Japanese Fried Chicken – Momofuku Style + Sweet Onion Takikomi Gohan Dinner

This chicken wing dinner was a smash hit, and the wings played so well with the sweet onion rice and those refreshing pickles. It’s awesome to have another killer chicken wing recipe in the mix, and this one is ridiculously easy!

Hello friends!

If you haven’t heard of Momofuku, it’s a New York City restaurant group founded by Chef David Chang. Lately, I’ve been seeing Momofuku and David Chang’s influence everywhere. It all began when I grabbed a jar of Momofuku Chili Crisp at my local grocery store and used it to create a Chili Crisp Fettuccine Alfredo with Spinach. You know that feeling when something new catches your attention, and suddenly it seems to be everywhere? That’s called the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, or frequency illusion—your brain starts spotting it all over the place, even though nothing’s actually changed.

I had planned to make Japanese “Fried” Chicken from Azusa Oda’s Japanese Cookbook for Beginners: Classic and Modern Recipes Made Easy. Azusa’s recipes are refreshingly simple, and her take on chicken wings offers a healthier twist by baking them instead of frying. But since Azusa didn’t include a sauce for the wings, I decided to mash up her recipe with one of David Chang’s because his sauce is just too good to resist.

This recipe was adapted from David Chang’s Momofuku Cookbook and inspired by Azusa Oda’s Japanese “Fried” Chicken.

Robin Ward

Japanese “Fried” Chicken – Momofuku Style

Whip up some chicken with a bold and flavorful sauce that’s bursting with garlic, ginger, chili pepper, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. It’s the perfect go-to for a quick, satisfying weeknight meal!

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: #mainmeal, Appetizer

Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the chicken:

• 3 lbs chicken wings (flats/drumettes)

For the sauce:

• 6 cloves garlic, minced (2 Tbsp)
• 1 knob ginger, minced (1 inch, 2.5cm, 2 Tbsp)
• ¼ tsp chili pepper (fresh, finely chopped)
• ¼ cup rice vinegar 9unseasoned) (4 Tbsp)
• ¼ cup soy sauce (4 Tbsp)
• 2 Tbsp neutral oil (I used avocado oil)
• ¼ tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1½ Tbsp sugar
• freshly ground black pepper

Equipment

• 1 sheet pan

Method

 

1. Gather all the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 550°F (288°C). While the oven heats, line a baking pan with aluminum foil for easy cleanup and lightly spray a wire rack with oil. Place the chicken wings skin side down on the prepared wire rack. Once the oven reaches temperature, position the baking sheet on the middle rack and cook for 10 minutes. Keep a close eye on the chicken to avoid burning. If your oven runs hot or is smaller, consider broiling at 500°F (260°C) or lowering the rack.
2. While the chicken wings are in the oven, combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil, stirring once in a while, and turn off the heat.
3. Once the wings are cooked, transfer them to a large bowl. Pour some or all of the sauce over the wings and toss them until they are evenly coated. Serve the wings on a plate or in a large bowl. If you have any extra sauce, use it as a dipping sauce.

Notes

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for a month.

The side dish recipes are (slightly adapted) from Just One Cookbook Japanese cooking blog created by Namiko Hirasawa Chen with a focus on authentic and modern Japanese recipes. It’s a gem of a site to explore further Japanese recipes. The Hambagu recipe has already caught my interest!

Click here for Takikomi Gohan pronunciation.

Robin Ward

Sweet Onion Takikomi Gohan

This Sweet Onion Takikomi Gohan is a flavor-packed rice dish where caramelized sweet onions meet the umami-rich duo of soy sauce and mirin. It's a versatile, aromatic rice that can elevate any meal with its savory goodness.

