Yakitori Chicken Bowl with Brown Rice, Komatsuna Greens, and Pioppini Mushrooms
/Who doesn’t love a good chicken and rice bowl? I’m a huge fan of grilling in summer and love me some grilled yakitori chicken, but because we’re in early spring in California, the weather is still funky with mixed rain, sunshine, and cold winds. Grilling is not a reliable option just yet!
But at least my broiler is still my trusted friend and cooks up delicious chicken for me when I ask! This recipe has a few steps, but they’re all really simple and the end result is extremely satisfying. Feel free to play with your sides of greens and mushrooms. I just picked the komatsuna greens and pioppini mushrooms because I hadn’t tried those varieties before, and, well, you know how much I enjoy playing with my food and taking my palate out for different adventures!
Yakitori Chicken Bowl with Brown Rice, Komatsuna Greens, and Pioppini Mushrooms
Time: 1 Hour
Serves 4
Ingredients
3/4 cup dark soy sauce, divided
2 tbsp vermouth
1/4 cup mirin
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp ginger, minced
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups short grain brown rice
1 bunch komatsuna greens or broccoli rabe, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/4 cup sesame oil (divided)
8 oz pioppini mushrooms, woody stems trimmed
8 green onions, thinly sliced (divided)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
Directions
In a medium skillet, bring 1/2 cup dark soy sauce, vermouth, mirin, garlic, ginger, and brown sugar to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the marinade as thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a medium bowl. Add chicken to bowl and let marinade for 30 minutes. Preheat broiler.
Prepare brown rice in a rice cooker.
Meanwhile, heat a pot of boiling salted water. Add komatsuna greens and blanch until stems are crisp-tender, about 30 seconds for komatsuna greens or 2-3 minutes for broccoli rabe. Transfer greens to an ice bath and let cool. Dry greens and remove any excess moisture. Dress with a light coat of olive oil and season with salt. Set aside.
In a medium skillet, heat 1 tbsp of sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and half of the green onions, and cook until mushrooms are soft and golden, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a small bowl prepare rice dressing by mixing 4 tbsp dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, and 3 tbsp sesame oil. Add half of the dressing to the rice, adding more to taste. Reserve remaining vinegar.
Once chicken has finished marinating, line a baking sheet with foil. Add chicken to baking sheet in a single layer and broil for 6 minutes on each side until cooked through.
To serve, spoon 1.5 cups of rice into each bowl. Nestle in chicken, mushrooms, and greens. Garnish with remaining green onions. Spoon over additional rice dressing if desired.
