The “Iitoko Chicken Bento” is an ekiben with a rich regional flavor that uses an abundance of “forest chicken,” a brand name chicken produced in Okayama Prefecture. This “forest chicken” is said to be juicy with little tastiness and rich in vitamin E. In this ekiben, the chicken is prepared in three different ways: fried, grilled with salt, and teriyaki, and served on a bed of lightly and elegantly cooked seasoned rice.
The fried chicken is chopped into small pieces, so it is a little hard to tell from the outside, but the sesame and ginger flavors make it a refreshing meal without the guts of fried food. The large, chunky pieces of fried chicken are also a plus, but because they are chopped up, they blend easily with the rice, making them easy to eat.
On the other hand, it is the grilled chicken that looks rare and is instantly recognizable. The two pieces of chicken in the dish are very filling, but the chicken is seasoned moderately to bring out the flavor of the chicken, making it a light and refreshing dish as well.
The third is teriyaki chicken. The sweet teriyaki-like seasoning is just right, not too rich. The skin is full of texture and fatty flavor, and has a strong presence here. The only side dish, tamagoyaki (also chicken ……), has a less sweet flavor and a moist texture. It, too, goes well with this bento.
Sweet teriyaki, grilled with salt, and refreshing fried chicken. This ekiben allows you to enjoy all three flavors of forest chicken at once, and is aptly named “Iitoko Chicken Bento. Incidentally, this ekiben was how I came to know about “forest chicken,” but there have been many regional specialties that I have learned about through ekiben, and I think it is one of the pleasures of ekiben to be able to encounter such a little bit of knowledge.
© Source travel watch