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    Home » Chicken

    Hibachi Chicken (Quick & Easy!)

    Published on Jul 6, 2020 · Modified on Jul 20, 2020 by Kathryn - Leave a comment · 6 Comments

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    This easy Hibachi Chicken recipe is fast and something the whole family will love. It's a perfect meal served with hibachi vegetables and steamed or fried rice!

    A large part of my childhood food memories of Athens, Ga revolve around fast-casual Japanese hibachi-style places like Inoko Hibachi Express. When we wanted to get really fancy, my family and friends would hit up the regular Inoko (the fancy, sit-down place) across from Beechwood shopping center. There, we celebrated countless birthdays ooing and ahhing at the chef's knife skills and ability to cook anything over the teppanyaki grill.

    Later in college, I continued eating at these restaurants. Not only was it so delicious -- with the combination of salty and sweet flavors -- but it was perfect for a college student's budget. $5 for a plate that would last you for two meals? Yes, please.

    Hibachi At Home

    This recipe aims to recreate this very Americanized version of hibachi cooking but in your own kitchen without any special equipment. There's a very simple sauce that is both salty and sweet that coats the chicken but isn't very "saucy" like it is in these fast-casual restaurants. This is where you can whip up a very similar sauce (frequently called yum yum sauce) as they do in these types of restaurants. More on the history below!

    close up angle of bowl of hibachi chicken in white bowl with plate of vegetables in background

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    What is Hibachi Chicken?

    I don't own an authentic hibachi grill. In fact, I don't even own a charcoal grill, so this is my attempt to recreate the chicken that's usually cooked over an open flame in your own kitchen. My limited experience with Japanese cooking (and I mean really limited) is this very Americanized hibachi style chicken found at a Japanese steakhouse like Benihana or Inoko Express.

    Ingredients You'll Need

    • chicken breasts (or any cut of chicken you have)
    • olive oil
    • sesame oil
    • unsalted butter
    • soy sauce low-sodium
    • honey
    • hoisin sauce
    • black pepper
    • sesame seeds optional for topping
    overhead shot of chicken breasts on black cutting board

    Great for Meal Prep

    I know we're all not leaving our homes for the next 40 years, BUT meal prepping is still important to

    • keep your sanity by not having to cook a new meal every single night
    • save money
    • create less food waste

    This hibachi chicken is a great meal to make a double-batch of on a Sunday and have it last for lunches all week or for a couple of family dinners.

    How to Make Hibachi Chicken

    It's going to be really simple. Here are some step-by-step directions:

    First, bring a non-stick skillet to medium-high heat.

    You'll need olive oil and a touch of sesame seed oil. if you don't have sesame oil, no worries. Add a bit more olive oil.

    Next, cook chicken in sizzling pan until browned and cooked through.

    You'll know when the pan is ready because a drop of water will sizzle in the pan. Success! Cook chicken in two batches, transferring the cooked chicken to a separate plate.

    Once all of the chicken is cooked through, add the other batch back to the pan.

    close up picture of chicken cooking in a cast iron skillet with red spatula

    Finally, toss the chicken with the sauce.

    Give it a good stir for about a minute to make sure the sauce gets warmed up. Then finish off the whole dish by adding a tiny bit of butter. This makes the sauce creamy and oh so delicious. Don't skip this step!

    Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice with hibachi vegetables!

    aerial shot of bowl of sauce with bowls of both vegetables and garlic in the background

    3 Tips for Making Hibachi Chicken

    1. Cook the chicken in two batches. You don't want to crowd the pan. Crowding the pan creates lots of liquid, which never allows the chicken to get crispy and browned.
    2. Cook on medium-high heat. Wait until the pan is very hot (a drop of water dropped on the pan should start to sizzle...that's when you know it's ready). Don't turn or move the chicken until it's nicely browned. If you keep stirring, the chicken won't sear.
    3. Add butter at the very end. This really finishes the dish and creates this buttery smooth coating on the chicken. It's dreamy.
    flat lay of large non-stick skillet with hibachi chicken with red spatula in chicken

    Hibachi Chicken and Vegetables

    Hibachi chicken and vegetables are two foods that go together like peanut butter and jelly. If you want to add hibachi vegetables to your meal, just cook the chicken, place on a separate plate and cook the vegetables the same way. Double the sauce recipe and toss the sauce in both the vegetables and chicken. Stir until warm and you're done!

    The History of Hibachi

    I think it's important to recognize the origins of food, especially if it's not a type of food from your own culture (and certainly I don't claim hibachi-style chicken to be in my cultural wheelhouse). The history is really fascinating though.