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Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: #sidedish

Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1½ cups uncooked Japanese medium-grain white rice (300 grams) (I used Nishiki brand found at my local grocery.) (Long grain rice such as jasmine rice can be used. The result will be drier.)
• ½ sweet onion
• 2 tsp neutral oil (I used avocado oil)
• 2 Tbsp mirin
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• ⅛ tsp kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp parsley or green onion to garnish (optional)

Equipment

• rice cooker or saucepan

Method

 

1. Gather all the ingredients. Use a kitchen scale to measure rice if you have one.
2. Rinse uncooked rice until the water is almost clear. Soak in water for 20-30 minutes. Drain well in a fine-mesh sieve for 10 minutes.
3. Thinly slice ½ a sweet onion. I cut the onion against the grain, so the slices keep their shape and texture after they're cooked.
4. In a frying pan heat 2 tsp neutral oil over medium heat. Add the onion and ⅛ tsp kosher salt and sauté the onion slices until they are tender. Add 2 Tbsp mirin and 1 Tbsp soy sauce. Continue to sauté until the sauce is thickened.
5. Add the drained rice into the inner pot of a rice cooker and pour in the sauteed onion, including the sauce. Add the water up the 2 cup line on the inner pot. Press Start to cook. If you have a "Mixed Rice" option, use it. (see notes below)
6. When the rice is finished cooking chop some parsley or green onion into small pieces and fluff up the rice with a rice paddle. Serve the rice and garnish.

Notes

I’ve been using the Aroma Rice Cooker weekly for years, and it’s a budget-friendly option that consistently delivers perfect rice with no fuss. It’s an excellent hands-free solution, and I highly recommend it.

 

How to Cook the Japanese Rice on the Stove:

After 20-30 minutes of soaking, we’re now ready to cook the rice!

Cover the pot with the lid, leaving a small gap, and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Take a quick peek to see if the water is boiling.
Once the water is boiling, turn the heat to low and cook, covered, for 12–13 minutes.
When it’s done cooking, open the lid and take a quick peek to check if the water is completely absorbed. If there’s water left, close the lid and cook for a little longer.
Remove from the stove and let it steam with the lid on for another 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, uncover the pot and fluff the rice with a rice paddle. It‘s now ready to serve.

 

You can Keep the leftovers in a airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for a month.

 

**Regular or Mixed Rice setting on a rice cooker: The main difference is that mixed rice setting will create a slightly charred rice called “Okage” on the bottom of the rice cooker. Takikomi Gohan (mixed rice) always has slightly charred rice from soy sauce in the seasoning, and many people enjoy the slightly charred rice.  

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Robin Ward

Japanese Pickled Cucumbers

With just a few simple ingredients, these crunchy and refreshing Japanese Pickled Cucumbers add a burst of tangy flavor to any meal. Easy to make and a delightful palate cleanser.

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Servings: 4

Course: #sidedish

Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 (10 g) tsp kosher salt
• 3 (30 g) Tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp Japanese karashi hot mustard (or substitute with Colman's English mustard similar to Japanese mustard) (optional)
• 3 (261g) Japanese or Persian cucumbers

Method

 

1. Combine salt, sugar, and mustard (if using) in a resealable plastic storage bag and mix well together.
2. Cut of ½ inch from the ends of the cucumber. Rub them together on the ends to get rid of the bitter taste.
3. Put the cucumbers in the bag, squeeze out the air, and sel the bag thghtly. Rub the cucumbers well with the mixture. Pickle for a few hours (my preferred taste) or up to 1-2 days in the refrigerator.
4. When the cucumbers are ready, discard the liquid and slice the cucumber before serving. Store the cucumbers in the refrigerator and consume within 2-3 days after removing from the pickling solution.

Notes

Here are a few ideas to jazz up your Japanese Pickled Cucumbers:

1. Add Some Heat: Incorporate a bit of chili crisp or sliced fresh chili peppers for a spicy kick.
2. Aromatic Twist: Add a few slices of fresh ginger or a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds for extra flavor.
3. Citrus Zing: Adding a bit of lemon zest can add a refreshing citrus note.

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