Mirin, Recipes, Soy Sauce

Japanese Honey Mustard Chicken

Maho Tanabe

May 8, 2022

Last October, American food professionals visited fermented food producers to deepen their knowledge of Japanese fermentation culture during the “Hakko Tourism in Japan” tour campaign. As part of the tour, organizers held a tasting session where guests gave candid advice from the perspective of the American market to food product manufacturers looking to enter the United States market.

Today, I am going to share a recipe that uses mirin to show you how to utilize mirin.
Mirin is not the main ingredient in a dish, but adding mirin makes the dish remarkably more delicious. Not only does it add an elegant and gentle sweetness, but it also enhances dishes with its complex and elegant flavor and aroma unique to fermented seasoning. The glossy shine of mirin also makes the dish look delicious. And the fact that you can cut back on sugar is an added benefit!
Cooking with mirin has so many advantages.
The recipe I will be introducing to you today is Japanese Honey Mustard Chicken!

“Japanese Honey Mustard Chicken” full of umami is made using mirin first of all, and then soy sauce and vinegar, etc. A recipe that will make you feel the goodness of honey mirin and the charm of Japanese fermented seasoning!

Let’s dive right in.
Honey mustard chicken with slices of tomatoes and lettuce on a blue plate
Servings: 2

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken thighs
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon sake
  • Potato starch, to taste
A

  • 2 tablespoons mirin
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons mustard
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 ½ tablespoons sake
  • 2 teaspoons vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic, grated

Directions for Japanese Honey Mustard Chicken

1. Cut chicken thighs into bite size pieces and season them with salt, pepper and sake.
Raw bite size piece chiken thighs in a container
2. Mix the “A” seasonings together in a separate bowl*.
Sauce containing mirin, honey, mustard, soy sauce, sake, vinegar and grated garlic
3. Dredge the chicken with potato starch.
4. Heat oil in a frying pan, add the chicken and cook them thoroughly on both sides over medium heat.
bite size piece chiken thighs being grilled in pan
5. When the chicken is about 80% cooked, add the mixed “A” seasonings and toss well.
Bite size piece chiken thighs being shimmered with sauce in pan
6. When the water is gone and the sauce is well-mixed, the dish is ready.
Japanese honey mustard chicken with slices of tomatoes and lettuce on a blue plate
*You can substitute salt and pepper with 1 tablespoon shio-koji, a seasoning made by fermenting koji, salt and water. This is also very tasty.

Effects of Mirin

  1. Through the process of boiling down mirin, the mirin evaporates and removes the odor of the chicken.
  2. The boiling of mirin also creates a film on the surface of the food, making it glisten and locking in the deliciousness.
  3. Mirin adds an elegant sweetness and flavor on top of the sweetness of honey.
Combination of soy sauce and mirin is also essential for Japanese food!
I hope you can also enjoy the taste of this perfect combination.
Please try this delicious “Japanese Honey Mustard Chicken” packed with mirin and with the power of Japanese fermentation!

For More Recipes

Picture of Maho Tanabe
Maho Tanabe
Minamoto Shokudo | + posts

Maho Tanabe, the organizer of "Mirin Sweets and Fermented Foods" at Minamoto Shokudo, is an inner beauty planner and owner of Minamoto cafeteria. With expertise in fermented foods using koji and sake, she is a recognized authority in the fermented foods industry.