I especially love combining shio koji with chicken, specifically chicken thighs. The fruity scent and umami of shio koji is a perfect complement to juicy chicken meat.
However, if you’re more of a chicken breast kind of person, you can also use shio koji to cook with it. Shio koji is famous for its tenderizing effect, so you can even make chicken breast juicier by marinating it for hours to a few days.
Here are some easy shio koji chicken recipes that you can try at home.
Grilled Shio Koji Chicken
Ingredients
- 300 g Boneless Chicken Thigh
- 100 g Green Onion
- 1 tbsp Shio Koji
- 2 tbsp Oil (For grilling the chicken)
Instructions
- Apply shio koji to the entire surface of the chicken thigh, put the chicken in a ziplock bag together with cut green onion, and let it sit overnight.
- After the chicken is marinated overnight, heat a frying pan over low heat, add salad oil and fry.
- Wipe off excess shio koji from the chicken thighs with kitchen paper. Koji is very easy to char, so make sure to scrape off all remaining shio koji from the surface.
- Put the chicken on the frying pan with the skin down, and cook both sides for 5 minutes each.
- Turn off the frying pan, cover and let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes.
- Cook the chicken again once more on low heat for 2 minutes.
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, and serve it.
Chicken Karaage With Shio Koji Seasoning
Ingredients
- 200 g Boneless Chicken Thigh
- 4 tbsp Shio Koji
- 1 tbsp Grated Ginger
- 1 tbsp Grated Garlic
- 1 Egg
- Salt And Pepper (as needed)
- Potato Starch
- Frying Oil
Instructions
- Mix the seasonings: ginger, garlic, shio koji, and salt and pepper
- Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and place in a ziplock bag with the mixed seasonings
- Knead well from the top of the bag, deflate, seal, and store in the refrigerator for 2 days
- Take the marinated chicken out of the refrigerator, bring it to room temperature, and sprinkle the meat with potato starch
- Deep-fried in frying oil at 170°C-180°C until golden brown
A Little Bit About Shio Koji
Shio Koji, also known as salt koji, is a seasoning made by fermenting a mixture of water, salt, and koji. The taste is salty and sweet with a distinct fruity fermented scent of koji. Shio koji truly is a useful all-purpose seasoning.
Here are some ideas on how to use shio koji:
- Pour and mix as a condiment
Utilize the thick creamy texture and umami of shio koji and use shio koji as an addition to dressings and sauces. Just mix it with your sauce and pour over your preferred ingredients like veggies, meat, or fish.
2. Add To enrich various dishes
Shio koji is a flavor bomb so you can add a little bit of it to a broth, curry, stew, or even mix it in a hamburg steak. Adding shio koji will make your cooking tastes richer and more complex.
3. Use to pickle and marinate
When protein ingredients like meat and fish are soaked in shio koji, the enzyme will work to create a soft, rich-tasting finish.
Recommended Products to Make Shio Koji
Shio Koji is the perfect seasoning to level up your chicken dish. And it’s easy to make one at home! Use our recommended products below to make your own Shio Koji.