    Hibachi style cooking came to America from the Japanese after World War 2 after affluent Americans brought back this casual way of cooking to their own patios and back yards. These affluent Americans didn't have the kind of outdoor space for the Japanese's large outdoor grills, so the backyard grills became smaller and smaller in the 1980s and 90s only to get bigger and bigger as their popularity grew.

    When you go to a Japanese steakhouse that's cooking in front of you on a large griddle, this isn't actually hibachi -- it's technically teppanyaki cooking...which is made all the more confusing because most of these fast-casual Japanese-American places have "hibachi" somewhere in their name.

    Homemade Yum Yum Sauce (or Sakura Sauce)

    If you have been following my recipes, you know I can't do mayonnaise (except in my husband's crab cakes). HOWEVER, I love the sauce that comes from hibachi-style restaurants (or "yellow sauce" if you're from Athens and grew up eating Inoko Express).

    These sauces that are more yellow (as opposed to this one that's slightly pink) comes from Japanese mayonnaise, which uses only egg yolks instead of the whole egg like in Hellman's or Duke's. You can buy Japanese mayo online though if you're interested.

    To make yum yum sauce, whisk the following ingredients into a small bowl:

    • 1 cup mayonnaise
    • 2 tablespoon ketchup
    • 2 teaspoons paprika (regular, not smoked)
    • 2 teaspoons rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 Tablespoon water
    overhead shot of hibachi chicken in white bowl with sesame seeds on top and a plate of stir fry vegetables with rice on the side.

    Other Quick Chicken Meals

    • Crunchy Parmesan Chicken Tenders
    • One Skillet Lemon Orzo Chicken
    • Baked Chicken Burgers with Bell Peppers
    • Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

    xox,

    kathryn

    As always, if you make anything from the blog, be sure to let me know! I love hearing from you in the comments on this post below or find Worn Slap Out on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

    Easy Hibachi Chicken

    This easy Hibachi Chicken recipe is fast and something the whole family will love. It's a perfect meal served with hibachi vegetables and rice!
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound chicken breasts, cut into ½" pieces
    • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
    • 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

    For the sauce:

    • 3 Tablespoons soy sauce low-sodium
    • 1 Tablespoon honey
    • 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • sesame seeds optional for topping

    Instructions

    • In a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add sesame oil and olive oil. Heat until very hot.
    • While pan is heating, make the sauce by whisking soy sauce, honey, hoisin, and black pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
    • Add chicken to skillet in two different batches, adding more olive oil and sesame oil for the second batch if needed. Cook chicken until browned and cooked all the way through (about 4 minutes per side).
    • Toss in sauce until the chicken is completely coated and warmed up, about one minute. Serve hot topped with sesame seeds over steamed rice

    Notes

    To make homemade yum yum sauce, whisk
    • 1 cup mayonnaise
    • 2 tablespoon ketchup
    • 2 teaspoons paprika (regular, not smoked)
    • 2 teaspoons rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 Tablespoon water
    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  The chicken will last 4-5 days in the refrigerator.  This is a great meal to make in advance. 
    Tried this recipe?Mention @wornslapout or tag #wornslapout!

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    Comments

      5 from 6 votes (1 rating without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Katie says

      August 07, 2020 at 11:36 am

      5 stars
      Looks delicious! Can't wait to try this with my family. I know they'd go crazy!

      Reply
    2. Shadi Hasanzadenemati says

      August 07, 2020 at 11:38 am

      5 stars
      So delicious! Thank you for this amazing recipe!

      Reply
    3. Gail Montero says

      August 07, 2020 at 12:23 pm

      5 stars
      It's been so long since I've been to a hibachi restaurant but so thankful for this easy and tasty way on how to make it at home! Love it!

      Reply
    4. Alison says

      August 07, 2020 at 1:15 pm

      5 stars
      Love the hibachi flavor. It pairs nicely with steamed veggies and rice!

      Reply
    5. Soniya says

      August 07, 2020 at 1:51 pm

      I love quick and easy meals and this recipe check Marks all the need. Definitely making it this weekend

      Reply
    6. Toni says

      August 07, 2020 at 2:10 pm

      5 stars
      I remember my parents having an hibachi when I was a child, This makes me want to go buy one myself! BUT I'm so glad I don't need one to make this delicious chicken. And your method let's me make it all year long (no hibachi'ing in the snow).

      Reply
    picture of kathryn, owner of worn slap out food blog.

    Hi, I'm Kathryn!

    Welcome to Worn Slap Out, a Southern-inspired recipe corner for busy people on the go. As a mom of two littles who also loves food, I need meals on the table ASAP but I also want to eat well. Here, you'll find quick, easy, and reasonably healthy meals you can make in a flash. Other loves include Georgia football, cake of all kinds, and elastic waistbands.


    More about me →

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