I found some chicken breasts in the fridge. I suppose I must have bought them on a whim, but chicken breasts can end up being very dry and difficult, and I tend to regret buying them.

But don’t worry! With a little help from some shio koji you can make a surprisingly juicy main dish from them.

Shio koji helps to break down the starch and protein in foods and convert it into sweetness, and umami. And it will make even the  toughest meat soft and juicy. Plus, it gives the cooked meat a delicious-looking, rich colour too!

Mix in miso for richness, and a touch of balsamic vinegar to add a tart edge, and you end up with a fabulously satisfying dish!

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Ingredients

• 4 Chicken Breasts
• 8 Mushrooms
• 1 clove garlic
• 4 tablespoons shio koji
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons brown miso
• salad oil
• black pepper
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• olive oil

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1. Rub shio koji into the chicken breasts and leave to stand for 30 mins to an hour. (If the meat is very thick, make shallow cuts and spread the chicken breast to make it thinner.)

2. Fry the sliced garlic in salad oil in a frying pan until you can smell the aroma, and then place the chicken breasts with the garlic in the pan. Quickly brown both sides of the chicken, then add the mushrooms and white wine, and black pepper to taste, then cover the pan with a lid and continue steam-frying the chicken on a low heat.

3. When the chicken meat has cooked through, dissolve the miso into the sauce, and add a dash of balsamic vinegar.

4. Arrange the chicken on a plate, pour just a touch of olive oil over it. If you want, you can add a pinch of your favourite herb as a garnish, too.