Chicken Musubi
You might’ve heard of spam musubi which is a more popular version of musubi. I found spam is a bit salty, and prefer juicy and flavorful chicken meat for my musubi. So, we’re going to use chicken instead of spam in this recipe.
Chicken musubi usually served without sauce but sometimes I like to dip it with chili sauce for extra kick.
The common way of preparing this dish is to cook the chicken in soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and ginger. The chicken is then wrapped in a sheet of nori and sprinkled with furikake rice vinegar to give the rice a sweet and sour taste.
Chicken musubi is one of those simple but tasty that will leave you coming back for more. Let’s make some musubi!
Ingredients:
- sushi nori sheets
- steamed rice (short grain)
- 4 pieces chicken thighs
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- sliced ginger
- 1 tsp chili paste (optional)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- furikake or rice seasoning
- musubi press
- 1/4 cup water
- rice vinegar (to season the rice)
How to make chicken musubi?
Making teriyaki sauce for the chicken.
- In a pan, sear the chicken both sides and set aside.
- Saute garlic and ginger, add soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, chili paste, and sugar.
- Bring to a boil and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes for the ginger and garlic to blend with the sauce.
Cook the chicken and rice
- Add the chicken to the sauce and simmer for 10 minutes so the chicken absorbs the sauce.
- To make sushi rice, the ideal ratio for cooking short grain rice is 1:1, meaning 1 size of water for 1 size of rice.
- This step is optional but recommended you add rice vinegar right after the rice is cooked and steaming hot. Vinegar helps in the preservation and freshness of sushi rice. It also helps make the rice sticky and contributes to the overall flavor of the musubi.
Assembling chicken musubi
- Slice the chicken into thin slices so they fit the musubi press.
- Place a nori sheet on a cutting board.
- Place musubi mold on top at ⅔ of the nori sheet.
- Add the sushi rice inside the musubi mold and spread the rice evenly.
- Sprinkle some furikake on the rice.
- Add another layer of thinly sliced chicken teriyaki.
- Cover the chicken with another layer of rice. Try to spread the rice evenly.
- Use the musubi press and press down all the layers of rice and chicken. Slowly lift the mold off of the nori sheet while holding the musubi press. You’re left with a perfect rectangular shape of rice and chicken in layers.
- Fold the nori and seal it with water.
- From here, you can either cut the musubi into bite-sized pieces or eat it whole.
How do you eat chicken musubi? Cold or hot?
There is no right or wrong answer to this question, as people can enjoy chicken musubi either cold or hot! Some people prefer to eat chicken musubi cold and dunk it in soy sauce and wasabi, while others enjoy eating them hot and topped with a variety of sauces. So, enjoy experimenting to find your favorite way to eat chicken musubi.
Is musubi the same as sushi?
Musubi and sushi are not the same, but somewhat similar. Musubi is a traditional Japanese snack made from rice and some type of filling, while sushi is a Japanese dish made from vinegared rice combined with other ingredients such as fish, vegetables, or even eggs.
Both musubi and sushi are popular Japanese food items, but they are quite different. Musubi is usually made with a sheet of nori (dried seaweed) wrapped around the rice, while sushi is usually rolled up in nori. Musubi usually has a single filling, such as a piece of dried fish or pickled vegetables, while sushi can have multiple fillings.
In addition, musubi is usually served at room temperature, while sushi is usually served cold. Musubi is generally eaten as a snack or light meal, while sushi is usually eaten as a main meal.
So while musubi and sushi may be similar in some ways, they are actually quite different dishes. Musubi is a traditional Japanese snack, while sushi is a popular Japanese dish.
What do you eat musubi with?
Musubi is a very popular snack. What you eat your musubi with depends largely on your personal preference.
One of the most popular accompaniments for musubi is a bowl of miso soup. The soup’s richness complements the flavor of the musubi, making for a delicious and satisfying meal. A cold glass of green tea or a mug of oolong tea also goes well with musubi, adding a bit of warmth and flavor to the snack.
For a more savory accompaniment, you can enjoy musubi with a side of Japanese-style pickles. The pickles add a tart contrast to the musubi and provide a great crunchy texture. If you’re looking for something a bit more indulgent, you can even enjoy musubi with a side of mayonnaise!
Can you eat musubi the next day?
The answer to the question of whether you can eat musubi the next day is that it depends.
If you have leftover musubi, it can be eaten the next day, make sure to store it properly in an airtight container. The best way to store musubi is by wrapping it in plastic wrap or wax paper and then putting it in a container. This will help keep the moisture in and help keep it fresh.
As you heat up the musubi after being stored in the fridge, don’t microwave it, instead warm it up in the oven at 250 °F for about 10-15 minutes. Doing this will prevent the nori sheet from being chewy.
Overall, you can eat musubi the next day, but it is important to store it properly and make sure it is still fresh.
Chicken Musubi
Ingredients
- sushi nori sheets
- steamed rice (short grain)
- 4 pieces chicken thighs
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- sliced ginger
- 1 tsp chili paste (optional)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- furikake or rice seasoning
- musubi press
- 1/4 cup water
- rice vinegar (to season the rice)
Instructions
Making teriyaki sauce for the chicken.
- In a pan, sear the chicken both sides and set aside.
- Saute garlic and ginger, add soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, chili paste, and sugar.
- Bring to a boil and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes for the ginger and garlic to blend with the sauce.
Cook the chicken and rice
- Add the chicken to the sauce and simmer for 10 minutes so the chicken absorbs the sauce.
- To make sushi rice, the ideal ratio for cooking short grain rice is 1:1, meaning 1 size of water for 1 size of rice.
- This step is optional but recommended you add rice vinegar right after the rice is cooked and steaming hot. Vinegar helps in the preservation and freshness of sushi rice. It also helps make the rice sticky and contributes to the overall flavor of the musubi.
Assembling chicken musubi
- Slice the chicken into thin slices so they fit the musubi press.
- Place a nori sheet on a cutting board.
- Place musubi mold on top at ⅔ of the nori sheet.
- Add the sushi rice inside the musubi mold and spread the rice evenly.
- Sprinkle some furikake on the rice.
- Add another layer of thinly sliced chicken teriyaki.
- Cover the chicken with another layer of rice. Try to spread the rice evenly.
- Use the musubi press and press down all the layers of rice and chicken. Slowly lift the mold off of the nori sheet while holding the musubi press. You’re left with a perfect rectangular shape of rice and chicken in layers.
- Fold the nori and seal it with water.
- From here, you can either cut the musubi into bite-sized pieces or eat it whole.
Video
Notes
- Recommend eating the musubi immediately. Otherwise, the nori wraps get chewy, which will make the musubi harder to bite.
- When cutting musubi, make sure to wipe your knife for each cut.
