Miso-Marinated Grilled Chicken (鶏の西京焼き, Tori no Saikyōyaki)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Yakiamī grill grate or fish grill, with a broiler as the practical stand-in
• •Shallow nonreactive container for marinating
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Small offset spatula or damp paper towel for wiping miso

Instructions

1. 1

   Salt the chicken

   Pat the chicken very dry, then sprinkle the flesh side lightly with the salt. Let it stand for 15 minutes, then blot away the moisture that rises. This small salting firms the surface and keeps the marinade from turning watery, so the miso can cling and season evenly.

2. 2

   Mix the miso bed

   Stir the Saikyō miso, sake, mirin, and sugar if using until smooth. The sake loosens the miso and carries its aroma, while the mirin gives gloss and a rounded sweetness. Taste it. It should be sweet-salty and fragrant, not harsh.

3. 3

   Marinate overnight

   Spread a thin layer of the miso mixture in a shallow container, lay in the chicken, and cover every surface with the remaining miso. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, cover, and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours. Longer is not better here. Chicken thigh drinks quickly, and beyond a day the miso can make the surface too salty and soft.

   A miso bed is seasoning by contact, not drowning. Keep the coating even and close to the meat.
4. 4

   Wipe it clean

   Lift the chicken from the miso and wipe off most of the paste with your fingers or a damp paper towel. Do not rinse it. Rinsing washes away the fragrance you waited for, but leaving a thick layer behind makes the sugars burn before the chicken is safe to eat.

5. 5

   Grill gently

   Heat a fish grill, yakiamī grill grate, or broiler to medium-high and oil the rack. Set the chicken skin-side down first, then cook 6 to 8 minutes. Turn and cook 6 to 10 minutes more, moving it farther from the heat if the surface darkens too fast. You want a glossy amber surface with small dark freckles, not a black crust.

6. 6

   Check and rest

   Check the thickest part with an instant-read thermometer. It should reach 74°C, or 165°F. Rest the chicken 5 minutes before slicing, because the juices settle back into the meat and the surface gloss calms into something handsome.

7. 7

   Slice and serve

   Slice each thigh across the grain into three or five pieces and set them slightly overlapped on the plate. Add a few slivers of yuzu peel if you have them, and hajikami ginger to the side. Serve with rice while warm.

Chef Tips

• •Buy real Saikyō miso if you can. A mild white miso can stand in, but if it tastes sharp and salty, use less of it and add the teaspoon of sugar. Say plainly what it is: a stand-in, not the same miso.
• •Do not marinate chicken for two or three days. That works for some fish preparations, but chicken thigh becomes too strongly seasoned and loses its clean texture.
• •If the surface browns too quickly, lower the rack or switch from broil to a 200°C oven until the center is done. The miso's color is not proof the chicken is cooked.
• •The used miso has touched raw chicken, so don't serve it as a sauce. If you want a glaze, reserve a spoonful of clean marinade before the chicken goes in and brush it on only during the last minute.

Advance Preparation

• •The chicken should marinate 12 to 24 hours, making this a good dish to start the day before a dinner party.
• •After grilling, it can rest at room temperature for up to 30 minutes before serving. Saikyōyaki is still good warm rather than hot.
• •Leftovers keep two days refrigerated. Slice cold for bento, or warm gently in a low oven so the miso does not burn.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 150g)