Chicken Gratin
チキングラタン
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Gratin is one of the most-requested dishes in Japanese school lunches, and this chicken and macaroni version shows why: tender chicken breast, sweet slow-cooked onion and soft pasta folded into a gentle white sauce. The sauce here is made with unsweetened soy milk instead of regular milk, which keeps it light and easy on little stomachs while still tasting creamy. A dusting of Parmesan and panko turns golden and crunchy in the oven, and that contrast of creamy inside and crisp top is exactly what makes children clean their plates.
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Ingredients
Amounts for 1 child (1 serving). An adult counts as 2 servings.
One serving here is 1.5× the portion served to a child in a Japanese preschool, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
Ingredients
- 37.5 gchicken breast (skinless)
- 7.5 gmacaroni
- 45 gonion
- 4.5 gflour
- 67.5 gunsweetened plain soy milk
Seasonings
- 3.8 gunsalted butter
- 0.5 gsalt
- 0.2 gconsommé bouillon (granules or cube)Japanese-style Western soup stock powder or cubes, similar to chicken or vegetable bouillon. Substitute: Chicken or vegetable bouillon granules or a bouillon cube.
- 1.5 gpanko
- 1.4 ggrated Parmesan cheese
- 0.2 gdried parsley
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- consommé bouillon (granules or cube) (コンソメ)
- Japanese-style Western soup stock powder or cubes, similar to chicken or vegetable bouillon. Substitute: Chicken or vegetable bouillon granules or a bouillon cube.
Directions
- 1
Cut the chicken breast into bite-size pieces. Halve the onion and cut it into thin slices. Boil the macaroni and set it aside.
- 2
Set a pot over low heat and melt the butter. Add the onion and sauté until it turns a light caramel color, then add the chicken and sauté together.
- 3
Once the chicken is cooked through, turn off the heat for a moment, add the flour and stir it in well.
- 4
Add the soy milk a little at a time, then return the pot to low heat and keep stirring until the sauce thickens. Add the consommé and salt and adjust the seasoning.
- 5
Stir in the boiled macaroni and pour the mixture into a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle the Parmesan and panko over the top and bake in a 200°C (400°F) oven for about 15 minutes.
- 6
Once baked, dish it up and sprinkle with dried parsley.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 177 kcal | 354 kcal | 177 kcal |
| Protein | 13.5 g | 27 g | 13.5 g |
| Fat | 7.1 g | 14.1 g | 7.1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 16.4 g | 32.7 g | 16.4 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Calcium | 54 mg | 108 mg | 54 mg |
| Iron | 1.2 mg | 2.4 mg | 1.2 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 177 kcal | 13.5 g | 7.1 g | 16.4 g | 0.8 g | 54 mg | 1.2 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 354 kcal | 27 g | 14.1 g | 32.7 g | 1.5 g | 108 mg | 2.4 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese preschool portion); an adult serving is double. They were calculated by a licensed Japanese nutritionist using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. "Salt equivalent" is sodium × 2.54, the standard Japanese measure. Allergen flags cover egg, milk and wheat only and come from the nutritionist's records. Soy sauce and miso are made with wheat but are usually allowed on Japanese wheat-free school menus, so check with your doctor.
