Chicken thighs simmered in white wine and herb broth with chunks of potatoes and carrots, this Braised Herb Chicken with Shio Koji is a flavorful dish to serve at the holiday table.
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).
For this braised herb chicken recipe, shio koji not only brings out so much flavor from the meat and vegetables, but it also tenderizes the meat so it’s extra juicy. Hikari Miso products are available in Japanese grocery stores and Amazon.
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.
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Braised Herb Chicken with Shio Koji
Ingredients
- 1 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (roughly 4 pieces)
- 2 Tbsp shio koji (I used Hikari Miso Shio Koji; or use 1 tsp kosher salt, but it will be missing amazing umami that comes from koji)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced/crushed)
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp dried rosemary (or 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary)
- ½ tsp dried oregano (or 1 Tbsp fresh oregano)
- 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 carrot (cut into 2 inch (5 cm) thick slices)
- ½ large onion (cut into 4 wedges)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1 lb red potatoes (small)
Instructions
- Put the chicken, shio koji, and garlic in a large plastic bag and massage ingredients together. Marinate in the bag for 30 minutes. You can marinate the chicken for up to 2-3 hours. You can also experiment with different herbs!
- Add flour, paprika and herbs to the bag and shake to coat.
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Place chicken (skin side down) and remaining marinade into the Dutch over.
- Cook 3 minutes on each side or until lightly brown.
- Add carrot and onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add broth, wine, and potatoes and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer covered for 40 minutes or until chicken is done and vegetables are tender.
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for a month.
