Japan is known for its award winning sushi and world famous Kobe beef but one under-valued and unknown product is their Miyazaki chicken. The large free-range chicken that are bigger, raised longer and aren’t pumped full of steroids or antibiotics claims to be the juiciest chicken in Japan.
Miyazaki is a place in Japan located in South Japan on the East coast of Kyushu Island. It has one of the warmest climates and longest days in Japan making it a hub for beaches, lush forests and abundance of nature. Many tourists flock to this capital of Kyushu to the many hot spring resorts it offers as well as the shrines, islands surrounding it and surfing.
Along with the beauty of this area, their chicken named Miyazaki Jittoko gained notoriety after it was identified as a unique brand in 1985 and then officially established in 2014.
Jittoko chickens are carefully bred and fed scientifically designed feed to enhance their health and longevity. Unlike most chickens whose average age of maturity is 8 to 12 weeks, Jittoko chickens are raised for about four to five months.
Being free-range and stress free, these chickens tend to have longer legs, bigger bodies and less fat. These leaner chickens are also said to have less of an odor and a chewier and juicer taste making them a sought after breed. They are also healthier and low calorie for those looking for healthy options.
Because these chickens aren’t over bred, the limited availability make it hard to find and expensive. Outside of Miyazaki there are only a handful of restaurants that serve Miyazaki chicken. All of which either own farms or are partnered with farms in Miyazaki.
I had an opportunity to eat at one of these Miyazaki chicken restaurants called Jittoko Kumiai which means Jittoko Union. There are around 40 branches located across Japan. I went to the branch in Kisarazu, Chiba. Here is the video of the atmosphere and food:
Another product produced in Miyazaki is charcoal, so having the charcoal roasting the chicken really brings out the flavor and the unique aroma of Miyazaki charcoal. The charcoal and chicken combination has natural flavors that come out in the cooking process, but for those who want even more taste, the charcoal chicken is often served with yuzu sauce or salt and pepper.
Our waitress even used the left over chicken oil on our tray to mix into fried rice. The taste was an amazing aroma rice with great flavor.
If you are in Japan and would like to try one of the best and rare Miyazaki chicken then check out the Jittoko Kumia website to find the closest restaurant to you.
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