This recipe centers on a beloved Japanese ingredient: yakiniku sauce. Dynamic in flavor, yakiniku (whose name translates to “grilled meat”) is a type of barbecue sauce that combines the sweet notes of teriyaki with the savory depth of sesame(plus a welcome touch of heat). Spooned over pan-seared chicken, it makes for an exciting, delicious glaze, accented by a bright side of sesame-marinated carrots.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 1/2 c Jasmine Rice
- 1/2 lb Baby Bok Choy
- 2 Carrots
- 2 Garlic
- 2 Scallions
- 3 tbsp Yakiniku Sauce
- 1 tbsp Mirin
- 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
Instructions
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients:
Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and roughly chop the garlic. Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions; thinly slice on an angle, separating the white bottoms and green tops. Peel the carrots; grate on the large side of a box grater. Cut off and discard the root ends of the bok choy; separate the leaves.
Cook the rice:
In a small pot, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the rice, a big pinch of salt and 1 cup of water; heat to boiling on high.
Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook 12 to 14 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and fluff the cooked rice with a fork. Set aside in a warm place.
Marinate the carrots:
While the rice cooks, in a medium bowl, combine the carrots, mirin, sesame oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally, for at least 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cook & glaze the chicken:
While the carrots marinate, pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken and cook 3 to 5 minutes on the first side, or until browned. Flip and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the yakiniku sauce and ¼ cup of water. Cook, occasionally spooning the sauce over the chicken, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the chicken is coated and cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer the glazed chicken to a plate.
Cook the bok choy:
To the pan of reserved fond, add the bok choy, white bottoms of the scallions, 2 tablespoons of the carrot marinating liquid and 2 tablespoons of water; season with salt and pepper. Cook on medium-high, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until the bok choy stems are softened and the leaves have wilted. Turn off the heat; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Plate your dish:
Divide the cooked rice, glazed chicken and cooked bok choy between 2 dishes. Top with the marinated carrots (draining before adding). Garnish the chicken with the green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!