Karl’s Barbecued Miso Teriyaki Chicken

I am doing a Japanese dinner for our Sunday meal. While there may be a main dish of meat and rice or noodles, Japanese meals usually include many small side dishes with a variety of textures, colors and tastes. The aesthetic— moritsuke—is that it is food for the soul as well as the stomach. I am making chicken teriyaki and this is one of the side dishes I decided should go with it.

Karl’s Barbecued Miso Teriyaki Chicken

With daughter Miriam off onions and garlic, Japanese cuisine is an easy answer. It is not that the Japanese do not use these ingredients, but that they are not integral ingredients to many of their dishes—like in much of Chinese and Italian cuisines. While basic teriyaki sauce is simply soy, ginger, and sugar, you may add miso paste to some Japanese dishes to boost their flavor.

Karl’s Barbecued Miso Teriyaki Chicken

Ingredients

Marinade

2 Tbs. white miso
2 Tbs. light soy sauce, low sodium
2 Tbs. saki
2 Tbs. mirin
1 Tbs. dark soy sauce
1 Tbs. fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp. white sugar
½ tsp. Hon Dashi

1½ lbs. chicken thighs

Also needed

6-8 skewers

Directions

1. Mix all of the marinade ingredients in a medium sized bowl.

2. Cut the chicken thighs into large bite sized pieces.

3. Toss the chicken in the marinade to coat.

4. Marinate the chicken for at least half an hour.

Tip: Overnight is better.

5. Skewer the chicken.

Tip: If you wish to eat the skewers by hand use short bamboo skewers.

Note: If you are planning to eat the chicken with chopsticks you may use long skewers and remove them from the skewers before serving.

6. Grill the skewers over the hot side of the grill for 4-5 minutes per side, until well browned on all sides.

Tip: You may use a instant read thermometer to measure an internal temperature of 160º F.

7. Wrap the skewers in foil to rest for 10 minutes.

8. Place the chicken teriyaki on a plate to serve.

Tip: You may garnish the plate with sliced green onion or a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.