More Tender, More Delicious, More Juicy
Shio koji has the ability to tenderise meat, whilst at the same time adding a depth of flavour. This means if you use it to marinade chicken you can create the tastiest chicken nuggets you’ve ever eaten!
The fantastic thing about shio koji is that it doesn’t alter the taste of the chicken – it just makes it taste more “chickeny!” It adds a depth of savoury flavour (umami) that is irresistible.
The salt in the shio koji has the added benefit of brining the chicken at the same time – making the meat juicier.
The Science Behind It
Koji has the ability to break down the proteins in the chicken, converting them into a range of amino acids which are especially delicious. This breaking down of the proteins also makes the meat more tender.
First Make Shio Koji
- 1 packet Umami Chef Koji
- 60 g Salt
- 350ml Water (boiled, then cooled)
Adapt the Recipe to Your Taste
The nuggets are delicious without adding herbs and spices to the breadcrumbs, but you can adapt this recipe to use your favourite blends. It works equally well with the KFC blend of spices as it does with a Japanese karaage chicken.
Get Experimenting!
You can’t really go wrong with fried chicken – it tastes delicious whichever spices you decide to use!
Shio Koji Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 500 g Chicken, cut into bite sized pieces For best results we recommend chicken thigh, but wings, or even breast meat can be used.
- 100 ml Shio Koji
- 1 egg beaten
- 100 g breadcrumbs You can use gluten free bread, if required
- 100 g plain flour
Instructions
- Mix the chicken pieces with the shio koji until they are evenly coated.
- Cover and leave to marinade in a fridge for at least 8 hours
- Remove the chicken from the shio koji and dip each piece in the flour, then the egg, then finally the breadcrumbs
- Fry the chicken pieces in a deep fat fryer until golden on the outside and cooked through.
