Charcoal Grilled Jidori Chicken

At a glance it looks jet black. Yet the moment it touches your lips, a rich savoriness and toasty aroma spread with every chew. Bite sized pieces of local chicken are seasoned with salt and pepper, then seared in one burst over roaring charcoal. Chosen for the Ministry of Agriculture list of one hundred local dishes, it is a plate that represents the prefecture.

Highlights

Miyazaki representative chicken is the jitokko, the Miyazaki jito breed. Because the original jito fowl long raised in Miyazaki and Kagoshima was designated a natural monument, a new breed was created for the table by crossing it with foreign stock. Grilling it over strong charcoal, almost as if smoked, brings out a distinctive smoky aroma and a texture that is tender yet has a firm, satisfying bite. The blackened char is the very mark of that toasty flavor, and it is classically served with yuzu pepper.

Enjoying the Seasons

Charcoal grilled chicken is a year round specialty, but paired with a chilled local beer or Miyazaki shochu it goes down easily in any season. Enjoy it at an outdoor beer garden in summer and slowly in a warm tavern in winter. When seasonal yuzu is in circulation, the fragrance of yuzu pepper stands out all the more. Beyond thigh meat, the differing textures of gizzard and mature hen are part of the fun.

Access and Basic Information

Downtown Miyazaki City gathers many taverns and specialty shops that put charcoal grilling on their signboards. Shops at Miyazaki Airport sell vacuum packed versions for souvenirs, and reheating them at home recreates the authentic taste.

A Quick Tip

If it is your first time, take a bite with nothing added at all. You will be surprised that the salt and the aroma of charcoal alone are more than delicious. If you want more, add a little yuzu pepper. It is an all purpose plate that pairs with both white rice and shochu.