Recipe
Boneless Kagawa-Style Garlic Chicken Steak (Honetsuki-dori)
Ingredients
- 1chicken thigh (boneless, skin-on)
- 4cloves garlic
- Garlicpowder, to taste (generous amount)
- Blackpepper, to taste
- Salt,to taste
- 1–2tbsp sake
- Riceoil, generous amount
- 1/5cabbage (approx. 0.2 head)
- Afew sprigs of thyme
About "Boneless Honetsuki-dori Style Chicken Steak"
This recipe recreates Kagawa Prefecture's soul food, "Honetsuki-dori" (bone-in chicken), at home using easy-to-find boneless chicken thighs. The seasoning features a base of salt, black pepper, and plenty of garlic powder, combined with fresh garlic added later for a double-garlic flavor boost. By using a grill press, the skin gets incredibly crispy, while covering the pan to steam-cook keeps the inside juicy. To serve it authentic-style, pour the flavorful garlic oil generously over the chicken and a bed of raw cabbage.
Introduction to 【週末のテーブル】シェフ米澤文雄のNo Codeなチャンネル →
Tips for Making "Boneless Honetsuki-dori Style Chicken Steak"
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Seasoning
- Season only the meat side with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder; do not season the skin. The skin is fatty, making it hard for salt to dissolve, which can leave it overly salty on the surface.
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Seasoning
- Sprinkle an surprisingly generous amount of garlic powder. This creates a deeply savory, addictive flavor profile while preventing the chicken from burning.
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Garlic Technique
- Use a double-garlic method: garlic powder for the base seasoning and lightly crushed fresh garlic during cooking. This prevents burning while infusing the oil with fresh aroma.
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Equipment
- Use a grill press (pan press) to keep the skin flat against the pan. This prevents curling and ensures a perfectly even, crispy sear—an essential tool for chicken steak.
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Heat Control
- After searing the skin, add fresh garlic, cover, and steam-cook over low heat. This keeps the inside plump and juicy without losing the skin's crispiness.
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Finishing
- Drizzle 1–2 tbsp of sake during steam-cooking and cover again to enhance the flavor. Once the alcohol evaporates, add thyme sprigs for an aromatic finish.
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Plating
- Serve over a generous bed of chopped raw cabbage, top with the sliced chicken, and pour the hot garlic oil and garlic cloves over everything. Pooling oil at the bottom is the authentic style.
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Oil Selection
- Use neutral rice oil instead of olive oil to let the pure aroma of the garlic and the savory flavor of the chicken shine through.
Ingredients for "Boneless Honetsuki-dori Style Chicken Steak"
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How to Make "Boneless Honetsuki-dori Style Chicken Steak"
- 1
Place the chicken thigh skin-side down on a cutting board and trim off any excess yellow fat. Carefully remove any hard cartilage around the knee joint.
- 2
Make shallow cuts into the thick parts and sinewy areas of the meat to prevent the chicken from shrinking when cooked.
- 3
Do not season the skin side. Season only the meat side generously with salt and black pepper, then sprinkle an incredibly generous, even layer of garlic powder.
- 4
Add a generous amount of rice oil to a pan and heat over medium heat. Place the chicken skin-side down and sear slowly. Spread the chicken out in the pan to prevent the skin from shrinking.
- 5
Place a grill press (pan press) on top of the chicken to press the skin flat against the pan, searing it slowly until the skin is beautifully crispy.
- 6
Once the skin is crispy and golden brown, flip the chicken over and add 4 lightly crushed fresh garlic cloves to the pan.
- 7
Cover with a lid and steam-cook over low heat to infuse the chicken and oil with the rich garlic aroma.
- 8
If the garlic starts to burn, move it under the chicken. Drizzle 1–2 tbsp of sake around the pan, cover again, and steam to bring out the flavors.
- 9
Once the alcohol has evaporated, remove the lid, add the thyme sprigs, and flip the chicken once more to make the skin extra crispy.
- 10
Roughly chop a generous amount of cabbage and spread it across a serving plate. Cut the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces and place them on top.
- 11
Pour the hot garlic oil and garlic cloves left in the pan generously over the chicken and cabbage to finish.
Detailed Commentary on "Boneless Honetsuki-dori Style Chicken Steak"
* Content organized by topics from the video.
