Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
Place the Chinese yam in a plastic bag and gently smash it with a rolling pin or meat tenderizer until it forms a chunky mash. Add the soy sauce and mirin, and knead to combine.
Rinse the long onion (scallion), then cut the white part into pieces about 3 cm long.
Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs and cut into 2–3 cm chunks. Season with 2 g salt and 2 g black pepper and toss to coat.
Heat 5 g of oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces in a single layer and sear for 2–3 minutes until browned. Flip and sear the other side for another 2–3 minutes until golden. Remove from the pan.
Add another 3 g of oil to the same skillet. Add all the scallions and sear for about 4 minutes, flipping halfway through, until lightly charred and fragrant.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, scallions, and yam mash. Toss to mix evenly. Transfer the mixture to an oven-safe dish and sprinkle mozzarella evenly over the top.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. For extra browning, turn on the broiler during the last 2 minutes to give the cheese a golden finish.
The yam mash doesn’t need to be completely smooth. Keeping some slightly larger chunks adds a pleasant, crisp texture.
Searing the scallions enhances their aroma and sweetness. If your skillet is large enough, you can sear the chicken and scallions together.
Taking a few extra minutes to trim off large pieces of fat from the chicken thighs can significantly reduce the final calorie count.
It’s best to use yam at room temperature to ensure even baking. If the yam is too cold, the dish may require a longer baking time, which can dry out the chicken.
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