The Easy Way To Make Hibachi-Style Chicken At Home

Soy-drenched hibachi-style chicken is enough to get your lips smacking. The delicious Japanese dish is full of flavor and a great source of protein; it's a top-tier choice at any restaurant. But did you know that there's also an easy way to make it at home? Tasting Table spoke with Chef Koj, a private chef and food writer, to reveal the process. "You can do this with an induction hob and a steak griddle, or a stainless steel hot plate," he explained.

Hibachi means "fire bowl" in Japanese, and at a restaurant, chefs will often prepare this style of dish in front of diners on a huge griddle. With hibachi dining, knowing what to expect from the experience is important. It's a unique restaurant experience, not just a flavor to enjoy discreetly at a private table.

Fundamentally, hibachi has become the phrase used to describe the process of blasting ingredients at sky-high temperatures. You'll first need to consider if your home equipment is the perfect trade-off. Usually, that won't be the case — with a basic pan, it's hard to reach the necessary heat or replicate techniques that traditional chefs cook with. It's worth investing in a hot plate or griddle, which heats the meat more evenly, resulting in fewer cold patches and a balanced finish. These equipment choices are larger, quickly cooking meals in bigger quantities than you could squeeze into a pan. They also allow for fast cooking; after preheating, it takes 30 minutes or less to whip up a hibachi-style chicken storm.

There's no denying that hibachi-style chicken is one of the absolute best uses for your griddle. Heed Chef Koj's advice: invest in a hot plate or griddle if you don't yet own one. To get the perfect finish, though, you'll need more than the right equipment alone. For starters, the meat cut can dramatically impact the authenticity — and quality — of your dish. The traditional choice is boneless breast. However, a succulent thigh cut works quite well if you'd like an alternative. 

The non-negotiable sauce ingredients are soy sauce, lemon, brown sugar (yes, specifically), and garlic. But a side of yum yum sauce never goes amiss, and bottles of this sauce are quite easy to find in most groceries. Sesame oil, hoisin, and ginger are great for added depth of flavor, while sesame seeds or crunchy fresh veggies offer the perfect textural finishes.

It's wise to brush up on your knowledge of Japanese cooking techniques too. For instance, the key difference between teppanyaki and hibachi is that hibachi refers to the bowl, and teppanyaki to the metal plate. It's not just knowing what to add but also understanding the culture behind your steaming hibachi-style chicken.