Teriyaki Chicken Plate Lunch Recipe

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Teriyaki Chicken with white rice and Macaroni Salad brings me right back to Hawaii. It’s the classic Hawaiian Plate Lunch. Turns out, it’s fantastic picnic cuisine too, because it tastes great cold!

This photo above is the real deal on my tailgate at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Paper plate and all. Not as pretty as the home preparation, but just as delicious! I didn’t have broccoli that morning; I was more concerned with carb-consumption (and getting to the festival)! Also shown are shelled Edamame and a pot sticker.

Ingredients for Teriyaki Sauce:
2 tbsp finely grated ginger
1 tbsp finely grated garlic (2 cloves)
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
1 tsp finely grated jalapeno (optional)

The Macaroni Salad:
3 cups cooked macaroni
4 tbsp mayonnaise
4 tbsp sweet relish
4 tbsp diced red bell pepper
2 green onion chopped
dash salt
dash hot sauce (similar to Tapatio)
few cracks black pepper

TIP: Make in advance for best flavor… even the night before if possible! Tailgate Teriyaki! Preparing for a day at Coachella is like preparing for a marathon — a marathon of fun, that is!

Finely grate ginger and garlic.

If you use the Microplane, your ginger and garlic will become moist and pulpy.

Dissolve cornstarch in water.

Add soy sauce to cornstarch-water and stir well.

Over medium-low heat, add a small amount of oil to a pot and add garlic and ginger (and grated jalapeno if you prefer heat). Saute just until warmed through and slightly toasted.

Gradually add soy sauce mixture to pot while stirring.

Begin adding brown sugar by tablespoon. This way you can control the sweetness. (One half-cup packed brown sugar is eight tablespoons.)

Stirring occasionally, bring mixture to a gentle boil. Mixture will thicken and bubble. Continue boiling gently for 3 – 5 minutes. Taste mixture for sweetness. Add more brown sugar if desired, keeping in mind that it will get sweeter as it cools. Stir in sesame oil if desired.

This recipe makes 1 cup teriyaki sauce and can be used as a marinade*, dipping sauce or glaze. It should have a dark, rich color. It will get thicker as it cools.

* If using as a marinade for meat, discard sauce after marinating. I grill chicken rubbed with olive oil, cajun seasonings, garlic powder, black pepper, parsley and sea salt and use the teriyaki as a dipping sauce.

It wouldn’t be a Plate Lunch without Macaroni Salad!

I love these little noodles called Salad Macaroni. Appropriate enough. Someone down at the plant got a raise for this one.

And this sweet relish. Maybe it’s the talking stork?

Boil macaroni according to package directions and cool. Combine macaroni in a bowl with chopped red bell pepper, onion, relish and mayonnaise.

Stir together and add a few cracks of black pepper, a dash of salt and a couple glugs of hot sauce. Put it all together with some white rice and steamed broccoli and you’ve got yourself a Plate Lunch! Average Betty style…

Link to Coachella ‘09 = 1 Rockin’ Time for Betty! blog post.

Looking for other tasty meals?
Asian Beefy Noodle
Macaroni and Cheese
Grilled Fish with Roasted red Pepper Aioli
Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
Fettucinne Alfredo with Chicken
Grilled Shrimp with Savory Corn Fritters

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