Steps

1. Thinly slice 1/4 onion.
   🕒 01:11
2. Thinly slice 4 mushrooms.
   🕒 01:27
3. Melt 30g butter in a frying pan and slowly sauté the onion over low heat. This step draws out the sweetness and umami from the onion.
   🕒 02:02
4. Add the mushrooms and sauté until softened.
   🕒 02:16
5. Add 3 tbsp all-purpose flour and sauté thoroughly, coating the onions and mushrooms. Frying until the floury smell disappears is the secret to a lump-free white sauce.
   🕒 02:35
6. Gradually add 2 to 2.5 cups of milk, mixing quickly. Repeat this process, then you can add the remaining half of the milk all at once.
   🕒 03:03
7. Stir and simmer until thickened. Sautéing the mushrooms first adds sweetness and umami to the white sauce.
   🕒 03:41
8. Add 1/3 tsp salt and mix well.
   🕒 03:57
9. Fill a bowl with water, add salt to taste and 50g dried macaroni, and mix lightly.
   🕒 04:06
10. Microwave for longer than the package instructions. Stir once during heating to prevent the macaroni from sticking.
    🕒 04:23
11. Cut 1 chicken thigh into bite-sized pieces.
    🕒 04:49
12. Melt 10g butter for sautéing in a separate frying pan and cook the chicken thigh.
    🕒 05:08
13. Add 1 tbsp Cooking Sake (Rice Wine) and steam. Steaming makes the chicken tender and adds umami to the white sauce through the steaming liquid.
    🕒 05:47
14. Add the boiled macaroni to the frying pan with the remaining steaming liquid and mix to absorb the chicken's flavor.
    🕒 06:11
15. Add the chicken and macaroni, which have absorbed the flavors, to the prepared white sauce.
    🕒 06:28
16. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
    🕒 06:49
17. Butter a gratin dish or wet it with water, then add the ingredients and mound them up.
    🕒 06:53
18. Sprinkle a generous amount of shredded pizza cheese over the top. Also, place cheese on the edges. The melted, crispy cheese around the edges is especially delicious.
    🕒 07:20
19. Bake in a toaster oven until golden brown.
    🕒 07:43