When I ordered Hibachi Chicken, it was amazing! The chicken was so tender and flavorful, cooked perfectly on the grill. It came with tasty vegetables and rice, making it a complete and satisfying meal. Now, I’m excited to share my own version of hibachi chicken with you here on GypsyPlate. Hibachi dinners sure create good fun memories. How about creating that same Hibachi experience in your own home for your friends and family? You won’t need that huge flat hot grill for sure. Hibachi meals are simple, super delicious and happen in a flash. I will tell you all the tips and tricks to make a cracking Hibachi style meal. Here, I quickly sear the bite-sized chicken over high heat. I love how just two ingredients, butter and soy sauce, create such big flavors. It’s pretty remarkable! Then, I serve up the Hibachi Chicken just like you’d get in a restaurant, complete with Hibachi-style sautéed veggies and flavorful Hibachi fried rice, with a good dunking in their famous Yum Yum Sauce. My usual stir fries like Chicken Stir Fry, Kung Pao Chicken, and Beijing Beef have lots of sauces and flavor enhancers. Not this Hibachi style chicken. It won’t need it.
What is Hibachi Chicken?
Hibachi is an ancient Japanese cooking appliance, and the food prepared using Hibachi is called Japanese Hibachi food. Hibachi is a Japanese word where “hi” means fire and “bachi” means a bowl. So Hibachi, aka “fire bowl”, is basically a traditional Japanese open-grate cast iron barbecue grill. With this cooking technique, everything happens quick, in a flash like quick stir fries, due to the high heat cooking method on a hot sizzling grill. In North America, the term “Hibachi” is known for fancy dinners with a show in Japanese steakhouse restaurants like Benihana and Kobe. It’s very similar to Teppanyaki Japanese restaurants, where the chef prepares delicious food right in front of you with fresh meats and vegetables. With very little condiments and spices, and using high searing temperatures, Hibachi flawlessly cooks chicken, shrimp, steak, scallops and vegetables using less fat. Today’s Hibachi chicken is simply a dish of diced chicken, cooked Hibachi style with butter and soy, and sears fast on high heat. It’s usually accompanies by sautéed vegetables and fried rice, and served with yum yum or mustard sauce. You won’t need any fancy Hibachi grill for this chicken stir fry dish. Any wide skillet, preferably a wider cast iron pan or even a good wok work perfectly. A Blackstone griddle is another great tool in your kitchen to cook Hibachi Chicken and veggies.
Ingredients Needed
I am making making this meal with all of the components that come with a Hibachi chicken dinner at the restaurant. Your would need following ingredients to make this restaurant style meal.
Hibachi Chicken
Chicken – I typically go for chicken breast or boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. However, restaurants usually use chicken breast. Cut it into bite size pieces. Butter – Butter is what makes it hugely special. The flavors would be totally different without it. It gives a big “oomph” compared to oil. Garlic – Great flavor booster. Soy Sauce – Most authentic recipes out of Japanese restaurants use only soy sauce, skipping the other complex flavors. Pepper – Just a dash to join the buttery, garlicky, soy flavor.
Hibachi Vegetables
Veggies – Onion, zucchini, carrot, and mushrooms. You can swap them with any of your favorite stir fry veggies. Butter – Again, a must for Japanese style stir fries. Soy sauce – Only sauce we are using. Pepper
Hibachi Fried Rice
Butter Veggies – Carrot, peas, corn (optional). Aromatics – Ginger and garlic. Rice – I always use cold leftover rice when making fried rice. Flavor enhancers – Soy sauce and a dash of sesame oil. For scrambled eggs in fried rice – Eggs and a dash of salt.
Yum Yum Sauce
Mayonnaise – I use Dukes, but any of your favorite good quality mayo will do. Tomato Paste – It lends to the pink color. Melted butter – It makes the sauce extra special. Rice vinegar – For a little tang. Honey – For a hint of sweetness. Paprika – Regular, not smoked. Garlic Powder – Just a hint. Water – To make the sauce less thick.
How to Make Hibachi Chicken Dinner
Hibachi Vegetables: In the same skillet, I melt butter and sauté cut veggies till they start to soften a bit. Next I add in soy sauce and pepper, and cook till veggies are cooked, leaving them on little crunchier side, then plate them out. Hibachi Fried Rice: In the same skillet, I melt some butter and toss in the carrots, peas, and corn. I sauté them over high heat for about 3-4 minutes until they’re nice and tender. Then, I add in the chopped ginger and garlic and sauté for another minute to release their flavors. Next, I add the rice along with soy sauce and sesame oil, and stir-fry everything together until the rice is well coated with the sauce and the veggies are evenly mixed in. I create a well in the center of the skillet, pushing the rice towards the edges, and scramble an egg in the well with a little salt. Finally, I mix the scrambled egg into the rice, making sure it’s well mixed with the rice. Yum yum sauce: I mix all sauce ingredients together and whisk until well combined. That’s it. I serve Hibachi chicken with sautéed veggies, fried rice and yum yum sauce.
Alpana’s Tips
- To make restaurant quality Hibachi chicken, I always cook it on high heat. This allows quick flash cooking with a good sear to the meat. A large cast iron skillet is ideal to cook Hibachi style recipes. A Blackstone griddle is a big bonus to cook Hibachi style. If cooking in a smaller skillet or pan, cook in batches so as not to over crowd, which can steam the meat and create liquids instead of giving a good sear.
- My secret to bringing out those hibachi flavors? Butter. It’s the key ingredient that makes every bite taste absolutely delicious.
- Don’t skip the Yum Yum sauce. Every Japanese steak house serves Hibachi chicken, or any of their meats, with this creamy, tangy, spicy sweet sauce. It’s super easy to make yum yum sauce with regular pantry staple ingredients.
- Use substitutions for chicken breast. Boneless skinless thighs will work beautifully with this recipe. Try other proteins like steak, shrimp or scallops hibachi style! Broccoli, snow peas, baby corn and bell peppers are great as stir frying veggies.
- I always use cold leftover rice to make fried rice, as freshly cooked rice will result in mushy fried rice. When I don’t have any leftover rice, I make a fresh batch and spread it out on a baking sheet. Then, I cover it with plastic wrap and pop it in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes until it’s nicely chilled. Alternatively, you can also just leave it in the refrigerator for a few hours to cool down. Make this super simple Hibachi experience in your very own kitchen. Sometimes you don’t need a whole show to create magic. Just simple, delicious flavors in a matter of minutes. Save money and create this Benihana Copycat Chicken Recipe for your family tonight!
Hibachi Chicken, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
Try these other great Japanese Recipes!Teriyaki BowlsTonkatsuJapanese Beef CurryTeriyaki SkewersKatsudonKatsu Curry Leftovers: Hibachi chicken, along with fried rice and sautéed veggies, is a great meal prep option, as it refrigerates and freezes very well. Store everything in airtight containers and refrigerate. Eat within 4-5 days. This would freeze great up to 3 months. Simply thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat it on stove top, or microwave until heated through.
