Japanese Chicken Wing Rice

Japanese Chicken Wing Rice
🥢 🐓 🌾

Japanese Chicken Wing Rice is one of those deeply satisfying one-pot meals where the rice becomes just as important as the main protein. As the soy-ginger marinated chicken wings cook over the rice in the donabe, all of the savory juices drip down into the grains below, creating layers of flavor throughout the pot.

The wings stay juicy while the rice absorbs the marinade, dashi, garlic, and ginger as everything cooks together gently under the lid. A final drizzle of toasted sesame oil, fresh scallions, and a dusting of sansho pepper brighten the dish just before serving.

Served straight from the donabe at the table, Japanese Chicken Wing Rice feels both rustic and special at the same time.

My new donabe (Japanese clay pot) matches my backsplash! 😀

Chicken Wing Rice Recipe

Chicken Wing Marinade

• 2 T. sake
• 3 T. low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 T. sugar
• 1 T. ginger paste
• 1 1/2 lb. chicken wing sections (party wings, see notes below)

In a large bowl, whisk together sake, soy sauce, garlic, sugar, and ginger paste. Add chicken wings and toss well to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Remove wings to a platter and reserve the marinade.

Rice

• 1 1/2 c. short grain rice (rinsed)
• 2 c. spring water (plus more as needed)
• 1/2 t. dashi granules (Hondashi)
• 2 t. chicken bouillon (Better Than Bouillon)

Dissolve dashi granules and chicken bouillon in the water. Stir in the reserved marinade, then add additional water as needed to make 2 1/2 c. total liquid.

Place rice in the donabe and pour the liquid over the top. Let stand for 20 minutes.

To Cook

Arrange chicken wings in a single layer over the rice.

Place the donabe over low heat and cook for 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Do not remove the lid.

Turn off the heat and let stand, covered, for 25 minutes. The chicken should be fully cooked and tender, and the rice should have absorbed the liquid.

To Serve

• toasted sesame oil
• scallions, sliced
• ground sansho pepper
• cilantro leaves

Serve directly from the donabe. Drizzle lightly with toasted sesame oil, then scatter scallions and cilantro over the top. Finish with a dusting of sansho pepper.

Notes

A whole chicken wing consists of three parts: the drumette, the flat (or wingette), and the tip. Party wings typically consist of two separate pieces from the first two sections, with the bony, meatless tip removed and discarded (or saved for broth).

Drumette (Mini Drumstick): The upper part of the wing connected to the breast. It looks like a miniature chicken leg and contains white meat.

Flat (Mid-joint or Wingette): The middle section between the drumette and the tip. It has two parallel bones, more skin, and is known for being tender and flavorful.

Credit

Though completely different from her recipe, this one was inspired by a beautiful cookbook called Donabe by Naoko Takei Moore.