Chicken Yakisoba
Food.com
Yakisoba can trace its roots back to the Asakusa district of Tokyo, Japan in the early 1900s where it was a popular street food. This recipe quickly comes together so you can enjoy its authentic flavors without leaving the country (or even your kitchen).
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Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (~4–6), cut into 2-inch pieces
- 6 tablespoons peanut oil (or your high-smoke point oil of choice), or as needed
- ¼ cup Japanese cooking sake
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 medium carrot, julienned
- 6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger (~1-inch piece)
- ¼ small head of green cabbage (~6 oz.), cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 pound fresh yakisoba noodles
- ¼ cup thinly sliced scallions for garnish
- Aonori (dried green seaweed flakes), optional for garnish
- Beni Shoga (red pickled ginger), optional for garnish
Yakisoba Sauce
- ¼ cup oyster sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
Steps
- Combine the yakisoba sauce ingredients in a bowl and reserve.
- Add the chicken to a separate bowl along with 2 tablespoons of the sauce mixture and toss until well coated.
- Heat a wok or large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high. When hot, add 2 tablespoons of oil. When the oil shimmers, lay the noodles into the wok in the shape they came in. They should sizzle when they hit the oil. Let them sizzle for a minute and flip them with a spatula to sizzle for another minute.
- Gently separate the noodles, using chopsticks. Inserting the chopsticks into clumps and shaking does the trick. Transfer the noodles to a dish and reserve. If the wok has a bunch of stuck noodles, wash it before proceeding.
- Heat another 2 tablespoons of oil in the wok over medium-high. When hot, arrange the chicken in a single layer. It should sizzle when it hits the oil.
- Cook, undisturbed, until golden brown on the bottom (~2 mins).
- Turn over with a spatula and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown on the other side. Transfer to a plate and reserve.
- Deglaze the wok with a ¼ cup of sake and pour this onto the chicken.
- Heat the remaining oil in the wok over medium-high.
- Stir fry the onion until softened and starting to turn golden (~2-3 min).
- Add the carrot and mushrooms. Stir until starting to soften (~3 mins).
- Add the garlic and ginger. Stir fry until fragrant (~1 min).
- Add the cabbage and toss to combine.
- Return chicken to wok, tossing again.
- Cover with a lid and cook until cabbage is tender (~5–7 mins). If the bottom seems dry, splash a few tablespoons of water around the edge of the wok before putting the lid on.
- Remove the lid and cook until any residual liquid has evaporated, if necessary.
- Add the noodles along with the remaining oyster sauce mixture and toss until thoroughly combined. Tongs may be easier than chopsticks here for tossing.
- Remove the wok from heat, top with scallions, and serve.
Pro Tips
- Chicken is not traditionally used in yakisoba, but we use it to lighten things up a bit. Pork belly is the norm, but feel free to use what you like and make this recipe your own.
- Fresh yakisoba noodles do not need to be cooked, as they are pre-steamed; however, they should be loosened up (steps 3 & 4 above) prior to assembling this dish.
Relevant Products
Recipe Tags
Chicken
Noodles
Street Food
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