24 October 2026

Chicken Shigureni (Japanese Ginger Soy Chicken)

Name: Chicken Shigureni (Japanese Ginger Soy Chicken)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 500 g chicken breast (boneless and skinless, cut into thin slices across the grain); 15 ml light soy sauce; 15 ml rice wine (Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry); 1.25 ml baking soda; 60 ml mirin (primary option; see the dry white wine alternative below); 45 ml soy sauce; 15 g sugar (use 10 g more if using the white wine alternative); 60 ml water; 35 g fresh ginger (peeled and cut into fine matchsticks)

RecipeShare Test Kitchen

Tender sliced chicken breast simmered with fresh ginger, mirin, and soy sauce until glazed, savoury, and ready to serve with rice.

Prep time

20 min

Cook time

15 min

Total time

35 min

Servings

Recipe Snapshot

DifficultyMedium

MealLunch / Dinner

Meal PrepExcellent

Family FriendlyYes

CuisineJapanese

Chef's Tips

Chill the chicken breast for 15 minutes before slicing. A firmer surface is easier to cut into thin, even pieces.
Keep the baking-soda marinade short. Ten to fifteen minutes is enough to tenderise chicken breast without making the surface spongy.
Pat off excess marinade before the chicken goes into the sauce. This keeps the seasoning balanced and prevents too much liquid from diluting the glaze.
Add the chicken gradually and separate it immediately. This prevents the slices from clumping and helps them cook evenly.
Serve the concentrated chicken with steamed rice and a green vegetable, such as broccoli, spinach, or green beans, for a balanced meal.

Tools Used

Medium Saucepan Mixing Bowl Knife Chopping Board

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Ingredients

Servings

4 servings1×

Scale

Ingredient amounts update instantly.

Velveting Marinade

500 g chicken breast - boneless and skinless, cut into thin slices across the grain
15 ml light soy sauce
15 ml rice wine - Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
1.3 ml baking soda

Mirin Ginger Soy Sauce

60 ml mirin - primary option; see the dry white wine alternative below
45 ml soy sauce
15 g sugar - use 10 g more if using the white wine alternative
60 ml water
35 g fresh ginger - peeled and cut into fine matchsticks

Instructions

Slice and Velvet the Chicken

1
Chill the chicken breast for 15 minutes, then slice it thinly across the grain. Toss it with the light soy sauce, rice wine, and baking soda.
2
Leave the chicken to marinate for 10 to 15 minutes while you prepare the sauce. Pat away excess liquid before cooking.

Prepare the Ginger Soy Sauce

1
Peel the ginger and cut it into fine matchsticks. Add it to a medium saucepan with the mirin, soy sauce, sugar, and water.
2
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring once to dissolve the sugar.

Simmer the Chicken

1
Add the chicken in small handfuls, separating each slice with cooking chopsticks or tongs as it enters the sauce. Let the liquid return to a gentle simmer between additions if needed.
2
Skim off any foam. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally, until it is opaque and cooked through.

Reduce and Serve

1
Continue cooking uncovered for 1 to 3 minutes, stirring gently, until the sauce has reduced to a glossy coating. The chicken should reach 75°C in the thickest pieces. Leave a little sauce in the pan rather than reducing it completely dry.
2
Remove from the heat and rest for 5 minutes. Serve over steamed rice with a green vegetable, or cool and refrigerate for later.

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Everything you want to know about this recipe.

Chicken Shigureni

Chicken shigureni is a simple Japanese-style dish of thinly sliced chicken simmered with fresh ginger and a sweet-savoury soy seasoning. This version uses chicken breast and a short velveting marinade, so the meat stays tender even though it is sliced thinly and cooked in a reducing sauce.

The finished chicken is concentrated and glossy rather than brothy. Serve it over steamed rice with a green vegetable, or use it as a topping for noodles and packed lunches.

