Shogayaki Chicken with Ginger-Apricot Rice

According to the recipe, "shoga" means ginger and "yaki" means grill or fry, so I guess you could call this Ginger Chicken.  We gave this a "good but not great" rating.  It takes about a half hour to make and uses two pots.

Using fresh ginger is critical in this dish.  Make sure that it is well minced before you add it to the marinade and the rice, because a large chunk in your mouth can be pretty intense.  You will also use Sesame Oil and Mirin, which make a noticeable difference in flavor.  Sesame Oil is one of my favorite ingredients in Asian dishes and has a distinct nutty flavor.  Mirin adds a sweetness to the dish to balance the ginger and garlic.

(Cuisine Lite, pp 64-65.)


For the Chicken:

• 1 1/2 lb Chicken Breast, cut into 1" cubes
• 1/4 C Sake
• 1/4 C Soy Sauce
• 1/4 C Ginger, minced
• 2-3 Tbsp Mirin
• 1 Tbsp Garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp Cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
• 1 bunch Asparagus, cut into 2" pieces
• 1 bunch Scallions, cut into 2" pieces
• Sesame Seeds

For the Rice:

• 2 C Chicken Broth
• 2 Tbsp Ginger, minced
• 1 tsp Sesame Oil
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1 C Rice, white or brown
• 1/2 C Dried Apricots, diced
• 1/4 C Mirin
• 1 Tbsp Orange Zest, minced

1. Whisk Sake, Soy Sauce, Ginger, Mirin, Garlic, Sesame Oil and Cornstarch in a medium bowl. Add Chicken and toss to coat.
2. Simmer Apricots, Mirin and Orange Zest in saucepan over medium-high heat until it begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Put mixture in a bowl and set aside.
3. Heat Chicken Broth, Ginger, Sesame Oil and Salt in saucepan over high heat until it boils. Stir in Rice, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook according to package directions, typically 10 minutes, without removing lid.
4. When Rice is ready, add Apricot mixture and give it a good stir.  Turn off heat and cover saucepan.
5. Heat Skillet over medium-high heat. Add Chicken and Sake mixture, cover and cook 8-10 minutes.
6. Add Asparagus to Chicken, cover and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.
7. Add Scallions to Chicken and toss to coat.
8. Mound Rice on plate, add Chicken and vegetables on top, and garnish with Sesame Seeds.