The Appeal of Kagawa's Soul Food
Today, we're making a boneless version of Kagawa's famous "Honetsuki-dori" (bone-in chicken), packed with garlic and black pepper that pairs perfectly with beer. While Kagawa is famous for Sanuki udon and olive oil, Honetsuki-dori is another must-try soul food. There are two types: "Oyadori" (mature chicken) and "Hinadori" (young chicken). While we usually eat young chicken, there is a strong culture of eating mature chicken in Kagawa. Mature chicken is very tough and chewy because of its developed muscles, but chewing through it while sipping a cold beer is an absolute delight. Many restaurants let you choose between the two; locals tend to prefer Oyadori, while visitors often go for Hinadori. Today, we'll use boneless chicken thighs, which are easy to find at any supermarket, to recreate this dish effortlessly at home.
Double Garlic: Powder and Fresh
The seasoning for Honetsuki-dori is based on salt, garlic, and black pepper. While some restaurants use grated garlic, many in Kagawa actually use garlic powder. Grated garlic burns easily, but garlic powder prevents burning while bringing out a uniquely savory, addictive flavor. For this recipe, we'll use a hybrid "double garlic" method: garlic powder for the base seasoning, and lightly crushed fresh garlic cloves added later to infuse the oil with a fresh aroma. We'll also prepare raw cabbage, an essential side dish. The crisp cabbage does a wonderful job of cutting through the richness of the chicken.
Prep and Generous Spicing
First, let's prep the chicken thigh. Place it skin-side down on a cutting board and trim off any excess yellow fat. Be sure to remove the hard cartilage around the knee joint, as it's unpleasant to bite into. Next, make shallow cuts into the thick parts and sinews to prevent the meat from shrinking during cooking. For seasoning, do not salt the skin. The skin is fatty, making it hard for salt to dissolve, which can leave it overly salty on the surface. Season only the meat side. Sprinkle salt evenly over the meat, then grind a generous amount of black pepper. While the famous restaurant "Ikkaku" is said to use white pepper, I prefer black pepper. Finally, sprinkle on the garlic powder—so much that you might think, "Is this too much?" That's the secret.
Searing in Rice Oil to Infuse Aroma
Our ingredients are chicken thigh, cabbage, garlic powder, salt, pepper, fresh garlic, and rice oil. As a personal touch, I've also prepared a few sprigs of thyme, which pairs beautifully with garlic. While not traditional, it adds a lovely herbal aroma. Pour a generous amount of rice oil into the pan. I recommend using neutral rice oil rather than olive oil. Heat it over medium heat, and place the chicken skin-side down (you can even start from a cold pan). Searing the skin side first allows the garlic powder on the meat to slowly infuse the oil. Cooking the chicken in this garlic-scented oil elevates its savory flavor. Spread the chicken out gently so the skin doesn't shrink.
Using a Press and Lid for Juicy Chicken
Here's a pro-tip: place a glass grill press (like the Meyer pan press) on top of the chicken. This presses the skin flat against the pan, ensuring an incredibly crispy and even sear. If you're making chicken steak, this tool is a game-changer. Once the skin is beautifully browned, flip the chicken and add 4 lightly crushed fresh garlic cloves. To cook it perfectly, cover the pan with a lid and steam-cook over low heat. Covering the pan traps moisture, keeping the inside plump and juicy. Since the skin side continues to cook, it won't lose its crispiness even with the lid on. Let the garlic aroma slowly infuse into the meat and oil over low heat.
Finishing with Sake, Herbs, and Serving
Once the garlic is cooked, drizzle in 1–2 tbsp of sake, cover again, and let it steam. The sake dramatically enhances the flavor. Once the alcohol has evaporated, remove the lid and add the thyme sprigs. Flip the chicken one last time to crisp up the skin. On a serving plate, arrange a generous bed of roughly chopped raw cabbage. Cut the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces and place them over the cabbage. Finally, pour the hot, flavorful garlic oil and garlic cloves from the pan generously over the chicken and cabbage. Pouring enough oil to pool at the bottom of the plate is the authentic style. And there you have it—our boneless version of Kagawa's famous Honetsuki-dori!
A Punchy Flavor That Demands Beer!
Now, let's dig in while it's hot! With the first bite, the punchy flavor of garlic and black pepper floods your mouth—it absolutely demands a cold beer. You don't normally use this much garlic powder in everyday cooking, but this bold, addictive seasoning is the soul of Honetsuki-dori. The skin is crispy and fragrant, while the meat remains incredibly juicy. The raw cabbage underneath wilts slightly as it absorbs the hot garlic oil, making it so delicious you won't be able to stop eating. While chicken with a squeeze of lemon is great, this garlic-and-pepper-forward chicken steak is next-level. Grab a cold beer and give this recipe a try!
About 【週末のテーブル】シェフ米澤文雄のNo Codeなチャンネル
【週末のテーブル】シェフ米澤文雄のNo Codeなチャンネル
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