On a recent post I asked my readers what their favourite salmon recipe was and the most popular by far was teriyaki, a recipe which was missing from the blog and now remedied. Although I made teriyaki chicken the sauce is adaptable and can be used with any protein – chicken, salmon, beef, beans or tofu. By substituting rice malt syrup for the honey this teriyaki sauce is vegan – but of course the chicken above isn’t.
The hands on time for this dish is less than 20 minutes. You can make in advance and marinade your choice of protein in the teriyaki, but I think that the reduced sauce is so concentrated and bursting with flavour that there is no real need. If you are the sort that likes to prep ahead, batch cook, or fill the freezer from the supermarket reduced counter a clever trick is to freeze your meat or fish in the sauce in a tupperware container. Once defrosted it is marinaded and ready to go – the ultimate in speedy suppers.
All my seasonings were from Clearspring whose Japanese ingredients are mostly organic and made sustainably with authentic traditional techniques so there is lots of taste, but no nasty additives or refined sugars in this sauce (in comparison a typical ready made teriyaki sauce contains glucose or fructose syrup and only about 5% soy sauce or tamari). The udon noodles are made with semi wholewheat flour, to the traditional cut and roll method. Serve with a portion of wilted pak choi to help you towards your five (or now seven) a day.
- 2 tbs rice malt syrup
- 3 tbs tamari
- 3 tbs Japanese rice mirin
- 1 tbs Japanese rice vinegar
- 1 clove garlic finely chopped
- pea sized piece of ginger root – finely grated
- pinch chilli flake – optional
- 2 small chicken breasts – cut into 2.5 cm chunks free range please
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 2 bundles udon noodles
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Put all the ingredients for the sauce into a bowl and mix together. Add the chicken, mix, cover and leave in the fridge to marinate for up to 24 hours.
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Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the chicken, using a slotted spoon to drain the teriyaki sauce, and fry for about 5 – 7 minutes until cooked though. Reduce the heat and pour the remainder of the teriyaki sauce over, coking until it has reduced and become syrupy.
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Whilst the chicken is cooking cook the udon noodles as per the packet instructions and steam some pak choi.
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Serve the chicken on top of the noodles with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and nori.
This is a recipe commission for Clearspring, who I work with as a blogger ambassador. I am a genuine fan of their products and all opinions are my own.
lovely – super quick and easy to make. A lovely lovely photo too Helen. love the colours and the bleached out background.
Thank you Nazima. I need to try it with some tofu next.
I love teriyaki sauce – made some recently and it was just lovely – I used honey but am interested in trying the rice malt syrup. I had adjusted my recipe from a salmon one and the sauce worked well with tofu.
The rice malt syrup tastes different. but still full of flavour, and makes a vegan teriyaki sauce.
Oh I love teriyaki! Have to admit I normally cheat though. Need to hunt down this rice malt syrup…
Wonderful option of using the honey Helen, I find it works so well in vegetarian dishes like when using tofu which is moist. The honey delivers a thicker consistency that still seeps through to lift flavour! Yum x
I love teriyaki, it gives so much flavour and yet it’s so quick!
Absolutely. I think that the marinating is not really necessary and you can probably make it in the pan after you have cooked the protein.
Right, I know what I am making this weekend! Very easy, but looks delicious Helen.
Thanks for sharing.
It will become a regular here too Stuart
That is a handy recipe to have at ones fingertips. Thanks Helen.
Enjoy it Jac, and let me know how it goes with tofu.
No refined sugar, wholewheat noodles and lots of extra vegetables. Perfect dinner for my current dietary needs :)
i definitely know what im making for dinner tonight.. looks delicious, thanks for the inspiration and recipe!