Teriyaki-braised chicken with pickled carrot

By Justine Schofield

This recipe is extracted from The Slow Cook by Justine Schofield. Published by Plum, RRP $39.99. Photography by Rob Palmer.

Usually teriyaki sauce is used as a marinade or glaze for grilled meat or seafood. Here, I’ve developed a recipe where the teriyaki is used as a braising liquid – and the results are fantastic.

Ingredients:
Serves 4

3 Tbsp cornflour
4 chicken marylands (about 1.4 kg)
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 cm piece of ginger, sliced
3 garlic cloves, bruised and peeled
6 spring onions, white parts chopped into 2 cm pieces, green parts finely sliced
180 ml (3/4 cup) soy sauce
180 ml (3/4 cup) mirin
180 ml (3/4 cup) sake
2 Tbsp caster sugar
sesame seeds, toasted, to serve
steamed rice, to serve

Pickled carrot
2 carrots
1 long red chilli, finely sliced
(optional)
125 ml (1/2 cup) white vinegar
110 g (1/2 cup) sugar

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C.
2. Place the cornflour in a large, shallow bowl, add the chicken and toss to coat. Shake off the excess.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-based ovenproof sauté pan over medium–high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning, for 6–10 minutes until all sides are golden, then remove from the pan. Add the ginger, garlic, spring onion whites, soy sauce, mirin, sake and caster sugar and bring to the boil.
4. Add 250 ml (1 cup) of water to the pan and return the chicken, skin-side up. Turn the heat down to low and cover with the lid. Cook for 1–1 1/4 hours until the chicken is cooked through and pulls away easily from the bone.
5. Meanwhile, make the pickled carrot. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the carrots into long ribbons, then cut in half. Gather into bundles and finely slice into thin strips. (Alternatively, use a julienne peeler.) Place the carrot and chilli (if using) in a heatproof bowl. Combine the vinegar, sugar and 125 ml (1/2 cup) of water in a saucepan over high heat and cook, stirring regularly, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Bring to the boil, then pour over the carrot and chilli (if using) and let the liquid cool to room temperature. (This can be done a few days in advance. Store the pickled carrot in an airtight container in the fridge.)
6. Remove the chicken from the pan and arrange on a platter. Bring the sauce to the boil and cook for 6 minutes, or until thick and glossy. Pour the sauce over the chicken and scatter on the sesame seeds and finely sliced spring onion greens.
7. Serve the teriyaki-braised chicken with the pickled carrot and steamed rice.

Slow cooker method:

Follow steps 2 and 3.

Pour the sauce into the slow cooker, then add 125 ml (1/2 cup) of water and the chicken.

Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, or until the chicken is tender.

Follow step 5.

Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and arrange on a platter.

Turn the slow cooker to high and reduce the sauce, uncovered, for 25 minutes, or until slightly thickened and glossy. Alternatively, transfer the sauce to a saucepan and reduce over high heat for six minutes, or until thick and glossy. Pour over the chicken and scatter on the sesame seeds and finely sliced spring onion greens.

Follow step 7.

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