Healthy Mochiko Chicken Recipe (sweet and savory)

Mochiko Chicken Recipe
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I often get lost scrolling through the various cooking shows and love trying to come up with new ways to make the recipes I see on these shows “healthier.” Just last week I was literally drooling watching one of my favorite chefs make a fried chicken dish, and I knew I had to tackle this one next. The recipe was for Mochiko chicken. I had never heard of this, so I immediately went to Google to find out more about this tasty treat.

Mochiko is a fancy Japanese word that means mochi flour. This type of flour is made from sticky rice that is cooked, then dried, and ground up into a powder. It’s sometimes called sweet rice flour and is a very delicate flour that can not only be used as a breading for chicken but can be used in desserts as well. Unlike traditional flours, it doesn’t have a starchiness to it, and it is a great option for gluten-free recipes.

Having never seen this type of flour in the store, I set out on a mission to find it. While it’s listed on the websites for Safeway, Walmart, and Target, after hitting up multiple local stores, I realized this task was far more difficult than I expected. I wondered if maybe this ingredient could easily be swapped out for another flour, but I didn’t want to take that chance. I mean, it is a Mochiko chicken recipe, after all. I then pondered actually making the flour myself, but luckily, I avoided that test by finding the flour on Amazon. Crisis averted.

It is often tricky to air fry ingredients that are best suited for frying the traditional method, especially when a dredge is involved. Truth be told, I wasn’t quite sure I could make it work, but I was up for the challenge of making a Mochiko chicken recipe and am pretty pleased with the results.

Mochiko Chicken Recipe

Healthy Mochiko Chicken

Coach Cristina tackled a healthy Mochiko recipe and we all win!
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Japanese
Calories: 222
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs chicken thighs boneless and skinless
Mochiko Marinade
  • ¼ cup liquid aminos
  • ¼ cup Swerve sugar substitute
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tsp ginger grated
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup green onion chopped
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
Breading
  • ¾ cup Mochiko flour
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • salt and pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Mix marinade ingredients and pour on top of chicken.
  3. Marinate chicken overnight.
  4. Preheat air fryer to 390 degrees.
  5. Combine Mochiko flour, cornstarch, and salt and pepper.
  6. Lightly coat each piece of chicken and place ina single layer in air fryer.
  7. Lightly spray each piece of chicken with nonstick cooking spray.
  8. Air fry for roughly 12 – 15 minutes.
  9. Enjoy!

Notes

Chef’s Tip: This chicken dish pairs really well with sticky rice and a favorite steamed veggie like asparagus.

Cristina is a Metabolic Effect L3 Nutrition Consultant and a Precision Nutrition L2 Nutrition Coach. Cristina's passion is to help others discover how great their bodies are meant to feel. Whether you're looking to improve your diet, increase energy levels, manage stress, or simply lead a more balanced life, Cristina provides the guidance, support, and tools necessary to make lasting changes. When she isn’t in the kitchen creating nutritious and delicious recipes, or leading one of our Shape-Up Challenges, Cristina enjoys soaking up the sun on the coast of the Carolinas while raising her two amazing daughters, who are active in soccer and volleyball. Cristina is a firm believer that the most effective way to teach children is through our own actions, which is the driving force behind always seeking new ways to enhance personal health and well-being.

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