Chikuzenni


Chikuzenni is a dish that originated from northern Kyushu, Japan, made of braised chicken and vegetables. It is often eaten when bringing in the new year in Japan.

History and etymology

Chikuzen-ni was named after the historical Chikuzen Province. The dish was originally called game-ni, perhaps a derivation from the Hakata dialectal verb "gamekurikomu", meaning "to collect". An alternative theory holds that Japanese soldiers stationed in Korea during the Japanese [invasions of Korea (1592–1598)|Japanese invasions of Korea] used turtles called dobugame instead of chicken, and called the dish game-ni, where game is short for dobugame.
Today, chicken is used instead of turtle meat. According to the Ministry of [Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications] of Japan, chicken and burdock root are consumed the most in Fukuoka, Japan; believed to be due to the high number of households that make chikuzen-ni.

Preparation and serving

The ingredients are sautéd in oil and then cooked in broth. Sometimes, snap peas are added after the vegetables are completely cooked.