup 00 bread flour

2 tsp cornstarch (for batter)

1 count egg (large), lightly beaten

1 tsp Baking powder

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

2 cup vegetable oil (for deep frying)

2 tbsp tempura dipping sauce (ten-tsuyu) or soy sauce

Rice & Sides

1 cup short-grain Japanese rice (sushi rice) or medium-grain

1 1/8 cups water (for rice)

1 tsp Rice vinegar

1 pinch salt (for rice)

2 tbsp pickled ginger (gari) or sliced cucumber

1 cup steamed broccoli or salad greens

Method

Teriyaki Chicken

Prep and sauce

Whisk together soy sauce, mirin, sake, brown sugar, grated ginger and minced garlic in a bowl until sugar dissolves. Set aside.

Cook chicken

Pat chicken thighs dry and season lightly with a pinch of salt. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add chicken thighs skinless side down and sear for 4–5 minutes until golden. Flip and cook another 4–5 minutes until mostly cooked through (internal temp ~155°F/68°C). Remove chicken and set aside.

Make teriyaki glaze

Pour the prepared sauce into the same skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat, scraping up browned bits. Reduce heat and simmer 2–3 minutes. If you prefer a thicker glaze, whisk 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 teaspoon water to make a slurry and slowly whisk into the simmering sauce until glossy and thickened (about 30–60 seconds).

Finish chicken in glaze

Return the chicken to the skillet and spoon sauce over it, simmering gently for 2–3 minutes to finish cooking and glaze the chicken. Remove chicken, let rest 2 minutes, then slice into strips. Spoon remaining glaze over sliced chicken and sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Tempura (2 shrimp + vegetables)

Prep shrimp and vegetables

If shrimp are frozen, thaw and pat completely dry. Make 3 shallow diagonal cuts on the underside of each shrimp (do not cut through) and gently straighten the shrimp to prevent curling during frying. Slice vegetables to roughly same thickness so they cook evenly. Lightly dust shrimp and vegetables with a teaspoon of flour—this helps the batter cling.

Make batter

In a bowl combine 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tsp cornstarch, 1 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp salt. Beat one egg lightly, then add the very cold water. Pour the egg-water mixture into the dry ingredients and stir very briefly with chopsticks or a fork—do not overmix. A few lumps are fine; batter should be cold and slightly lumpy.

Heat oil and fry

Pour vegetable oil into a medium pot or deep skillet to a depth of about 1–1.5 inches and heat to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small pinch of batter—if it sizzles and rises slowly, oil is ready. Working quickly, dip each shrimp and vegetable piece into the batter, letting excess drip off, then carefully lower into hot oil. Fry shrimp for 1.5–2 minutes until pale golden; fry vegetables 1.5–3 minutes depending on thickness until crisp and cooked through. Fry in small batches to avoid lowering oil temperature. Remove to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain and keep warm.

Serve

Serve tempura immediately with small dish of tempura dipping sauce or soy sauce. For a bento, place two shrimp and several vegetable pieces in a compartment so they remain crisp.

Rice & Sides

Cook rice

Rinse 1 cup short-grain rice under cold water until the rinse water runs nearly clear. Drain. Combine rinsed rice with 1.1 cups water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook 12–15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand covered 10 minutes.

Season rice and assemble sides

Fluff rice with a fork, stir in 1 teaspoon rice vinegar and a pinch of salt. Place a portion of rice into the bento compartment. Add pickled ginger or sliced cucumber and steamed broccoli or salad greens to other compartments. Arrange sliced teriyaki chicken over or beside the rice and add the tempura items in their own section.