Chicken Teriyaki Bento Box Recipe

Why This Recipe Works?

Chicken breast meat works better for bento because it does not get tough when served at room temperature. Cutting the breast meat against the grain and marinating it with ginger provides mechanical and enzymatic tenderization benefits. The potato starch in the marinade helps lock in the juices while allowing the teriyaki glaze to adhere to the chicken. Packing the bento with a variety of colors not only makes it look nice but also ensures you get a wide variety of nutrients.

Ingredients

Chicken Breast - I generally advocate for using chicken thigh meat for teriyaki, but bento are eaten at room temperature, and skinless boneless chicken breast is ideal for packing into bento boxes because it remains tender even when cooled. You could also pack this same bento using my tender and juicy Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs. Sake - This Japanese rice wine adds a subtle sweetness and depth to the teriyaki sauce and the marinade. Sake naturally contains a high concentration of amino acids such as glutamate, which gives the teriyaki the taste of umami. The alcohol burns off as you cook it, but if you’re concerned, you can substitute water with a pinch of MSG to add to the umami taste. Some sites suggest using rice vinegar as a substitute, but this is a terrible idea as teriyaki sauce should not be sour. Ginger - Beyond adding a fresh, zesty kick, ginger also contains an proteolytic enzyme called zingibain, which helps tenderize the meat. Salt - A small amount of salt in the marinade helps ensure the chicken is seasoned to its core. Potato Starch - Adding starch to the marinade helps seal the chicken juices into the meat, ensuring it stays moist. It also allows the teriyaki sauce stick to the chicken’s surface. You can substitute tapioca starch or corn starch in a pinch. Soy Sauce - Traditional teriyaki sauce is made with just a few basic ingredients: soy sauce, sake, sugar, and sometimes mirin. The soy sauce provides the salty component of this homemade sauce. Tamari can be substituted for a gluten-free option. Sugar - Balances the saltiness of the soy sauce, adding a necessary sweetness that’s a defining feature of teriyaki sauce. I like using evaporated cane sugar (a.k.a. raw cane sugar) but brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup will work. Rice—Sticky and slightly sweet, Japanese short-grain rice perfectly complements this teriyaki chicken bento. To make your lunch box more nutritious, you can substitute brown rice for white rice. Side Dishes - Low moisture salads such as potato salad or kinpira gobo make great side dishes for bentos. Egg dishes like boiled eggs or tamagoyaki are another great option. If you plan to make bento a part of your lunch routine, the key is to keep your fridge stocked with a few leftover dishes from the night before. I usually like to add at least two colorful side dishes or simple salads in addition to the main dish and rice. You can check out a list of popular bento dishes for quick side dish ideas. Leafy Greens - Leafy greens such as various kinds of lettuce, cabbage, kale, and chicory make for great edible partitions for your bento box, allowing you to keep each dish separate while adding a pop of color. Garnishes - Colorful fresh vegetables, such as cherry tomatoes, crunchy sugar snap peas, or carrots cut into the shape of flowers, can make great garnishes. For my teriyaki chicken bento, I used umeboshi (pickled plums) and toasted sesame seeds.

How to Cut Chicken Breast

Because teriyaki chicken bento is eaten at room temperature, how you slice the chicken makes a big difference in its tenderness. Breast meat is composed of long muscle fibers that can become tough as the meat cools. When you cut chicken breast “against the grain,” you slice through these fibers, shortening them. Shorter fibers are easier to chew, leading to a more tender bite.

How to Make Teriyaki Chicken Breast

Add the chicken meat to a bowl with the sake, grated ginger, and salt. Mix to combine. Add the potato starch to the seasoned chicken and work it in to distribute evenly. For the teriyaki sauce, stir the soy sauce, sake, and sugar together until the sugar is completely dissolved. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. Lay the chicken pieces in a single layer, starting with the larger pieces and working from one side of the pan to the other. By the time you’re done adding the chicken, the bigger pieces should be ready to flip, so start turning them over. When the chicken is nearly cooked, use a paper towel to soak up any excess oil in the pan, and then pour the teriyaki sauce ingredients into the pan. Repeatedly flip the teriyaki chicken over to coat it with the sauce.

What is a Bento Box?

A bento box is a traditional Japanese lunch box that holds a variety of colorful dishes in a reusable container. Traditional bento boxes typically don’t have separate dish compartments and can be made from various materials, including wood, lacquerware, metal, or plastic. If you don’t have a bento box, you can use relatively flat plastic containers with lids. I generally don’t recommend using glass containers because they are heavy and fragile.