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Miso-Sesame Chicken

Serves 4 - 8

To my mind, thighs are the most flavorful part of the chicken, and with their higher fat content they remain moist even when overcooked (unlike the boneless breasts Valerie uses for this recipe, which are unforgiving and often disappointingly dry). But feel free to use any part of the bird, or buy a whole chicken and part it out yourself, then let your guests choose which piece they want. This recipe works equally well either baked in the oven or grilled on an outdoor barbecue.

Any sort of miso (white, yellow, or red) can be used for this dish, though orange (awase - a blend of white and red) is what I prefer. Miso is quite salty, so do not salt the chicken or add any soy sauce or additional salt to the marinade.

Steamed rice makes the perfect partner to this dish, as a toothsome but mild accompaniment for the flavorful chicken. Use an ice cream scoop dipped in water to make pretty rice balls on the plate next to the chicken, then scatter chopped chives and/or black sesame seeds over it all.

Ingredients
  • 1 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped or minced (about 3 tablespoons)
  • 1/2 cup miso
  • 1/2 cup sake
  • 1 tablespoon roasted sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 8 large chicken thighs
  • Chopped chives and/or black sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)
Instructions

  1. Mix all the ingredients, except chicken and garnish, together in a bowl until smooth.

  2. Pat dry the chicken, then place either in a large bowl or a resealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and mix, making sure each piece is covered with marinade. Let the chicken marinade in the refrigerator (cover, if in a bowl) for at least four hours, or overnight. Remove from the fridge and bring up to room temperature prior to cooking.

  3. If baking the chicken, preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Cover the bottom of a large roasting pan with foil (for easy clean-up - the marinade tends to burn on the bottom of the pan), shake off any excess marinade, then place the chicken pieces in the pan, skin up. (Save the excess marinade for a later step.)

  4. Roast until brown and crispy on top, and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees (F) - about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of the chicken pieces. (You may want to turn the temperature up to 425 degrees (F) for the last ten minutes, to ensure a crispy skin.)

  5. If grilling, place the chicken pieces skin-side down over medium-high heat. If the grill is too hot, they will burn, so keep an eye on them. When browned, flip them over and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees (F).

  6. Once the chicken has finished roasting or grilling, remove to a plate and cover to keep warm.

  7. Pour the excess marinade (and any liquid in the roasting pan, if that's how you prepared the chicken) into a saucepan and bring it up to a low boil over medium heat. Let the sauce cook for 2 - 3 minutes, then pour it into a gravy boat to be served along with the chicken and rice.