Chicken Soboro is a popular rice topping and a staple ingredient in rice bowls and onigiri (rice balls). Its sweet and savory flavor is loved by people of all ages in Japan, from children to adults.
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What is Chicken Soboro?
Chicken Soboro is a dish made by cooking ground chicken with sweet and savory seasonings, such as sugar and soy sauce. "Soboro" refers to ground meat, fish, or eggs that have been simmered or stir-fried until finely crumbled. It pairs well with rice and is excellent as a side dish to keep on hand. It is also commonly used as an ingredient in stir-fries and simmered dishes.
You can easily make it by putting the ingredients in a pot and cooking them together. The crumbly texture of the ground chicken, combined with the sweet and savory seasonings, makes for an appetizing dish.
Best chicken cut for ground meat
The flavor of this dish varies depending on the cut of chicken used for the ground meat. There are many different cuts of chicken; it is recommended to use thigh meat, as it results in a juicy and tender texture.
You can also use breast meat, but it tends to be drier due to its lower fat content. Since there is a significant difference between thigh and breast meat, it is better to choose thigh meat if possible.
Substituting chicken with beef or pork
By using ground beef or pork instead of ground chicken, you can also make 'beef soboro' or 'pork soboro.' Both options are recommended as they offer different flavors compared to ground chicken. When using these ground meats, please note that the recommended cuts vary. For chicken, thigh meat is suitable, while for beef and pork, leaner cuts are recommended due to their higher fat content.
Additionally, it is advisable to blanch beef or pork before cooking. This step helps remove any excess fat and distinctive odors from the meat.
Adjusting the flavor
Soboro is typically seasoned a bit strongly to pair with rice. I have seasoned it this way in the recipe as well, so if you plan to enjoy this dish on its own, feel free to adjust the seasoning to suit your taste. If you want to modify the sweetness, you can adjust the amount of sugar; if you want to alter the saltiness, you can adjust the amount of soy sauce.
📋Step-by-step recipe
Ingredients
- 0.17 oz ginger
- 0.44 lb ground chicken thighs
- 2 Tbsp sake
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 ½ Tbsp soy sauce
Instructions
🕒 Total: 10 mins
Step 1
Peel and grate ginger. Mix the grated ginger, ground chicken, and sake in a pot.
Step 2
Heat the pot over medium heat and cook the mixture, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
Step 3
Once the ground chicken is no longer pink, add sugar and soy sauce. Simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
To Store
You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Tips on how to make
- Ground chicken should be cooked over medium heat or lower. Cooking it over high heat can cause the meat to become tough.
- Keep stirring the ground chicken until it is cooked through. This will prevent it from becoming lumpy and losing its texture.
Recipe card
Chicken Soboro (Sweet and Savory Ground Chicken)
Ingredients
- 0.17 oz ginger
- 0.44 lb ground chicken thighs
- 2 Tbsp sake
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 ½ Tbsp soy sauce
Instructions
- Peel and grate ginger. Mix the grated ginger, ground chicken, and sake in a pot.
- Heat the pot over medium heat and cook the mixture, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
- Once the ground chicken is no longer pink, add sugar and soy sauce. Simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Notes
- You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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