Crispy-Skin Teriyaki Chicken with Charred Negi
Dry-brined chicken thigh pressed in the pan until the skin shatters, glazed with a ginger-scented reduced teriyaki tare, izakaya style.
Method
Pat the chicken dry, trim off the yellow fat and open out the thick parts so the meat is an even 1.5 cm thick. Sprinkle salt evenly on both sides, set skin side up on a plate and leave uncovered in the fridge for . The salt seasons the meat right through and the skin dries out, which is the key to really crisp skin.
Add in this stepboneless chicken thighs, skin on 320 gfine salt ½ tsp
Meanwhile make the tare. Put the soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar and ginger in a 14 cm small pan, bring to a boil on medium heat, then lower to medium-low heat and simmer for , until reduced by about a third and coating the back of a spoon thinly. Lift out the ginger and stir in the honey. It thickens further as it cools.
Add in this stepsoy sauce 2½ tbspmirin 2½ tbspsake (cooking sake) 2½ tbspsugar 3 tspfresh ginger, thinly sliced 8 ghoney 1 tsp
medium heat→medium-low heatCut the negi into 4 cm lengths. Pat any moisture off the chicken again, film a 24 cm frying pan with the oil and lay the chicken in skin side down before turning on the heat. Weigh it down with a smaller pan or a pan filled with water and cook on medium heat for . For the last 3 minutes remove the weight, add the negi around the chicken and roll it in the fat until charred in spots, then lift it out. The skin should be evenly deep brown and sound crisp when tapped.
Add in this stepneutral oil 1 tspJapanese long green onion (negi) or thick leek, about 30 cm each 1
medium heatTurn the chicken over and pour off all but about 1 tsp of fat (or blot it carefully with paper towel; it is very hot). Cook uncovered on medium-low heat for more. It is done when the thickest part reaches 75 °C or a skewer releases clear juices.
medium-low heatWipe out the remaining fat and pour in about two-thirds of the tare. On medium-high heat, tilt the pan and spoon the pooled tare over the skin non-stop for so it lacquers the surface. Take it off the heat as soon as the tare bubbles thickly and turns sticky; left longer, the skin softens and the tare burns.
medium-high heatRest the chicken skin side up for 2 minutes, slice 1.5 cm wide and plate with the charred negi. Spoon over a little of the reserved tare and finish with a sprinkle of sansho.
Add in this stepground sansho pepper 1 pinch
Cook's tip
The weight keeps every bit of skin in contact with the pan so it doesn't curl. Make extra tare: it keeps for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. No sansho? A light dusting of shichimi or black pepper also works well.
Cooking it at camp
Over charcoal, treat it like yakitori: salt the chicken at home and carry it in the cooler, and bring the tare reduced and bottled. Grill skin side first until crisp, then brush with tare 2 or 3 times at the end. Brush over the cooler edge of the grill, as the tare burns fast.