Japanese Crusted Chicken Recipe

Here is one of my favorite things to make at the meal assembly place. My grocery store actually has things like panko and mirin, so I made a point of remembering the ingredients this time so I could re-create it at home. I am not a professional recipe writer, so I just did it my way...

Panko Wasabi Chicken with Sesame Brown Rice

Serves 3 (can be doubled)

Source

Combine the following in a saucepan:
1 cup brown rice
½ tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. butter
1 cup water
Bring to a boil, stir once. Cover tightly and cook over low heat for 20 minutes.

Heat 2 Tbsp. canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Mix together on a plate:
1 c. panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
½ t. wasabi powder (adjust to taste)

Add to ziplock bag or bowl:
2 eggs, beaten (or use egg substitute)
3 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, flattened to 1/3-inch thickness between plastic wrap

Dip each egg-coated chicken breast in the panko mixture to coat evenly. Sauté until golden and cooked through, about 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a platter.

Meanwhile, mix the next five ingredients and save to add to the rice:
1 Tbsp. teriyaki sauce
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. sesame seeds
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. green onion, thinly sliced

Mix the next four ingredients and save for deglazing the pan:
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup mirin or sake
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp. green onion, thinly sliced
Make sure you remember which teriyaki mixture is which!

When all the chicken pieces are cooked, add the teriyaki deglazing mixture to the skillet and bring to a boil while scraping up the browned bits. When the rice has cooked 20 min, add the teriyaki rice mixture. Allow to cook 5 min longer if more water needs to be absorbed.  Plate the chicken, then drizzle sauce from the skillet over top. Serve with the rice.



And while we're on the subject of recipes, here is one for Lemon Ricotta Pancakes that I had on Saturday at the Comfort Diner in New York. They put blueberries in mine and I really liked that combination.

Update: that link is now something else, so Google provided another source for the recipe. I'll go ahead and post it just in case:

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

www.wnbc.com/producepete.../detail.html
Recipe From 'The Comfort Diner Cookbook,' By Ira Freehof

These pancakes are light and elegant. They're a bit like French crepes, but never fear -- they're still proper pancakes and very easy to make. These are heavenly with fresh raspberries on top.

Ingredients

1⁄4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter + additional for griddle
4 large eggs
1 cup ricotta cheese
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1⁄2 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour

confectioners' sugar, to serve
raspberries or other berries and/or puree or sauce
slightly sweetened whipped cream


1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Allow it to cool.

2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, then add the ricotta, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice. Add sugar and whisk thoroughly. Slowly add the melted butter and continue to mix. Add all of the flour and mix thoroughly.

3. On a griddle or nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Scoop 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 cup of batter onto surface and cook for about 1 minute, or until small holes appear on the surface of the pancake. Flip the pancake and cook for 1 minute more until cooked through. Repeat to cook the remaining pancakes, adding more butter to the pan as needed.

4. Serve with a sprinkling of confectioners' sugar, fresh raspberries and/or raspberry sauce and very lightly sweetened whipped cream if you are feeling really decadent or serving as a “dessert”.

Or try strawberries or blueberries.