START TO FINISH: 40 minutes
SERVINGS: 4
Steaming is a simple cooking method that results in clean, pure flavors. In this recipe, we layer sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms in a steamer basket under briefly marinated chicken thighs. The mushrooms soak up the cooking juices, becoming deeply flavorful. Drizzling the chicken with a few tablespoons of sauce after steaming but before slicing allows the sake-soy mixture to better permeate the meat. Serve with steamed rice.
Don’t steam the chicken over high heat. Gentle steaming over medium heat keeps the meat tender and succulent.
¼ cup sake
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce
1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and patted dry
Kosher salt
6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced ¼ inch thick
3 radishes, halved and thinly sliced
3 scallions, thinly sliced on diagonal
In a medium bowl, combine the sake, soy sauce, vinegar, oil, ginger and chili-garlic sauce. Set aside ⅓ cup in a small bowl. Season the chicken generously on both sides with salt, then toss in the bowl with the remaining sake-soy mixture. Marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a covered large Dutch oven over medium-high, bring 1 inch of water to a simmer. Arrange the mushrooms in an even layer in a steamer basket, then set the chicken thighs in an even layer over them. Turn off the heat under the pot, then set the basket in it. Cover and return to a simmer over medium and cook until the thickest part of the chicken registers 170°F and a skewer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken meets no resistance, 10 to 12 minutes.
Transfer the chicken and mushrooms to a serving platter. Whisk 2 tablespoons of the steaming liquid into the reserved sake-soy mixture. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the mixture over the chicken and mushrooms, tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.
Cut the chicken crosswise into ¼-inch slices and return to the platter. Sprinkle with the radishes and scallions and serve with the remaining sauce.