Why the Velveting Method Helps

Chicken breast can become firm when it is sliced and simmered. A small amount of baking soda briefly changes the surface of the meat, helping it stay tender. Rice wine adds aroma, while a small amount of light soy sauce seasons the chicken before it reaches the pan.

The marinade is intentionally short. Ten to fifteen minutes is enough; leaving the chicken in baking soda for much longer can make its texture spongy. Patting off excess marinade also matters because the chicken goes directly into the sauce. Too much extra liquid can dilute the seasoning and slow the reduction.

Mirin First, With a White Wine Alternative

Mirin is the preferred option because it gives the sauce a rounded sweetness and a clean Japanese-style finish. If you do not have it, replace the 60 ml mirin with 60 ml dry, low-acid white wine and add 10 g extra sugar to the listed sauce. A dry Pinot Gris is a useful choice, but a neutral dry white wine also works.

Avoid sweet, fruity, or sharply acidic wine. Those flavours become more concentrated as the sauce reduces and can overpower the ginger and chicken. The wine version is a practical substitution, not an identical flavour match.

How to Keep Chicken Breast Tender

Chill the chicken briefly before slicing so the pieces can be cut evenly across the grain. Add the slices to the gently boiling sauce in small handfuls, separating them immediately with cooking chopsticks or tongs. This prevents a compact clump from cooking unevenly.

Once the chicken is in the pan, lower the heat and simmer gently. A hard boil can tighten chicken breast before the glaze is ready. The sauce should reduce until it coats the meat, but do not cook until the pan is dry. It will thicken further while the chicken rests.

Serving and Storage

Serve the chicken with steamed rice and broccoli, green beans, spinach, or pak choi. The sauce is intentionally savoury and concentrated, so plain rice and lightly seasoned vegetables make the meal feel balanced. You can also use the chicken as a topping for noodles or a lunchbox, keeping the rice separate until reheating.

Store the chicken in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Reheat it gently with a splash of water. Avoid repeatedly reheating the whole batch because the chicken will gradually become firmer and the sauce may catch.

Nutrition Estimate

Each portion contains approximately 235 calories and 37 g of protein before rice or vegetables are added. The estimate includes the chicken, marinade, mirin, soy sauce, sugar, and ginger. Sodium varies by soy sauce and miso brands, so use reduced-salt soy sauce if preferred.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this without baking soda?

Yes. Omit it and keep the rest of the marinade the same. The chicken will still work, but the brief velveting step gives breast meat a softer texture.

Can I add vegetables to the saucepan?

It is better to serve vegetables alongside rather than simmering them in the concentrated sauce. Broccoli, green beans, spinach, and pak choi keep their texture and help balance the salty-sweet chicken.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 portion

Calories 23512%

% Reference Intake*

Total Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g5%

Trans Fat 0g

Cholesterol 105mg

Sodium 1030mg

Total Carbohydrates 13g5%

Dietary Fiber 1g

Sugars 10g11%

Protein 37g74%

* Reference intakes are based on an average adult's 8,400 kJ / 2,000 kcal diet. Your needs may be higher or lower.

FAQs

What is chicken shigureni?

Chicken shigureni is a chicken adaptation of a Japanese simmered preparation traditionally made with thinly sliced ingredients, ginger, and a sweet-savoury soy seasoning. This version uses a short velveting marinade to keep chicken breast tender.

What can I use instead of mirin?

Replace the 60 ml mirin with 60 ml dry, low-acid white wine and add 10 g extra sugar to the sauce. A dry Pinot Gris is suitable. Avoid sweet, fruity, or very acidic wine because reduction concentrates those flavours.

Can I use chicken thighs?

Yes. Thinly sliced boneless, skinless chicken thighs can replace the breast at the same weight. They are more forgiving, but still cook them until the thickest pieces reach 75°C.

How should I serve chicken shigureni?

Spoon it over steamed rice with broccoli, green beans, spinach, or another green vegetable. The sauce is concentrated, so plain rice and vegetables help balance the bowl.

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