Teriyaki chicken with tartar sauce(照り焼きチキンのタルタルソース掛け)

Teriyaki chicken with tartar sauce(照り焼きチキンのタルタルソース掛け)

It is very common for Japanese people to put tartar sauce not only on fish but also on chicken like this dish. Teriyaki is a Japanese cooking technique and uses soy sauce, mirin and sugar. Teri means shine, yaki means grilling, stir-frying or broiling in Japanese. When I was in Japan, I asked my mother to make tartar sauce (Tarutaru sauce in Japanese) with Japanese mayonnaise a lot. Japanese mayonnaise has a thicker taste than Western mayonnaise.

Ingredients (2 plates):

  • 2 cuts (200g, 0.5LBS) of chicken thigh
  • 2 tablespoons of Katakuriko (potato starch)
  • 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
  • 1/4 bag of salad mix or lettuce
  • 1 - 2 cherry tomatoes
    For marinating chicken:
  • 1 tablespoon of *Sake
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar
  • 2 teaspoons of soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons of sesame oil
    For Teriyaki sauce
  • 3 tablespoons of sugar
  • 3 tablespoons of soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons of *Mirin
    For Tartar sauce
  • 1 boiled egg
  • 1/4 onion
  • 2 tablespoons of *Japanese mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
  • salt & pepper

*Katakuriko is a potato starch.
*Sake is an alcoholic Japanese rice wine which is made by fermenting rice.
*Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice wine with a lower alcohol percentage, and sweeter than Sake.
*Japanese mayonnaise is made of egg yolks, not whole eggs, and has a thicker texture and taste than Western Mayo.

-> See picture A, B, C and D.

Picture A: *Katakuriko
Picture B: *Sake
Picture C: *Mirin
Picture D: *Japanese Mayonnaise

Here is how to make it at home. Cooking time is about 30 - 40 minutes.

  1. Boil an egg. Mince an onion. Cut 1 – 2 cherry tomatoes into wedges.
  2. Cut chicken thighs into about 2cm (0.8 inches) wide, 8cm (3.1 inches) long and put them into a resealable plastic bag.
  3. Add 1 tablespoon of *Sake, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of sesame oil into 2. and marinate the chicken in the sauce. Leave it in a refrigerator for about 10 minutes. -> See picture E.
Picture E
  1. Meanwhile, put 3 tablespoons of sugar, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of *Mirin into a small bowl and mix up for Teriyaki sauce. -> See picture F.
Picture F: Teriyaki sauce
  1. Put 1 boiled egg, the onion, 2 tablespoons of *Japanese mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and salt & pepper in another bowl for tartar sauce. Mix up thoroughly. -> See picture G.
Picture G: Tartar sauce
  1. Add *Katakuriko in 3. (marinated chicken) and mix up very well. -> See picture H & I.
Picture H
Picture I
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a frying pan with low-medium heat. Stir the chicken for about 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and little brown. -> See picture J.
Picture J
  1. Add 4. (Teriyaki sauce) in the frying pan and simmer for about 5 minutes or until the sauce is shiny. Flip over the chicken occasionally. -> See picture K.
Picture K
  1. Put the chicken, the salad mix or lettuce, and cherry tomatoes in a plate. Add tartar sauce on top of the chicken.