Baked Teriyaki Chicken

Baked Teriyaki Chicken

September: National Chicken Month

Islander and her college roommate, Monica C., from Taiwan used to cook together when the cafeteria was closed during the university holidays. With limited resources in the dorm kitchen, they could only make simple meals. Baked teriyaki chicken was their “go-to dish” as it was delicious to eat with the plain white rice that was cooked in their shared steamer—and it was easy to prepare for inexperienced chefs!

Several years have passed since graduation but Islander still bakes teriyaki chicken when she is lazy or tired but hungry for something substantial (and nostalgic). The source of the recipe is not known but it reminds Islander of her college cooking days with her roommate with whom she still keeps in touch.

 For National Chicken Month, make mealtime memorable with baked teriyaki chicken.

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 6-8 chicken thighs
  • ½ cup pineapple juice
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup vinegar
  • 1-inch piece of ginger, crushed
  • sesame seeds
  • green onion, chopped (optional garnish)

Directions

In a foil-lined pan, arrange the chicken thighs. In a saucepan, combine the pineapple juice, corn starch, sugar, garlic, black pepper, soy suace, vinegar and ginger. Whisk until mixed well. Stir over medium high heat until thickened.

Baked Teriyaki Chicken

Pour the sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven, reserving some of the sauce to serve with the chicken. Garnish with green onions.

Baked Teriyaki Chicken

Notes

  • When Islander and Monica C. did not have access to a stove top (like when other dorm residents were using it), they improvised and just microwaved the teriyaki sauce ingredients until thickened (about 3-5 minutes) then poured it over the chicken before baking.
  • Search our blog for other chicken recipes.

Honey Orange Glazed Chicken

Honey Orange Glazed Chicken

September:
National Honey Month and National Poultry/Chicken Month

Make a boring baked chicken better by glazing it with a “finger-licking good” honey-orange sauce. This is an extremely easy recipe that we used as newlyweds with limited culinary skills and kitchen tools. We still make this main dish when we do not have much energy to prepare an elaborate meal. Have some Honey Orange Glazed Chicken during National Honey Month and National Poultry/Chicken Month.

Recipe

(Adapted from Tasty Bird)

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken leg quarters, 4 thighs or 4 wings
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • ¾ teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¼ cup orange juice
  • thinly sliced oranges (optional)

Directions

Wash and pat dry the chicken parts. Season with salt and pepper. Place on a lightly foil-lined shallow baking pan, skin side up. Bake at 400 degrees F in a preheated oven or until partially cooked through and the skin is browned (about 20-30 minutes). Drain any juices. Meanwhile, make the honey orange glaze. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, mustard, soy sauce, honey and orange juice. Mix until well combined.

Honey Orange Glazed Chicken

Pour the glaze over the chicken. Continue baking for another 10 minutes until the glaze has thickened. Bake for another 10 minutes, spooning the glaze over the chicken. Remove from the oven. Garnish with a thin twist of an orange slice (optional) and serve hot.

Honey Orange Glazed Chicken

Marsala Chicken

Marsala Chicken

September: National Chicken Month

Islander was gifted with an apron that stated: “I like to cook with wine! (Sometimes I even add it to the food.)” Ironically, she does not like to drink wine but she sure likes to cook with it! So when she was gifted with a sweet Italian wine, Marsala, she tried it in a tiramisu recipe and loved it! When she ran out of Marsala, Highlander went to buy another bottle for her. On the back of the Gran Chef brand was the recipe for Marsala chicken. It is surprisingly simple to cook and features the full flavor of the wine. Anyone who likes to cook with wine (and sometimes add it to their food) really ought to try and make Marsala chicken for National Chicken Month.

Marsala Chicken

Recipe

(Adapted from Gran Chef)

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breasts/cutlets, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ cup onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ – 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
  • ½ cup Marsala wine
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream
  • cooked fettucine, spaghetti or other pasta

Directions

Brown both sides of the chicken breasts in olive oil until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper. Saute the onion, garlic and mushrooms for about a minute. Stir in the Marsala wine and let it simmer for another minute.

Marsala Chicken

Add the cream and cook for 2-3 minutes. Place the chicken on top of the cooked pasta. Spoon the mushroom sauce over the chicken. Garnish with Italian parsley (optional).

Marsala Chicken

Notes

  • Some versions of this Marsala chicken recipe call for dredging the cutlets in seasoned flour. After they are fried in olive oil, the cutlets are set aside and the other ingredients are added to the same pan to make a gravy.
  • For something similar, check out our Champagne chicken recipe that we posted on National Champagne Day (December 31) to celebrate New Year’s Eve.
  • More Marsala may be used in tiramisu! See our blog recipe for tiramisu in October, which is National Dessert Month.
  • Thanks to Olga W. for the apron that inspired this post. And thanks to Lisa L. for our first bottle of Marsala wine that she sent from Sicily, Italy.