Teppanyaki Strawberry Chicken

With Valentine's around the corner we here at Cook-N-Dine felt inspired to create something on the Teppanyaki cooktop that is delicious, pretty and easy for anyone to fall in love with. Just by sheer looks, it's hard to imagine not being intrigued by this dish! (Vegetarians of course can substitute the chicken for their preferred ingredient, i.e. tofu, tempeh, mushrooms, jackfruit, etc.) So whether you are cooking this for Valentine's or any other time, for yourself, a partner, family or loved ones, we are pretty sure that there will be a whole lot of love for this dish.IMG_9936Yes, the idea of fruit with savory/meat still freaks some people out, but just like our Pork Tenderloin with Red Wine, Rosemary & Grape Glaze, this dish benefits from the delicate and beautiful dance that the fruit and savory ingredients have with each other. The best tip we can give you for this recipe: fresh, perfectly ripe strawberries! A perfectly ripe, fresh strawberry will add a beautiful layer of sweetness with just a hint of citric acid to brighten up the chicken and allow the mustard seeds to not overpower the flavor profile. Wash, dry and slice the strawberries, then set aside. Maybe nibble on a few...IMG_9888Slice 1.5lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breast to .5 inch wide pieces; for just the right shape and size, first cut crosswise, then turn and cut them again. Combine 2 tbsp. of soy sauce/Tamari, 1 tbsp. of yellow mustard seeds, 1 tbsp. of brown mustard seeds (if brown mustard seeds are not available, use 2 tbsp. of yellow mustard seeds), 1 tbsp. of corn starch and 2 tbsp. of cooking oil (avocado, sunflower, canola, grapeseed). Add the chicken to the mixture, making sure to coat all pieces evenly. Then set this in the refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes.IMG_9886While the chicken is marinating, wash and pat-dry the scallions [green onions]. You can cut them into 3/8 inch pieces at an angle, or if you want a more prominent scallion flavor along with an added visual appeal like we did for this blog, you can keep the stems of the scallion whole along with an inch from the top. They will soften when cooked, but this method also allows for more of a bite than the angled slices.IMG_9893Once the 30 minutes for the chicken to marinate have passed, remove it from the refrigerator and set it alongside the strawberries, scallions, 100ml of chicken broth and seasonings for cooking. Preheat the Cook-N-Dine Teppanyaki cooktop at 5, then set the temperature to 7.5. When the cooktop is ready, add ghee or high-heat cooking oil to the center and spread. Place half of the marinated chicken on the hot cooking surface, allowing for some space between the pieces so they can brown properly.IMG_9909The pieces will release as they are almost cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Allow them to become a nice golden-brown color before turning over to cook the other side. Once they're ready, move the pieces from the hot cooking-center over to the warming area, then add the remaining pieces of marinated chicken and repeat. With all the chicken cooked and moved to the warming area, place half the chopped scallions (or the large pieces if you used our same method) on the hot center and sauteé for up to one minute (3-4 minutes for the larger pieces, as seen below).IMG_9927While the scallions sauteé, add the chicken broth and stir. Allow the broth to begin slightly bubbling, then season to taste with salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Add the cooked chicken pieces from the warming area and toss until well coated. Switch the teppanyaki cooktop off. Time for the delicious, beautiful red strawberries! Top with the rest of the scallion slices as well and mix it all up.IMG_9951There it is! A colorful, fun and easy bit of home cooking that is sure to impress. Serve with your favorite rice or grains. Enjoy!IMG_9966Printable recipe page from Cook-N-Dine.com