Accentuate the umami in this Braised Herb Chicken with Shio Koji recipe. Here, we simmer chicken thighs until tender in a white wine and herb broth with chunks of potatoes and carrots. Serve this light and comforting dish for guests or a family dinner at home.
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.
Season the Chicken with Shio Koji
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.
Shio Koji Substitution
If you can’t find shio koji, use 1 teaspoon of kosher salt for 2 tablespoons of shio koji.
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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 substitute 1 tsp kosher salt, but it will be missing the amazing umami of shio koji)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced/crushed)
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp dried rosemary (or 1 Tbsp fresh)
- ½ tsp dried oregano (or 1 Tbsp fresh)
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 carrot (sliced 2 inches, 5 cm thick)
- ½ large onion (cut into 4 wedges)
- 1 cup chicken stock/broth
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1 lb red potatoes (small, or cut into chunks)
Instructions
- Place 1 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, 2 Tbsp shio koji, and 2 cloves garlic (minced/crushed) in a large plastic bag and close the bag. Rub the ingredients together through the bag. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes. You can marinate the chicken for up to 2–3 hours.
- Add 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour (plain flour), 1 tsp paprika, ½ tsp dried rosemary, and ½ tsp dried oregano to the bag, close the bag, and shake to coat. You can also experiment with different herbs.
- Heat 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Place the chicken skin side down in the Dutch oven. Add the remaining marinade to the pot.
- Cook the chicken for 3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned.
- Add 1 carrot and ½ large onion and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add 1 cup chicken stock/broth, ¼ cup dry white wine, and 1 lb red potatoes. Bring it to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and the 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.
First time trying this recipe. Love love love it! Simple yet delicious. Easy to make. Thank you for another great dinner.
Hi Nicole! Aww. Thank you so much for your kind review!
We are so happy to hear you enjoyed Nami’s recipe. Happy Cooking!
Thank you for all your amazing recipes. I have tried many and some have become family favourites. I’m all into saving time so I’m just wondering, could I freeze the bag of marinating ingredients and slow cook it a week or so later?
Hi Tamera! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipes and for your kind feedback.
We are so happy to hear your family enjoyed the dishes.
Yes. You can freeze it. If using a slow cooker, defrost it overnight in the refrigerator, then brown the meat on both sides in a skillet before placing it in the slow cooker.
We hope this was helpful!
Hi Nami, I just tried this recipe. It was super tasty. Thank you again. May I ask which Dutch oven or braiser did you use? Any recommendation?
Hi Thu! Thank you for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe!
Nami used Le Creuset Dutch oven for this recipe, but her favorite now is STAUB Cast Iron. Here is the list of her favorite Cookwares:https://www.amazon.com/shop/justonecookbook/list/2R2UR0OTHR4WB
We hope this helps!🙂
Hi Nami! I’ve been following your recipes and love them! I love how precise and easy to follow for a noob cook like myself. I tried this recipe and found that the marinade and chicken skin started burning and sticking to the pot. Was my fire too hot? How do I go about preventing this? Thanks!
Hi Deb! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipes and for your kind feedback!
It sounds like your pot got too hot. We recommend seasoning your pot well and using a bit lower heat next time.
We hope this helps!
I’ve made this before with dry white wine. If I don’t want to use wine, what would you suggest as a substitute? Thank you! I love your recipes – they are staples in our household!
Hi Jenny! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe! We are so happy to hear your family enjoyed this dish!
You can use Sake, Chinese or Korean rice wine, or water as a substitute.
We hope this helps!
Hi Nami,
Can I check if I can use Instantpot to cook this dish?
Best Regards,
Wei Ting
Hi Wei! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe!
Yes, you can use instant pot. You can pressure cook at high pressure for 10~15 minutes at step 7.
We hope this helps!
Hi Nami!
I was wondering, do you think I would be able to make this recipe using a slow cooker instead of a dutch oven? How long do you think I should set it for if it’s possible?
Hi Lydia, Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post!
Yes. You can use a slow cooker instead of a dutch oven. Try 5 to 6 hours on a low setting or 2 to 3 hours on high. We recommend brown/sear the chicken first and add them to the slow cooker to locking in the moisture of the chicken and improving the finished dish’s visual appearance. (It’s totally up to your preference.) We hope this helps!
Could Miso be a good substitute for Shio Koji?
Hi Carol,
Shio Koji and Miso are different, and it will change the flavor of this dish if you use the Miso.
You can learn more about Shio Koji in this post: https://www.justonecookbook.com/how-to-make-shio-koji/.
We hope this helps!
I am making this right now and don’t have white wine. I do have a Manzanilla sherry, a brandy and some mirin. Would you recommend using any of these? Thanks.
Hi Kamala,
Thank you very much for trying this recipe! We hope your chicken came out great.
If we have to choose from your list, we recommend Manzanilla sherry instead of brandy.🙂
Hi Nami, is this a one pot meal, or do you sometimes serve this with anything else?
Hi Tammy!
We recommend serving this dish with some green salad!
Here are some ideas; https://www.justonecookbook.com/categories/recipes/salad/
Enjoy!
Hi Nami san, I don’t have a Dutch oven. Is it ok to use Instant Pot instead? If it’s ok, to how long please.
Thanks!
Hi Agnes,
If you are using Instant Pot, cooking time will be 10~15 minutes on High.
We hope you will enjoy this dish!
So good! Made it for the first tine today. Did not have Ship Kuji but the chicken was tender and flavorful! This is the second recipe I made from your website. Last one being Bean Sprout Salad. I am a fan, and will be following you for more recipes.
Hi Archana,
Thank you so much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback. We’re so glad to hear you enjoyed the dish!
If you have a chance to cook this again, please try with Shio Koji! It’s amazing!
Thank you for this recipe! It was SO good. We were out of shio koji and had no oregano or rosemary, but even without them this was, as my family commented, “restaurant quality.” We used russet potatoes and they broke down a bit, combining with the flour to give this a stew-like feel, perfect for a chilly evening.
Hi Wendy! I’m so glad to hear you and your family liked this recipe! Thanks for trying it and for your kind feedback. 🙂 xo
Looks amazing! How well does this heat up? Could I make this the night before for lunch or dinner the next day, or is it best the day of?
Hi Christine! Thank you! Sure you can make ahead of time. 🙂
This looks so great, thank you! Would it work well with boneless/skinless chicken thighs?
Hi Gina! Sure, you can use that. 🙂