When I wrote that Pristine and M are bringing for lunch most of the dishes I feature every Sunday on this blog, one of my blog friend, Maribeth from Dackel Princess said “I forget that no everywhere do people pack sandwiches for their lunches. Or just salads!”

Yes, my ‘thin’ folks at home have big lunches, mostly made up of rice, a main dish, some side veggies and pieces of fruits. Today’s recipe is one of their favorites. I can’t believe I’ve featured Salmon Teriyaki and Chicken Lemon Teriyaki but not the plain and simple, basic Chicken Teriyaki, without lemons. I thought I had to do this because eventhough the lemon teriyaki version is nice, sometimes a lemon-free life is also good.

Ingredients:

• 400 grams chicken thighs (boneless, skin on)
• Shiitake mushrooms (as much as you like)
• spring onions or leeks (as much as you like too)
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil (or any oil  you have)

Teriyaki sauce:

• 3 Tbsp Japanese rice cooking wine
• 3 Tbsp Mirin
• 3 Tbsp Kikkoman Soy Sauce
• 1 Tbsp sugar

* Mix together in a small bowl and set aside.

Procedure:

1. Cut the chicken pieces into squares – not into strips. You can cut them into strips after cooking.

Note: Place small cuts on thick areas so it will cook through faster.

2. Sprinkle some rice wine on the chicken.

3. Cut up vegetables: shiitake mushrooms and spring onions or leeks.

Note: Using a different kind of mushroom is ok I guess but shiitake mushrooms have that very distinct Asian taste and very appropriate for this. The spring onions/leeks adds a rich aroma.

4. Heat sesame oil in a pan and pan fry the chicken pieces, placing them one by one, skin down first.

5. When the skin has turned brown, fry the other side and move to one part of the fry pan to make way for the onions and mushroom.

6. Add the mushrooms and spring onions until mushrooms become translucent.

7. Pour 3/4 of the mixed teriyaki sauce and let it simmer.

8. Add 1 tsp of cornstarch to the remaining 1/4 teriyaki sauce mixture and mix well.

9. Pour the remaining teriyaki sauce and mix well until all the chicken are completely glazed. You can turn the chicken so the other side won’t shout, “unfair!”

10. Serve on top of rice or in separate plate, like this.

Pristine like this so much that even if she brings some of this for lunch later at school, she would request to eat it for breakfast too, like the photo on the top of this post, along with wakame miso soup. She does have a heavy breakfast!