Chicken Family friendly Main Asian

Sake-simmered chicken with mushrooms

Name: Sake-simmered chicken with mushrooms
Yield: 4
Cuisine: /asian, /asian recipes
Ingredients: 8 dried shiitake mushrooms; 1 teaspoon sesame oil; 4 small skinless chicken breasts fillets; 1 carrot; 400g baby spinach leaves; Steamed rice, to serve; 100g enoki mushrooms (optional), ends trimmed; 200ml sake; 200ml mirin; 300ml chicken stock (or use the strained shiitake-soaking water); 1/4 cup (60ml) light soy sauce; 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce; 1 tablespoon caster sugar

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by Jill Dupleix

Food writer

Oct 03, 2015

Sake-simmering is a classic Japanese technique often used for fish, but it also works really well with chicken.

8 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 teaspoon sesame oil
4 small skinless chicken breasts fillets
1 carrot
400g baby spinach leaves
Steamed rice, to serve
100g enoki mushrooms (optional), ends trimmed

Broth

200ml sake
200ml mirin
300ml chicken stock (or use the strained shiitake-soaking water)
1/4 cup (60ml) light soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon caster sugar

Method

1.

Soak shiitakes in a bowl of hot water for 20 minutes. Rub oil and a little salt into chicken and set aside.
2.

Cut the carrot into fine matchsticks. Drain shiitakes (reserving the water for stock if using) and slice, discarding stalks.
3.

For the broth, place a deep frypan over high heat. Add the sake and mirin and cook until bubbling. Remove from heat and carefully ignite liquid with a long kitchen lighter. When flames die, return pan to medium heat. Stir in the stock, light and dark soy and sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Place the chicken and sliced shiitakes in broth and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through, turning the chicken once. Add the carrot for the final minute of cooking.
4.

Meanwhile, rinse the spinach, then wilt in a large hot, dry frypan over high heat, tossing well.
5.

Remove broth pan from heat. Remove chicken and slice. Divide rice, chicken and spinach among shallow bowls. Spoon over shiitakes, carrot and broth. Dip enoki mushrooms (if using) in remaining broth for a few seconds, then place on chicken.