My family loves Braised Herb Chicken, where juicy chicken thighs are slowly simmered in white wine and herb-infused sauce until tender. There’s plenty of rich, flavorful sauce to slop up with crusty bread. I get hungry simply thinking about it. It’s a recipe that I’ve been cooking for many years; however, this year I made one change to this staple dish of ours, and the result was beyond amazing! What did I do? I simply replaced salt with Shio Koji.
Braised Herb Chicken – Seasoned with Shio Koji for Tenderest Meat
Shio Koji (塩麹, 塩糀) is a rice malt (koji) that has been fermented with sea salt (shio). It is a live food that is rich in enzymes and brings out the umami in foods. The texture looks like porridge and has a subtle taste of both sweet and salty. It is often used in place of salt to enhance all kinds of foods. It marinates and tenderizes the meat and can be used to season fish and vegetables (read more about it here).
Substitute: If you cannot find shio koji, use 1 tsp salt instead.
We’re celebrating Thanksgiving this week in the United States. If you are looking for a non-turkey dish for a smaller get-together, I recommend this easy braised chicken recipe for a small party. Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here. Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.
