Well, friends, it has been a few weeks since I last posted. I was blissfully enjoying maternity leave meets an extended spring break in Maui when my husband came to join us after 10 days apart… and brought covid/the flu with him. He refuses to admit it but is constantly getting sick and when he gets sick, is out for days. He was bedridden for 3 days 48 hours after landing on the island and reuniting with us. He thinks he got it from a couple of sick kids he sat next to traveling from NYC all the way to Maui. I usually stave off illness but after solo parenting for days with a 4-month-old who was going through a sleep regression, I found myself riddled with illness. And boy did it take me out. Almost a week of relentless symptoms. Now I can’t complain too much, I was still in Hawaii so at least I could attempt to not get baby Koa sick by sitting outside with him for hours on end. The heat and the fresh air is the only thing I can attribute to him NOT getting sick. 

Anyway, that is a long-winded way to explain my absence. Two weeks of full-blown illness in the family. Right before I got sick I did make a batch of one of my favorite island meals – Mochiko Chicken. It’s basically Hawaiian fried chicken, and naturally gluten free! Like any fried chicken recipe, the recipe ingredients vary slightly depending on the family, restaurant, etc. This is my rendition. It’s salty, it’s sweet, and perfectly crunchy and juicy at the same time. 

If you have never used mochiko flour before, it is sweet rice flour. It’s super thin and very light. Found at any grocery store in Hawaii but not so easily tracked down on the mainland so I bought a $4 box on Amazon to keep in my pantry! If you have never cooked with it before, my only note is that it is much lighter than most flours so if the marinade is a bit watery, feel free to add a few more spoonfuls of flour into the mix. You could attempt subbing for a different flour but then… can you even call it Mochiko Chicken?

Additionally, I am a chicken breast girlie so I pound the chicken down to cutlets essentially. But if you use thighs like most restaurants do, then I would recommend not pounding it and embracing a more popcorn chicken-esque style. 

What do you pair this with? Glad you asked! To balance out a fried dish, I like to pair it with a big batch of asian cabbage slaw. Simple, clean ingredients that you can toss together quickly and counter balance the saltiness of the chicken with a mellow-er bed of green. 

So as my time on Maui comes to a close and we are finally through the illness trenches (fingers crossed), I am sending you all off into the weekend with this deliciousness. Back next week with meals from the mainland. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

For the chicken – 

1 lb. chicken (breast or thighs)

1 egg

½ cup mochiko flour

½ cup tamari soy sauce

1 tbsp. sriracha

1 tsp. ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic

1 tsp. fresh ginger

Additionally: ½ cup mochiko flour and 1 cup oil for frying

Optional Toppings: fresh lime, green onions

For the slaw –

1 head napa cabbage

1 carrot

1 fresno pepper

½ cup scallions

¼ cup cilantro

1 lime

1 tbsp. fish sauce

1 tbsp. rice vinegar

1 tbsp. sesame oil

1 tbsp. sugar

1 garlic clove

Serving Size: 4

INSTRUCTIONS

For the chicken – 

• Clean and cut the chicken into tender-size chunks. 
• *If using chicken breast, use a meat mallet to pound each piece until approx. 1-inch thick.
• Whisk together egg, mochiko, soy sauce, sriracha, black pepper, garlic, and ginger until fully combined into a thick paste. If your consistency is runny, add a spoonful or two more mochiko.
• Drop chicken in the mochiko marinade and stir until fully dredged.  
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hrs (24 hrs is ideal). 
• When ready to eat, heat oil in a large deep frying pan and place additional mochiko on a large plate for dipping. 
• Using tongs, dredge each piece of gooey chicken into the mochiko to coat. 
• Place in hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes each side until the outside is crispy and chicken is cooked through. 
• Top with a dash of flaky sea salt and serve with slaw, green onions, and additional lime wedges. 

For the slaw – 

• Whisk together juice of one lime, fish sauce, rice vinegar, oil, sugar, and minced garlic. 
• Shredded the cabbage and carrot. 
• Thinly slice the pepper and scallions.
• Toss all the vegetables with the dressing.