Chicken Teriyaki
Recipe by user david
Tender pan-seared chicken thighs glazed with a quick, classic 4-ingredient homemade teriyaki sauce.
Serves 2
This fast home-style Chicken Teriyaki uses a traditional Japanese pan-searing and steaming method to keep chicken thighs juicy while building a glossy, flavorful glaze from soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. It’s ideal for a weeknight dinner (ready in about 20 minutes) and pairs perfectly with steamed rice. For best results, score and flatten the thighs for even cooking, press the chicken briefly for a better sear, wipe excess grease before adding sauce for a clearer glaze, and stop reducing the sauce while it’s still slightly thin since it thickens with residual heat.
To Mix the Teriyaki Sauce:
- 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp mirin
- 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp sake
- 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp mirin
- 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp sake
- 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp sugar
In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar.
Microwave until hot; stir well to dissolve the sugar. Set aside.
Microwave until hot; stir well to dissolve the sugar. Set aside.
To Prepare the Chicken:
- 12 oz to 1 lb 12 oz to 1 lb (340 to 450 g) Boneless skinless chicken thighs or Boneless skin-on chicken thighs
- 12 oz to 1 lb 12 oz to 1 lb (340 to 450 g) Boneless skinless chicken thighs or Boneless skin-on chicken thighs
Place the chicken smooth side down. Score slits across the meat every 1/2 inch without cutting through; make deeper slits in thick parts and skip thin parts. Press open and flatten until evenly thick.
- 1⁄8 tsp 1⁄8 tsp kosher salt
- 1⁄8 tsp 1⁄8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1⁄8 tsp 1⁄8 tsp kosher salt
- 1⁄8 tsp 1⁄8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
Lightly season both sides with salt and black pepper.
To Sear the Chicken:
- 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp (13 g) vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp (13 g) vegetable oil
Heat a large frying pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add oil; when hot, add the chicken smooth side down (presentation side).
Cook for 5 minutes. Press down hard with a spatula for 5–10 seconds to sear; adjust time as needed for your stove and cookware.
Cook for 5 minutes. Press down hard with a spatula for 5–10 seconds to sear; adjust time as needed for your stove and cookware.
Flip and immediately press down again for 5–10 seconds.
Flip and immediately press down again for 5–10 seconds.
Reduce to low heat, cover, and steam for 3 minutes.
Reduce to low heat, cover, and steam for 3 minutes.
Uncover and wipe excess grease and protein from the pan with a paper towel.
Uncover and wipe excess grease and protein from the pan with a paper towel.
To Add the Teriyaki Sauce:
Increase heat to medium and add the teriyaki sauce. Tilt the pan and frequently spoon the sauce over the chicken until coated and cooked through; transfer chicken to a cutting board.
Increase heat to medium and add the teriyaki sauce. Tilt the pan and frequently spoon the sauce over the chicken until coated and cooked through; transfer chicken to a cutting board.
Continue cooking the sauce until thickened to your liking; stop while slightly thin as it will thicken with residual heat. For thicker sauce, reduce 2–3 minutes longer, then transfer to a bowl.
Continue cooking the sauce until thickened to your liking; stop while slightly thin as it will thicken with residual heat. For thicker sauce, reduce 2–3 minutes longer, then transfer to a bowl.
Slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Transfer to a ceramic plate; optionally sear with a kitchen butane torch or use an oven broiler to enhance flavor.
Slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Transfer to a ceramic plate; optionally sear with a kitchen butane torch or use an oven broiler to enhance flavor.
To Serve:
- steamed jasmine rice, for serving
- green salad, for serving
- tomato, cut in wedges, for serving
- steamed jasmine rice, for serving
- green salad, for serving
- tomato, cut in wedges, for serving
Serve with the sauce drizzled on top; optionally serve over steamed rice with green salad and tomato wedges on the side.
Notes
In Japan, we use boneless, skin-on chicken thighs for this dish because the flavorful skin provides a protective layer, keeps the meat juicy, and helps the delicious glaze adhere to the chicken. Thighs are more forgiving to cook than chicken breasts, too. Read more about it in the blog post above. For this recipe, I focus on skinless and boneless thighs since that‘s how they‘re commonly sold in the US. However, if you have the chance, I encourage you to try my skin-on recipe at the end of the instructions below.
Note: Do not use a meat mallet/tenderizer for this important step, as you may damage the meat.
Note: The bottom side will be the presentation side.
This helps create a more transparent sauce.
Remember to stop cooking while the sauce is slightly thin because the residual heat will continue to thicken the sauce. If you‘d like it thicker, reduce the sauce for 2–3 minutes longer.
To Store: You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for a month.
To Cook Skin-on Chicken Thighs: If your 3/4–1 lb skin-on chicken thighs are bone-in, ask your butcher to remove the bone or you can debone them yourself. Place the thigh meat skin side down on a cutting board. To even the thickness, make slits on the meat every 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) without cutting all the way through. Cut deeper slits on the thick parts and skip scoring the thin parts. As you score, press open the meat to flatten it. Once you finish scoring, check again to make sure the meat has an even thickness. Repeat with the rest of the thighs.
Place the thighs skin side down in a hot frying pan and cook using the same method as described above.
Slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Transfer them to a ceramic plate. Sear with a kitchen butane torch to enhance the flavor. You can also use a broiler in the oven. Serve on a plate and drizzle the sauce on top.
Nutrition Information
| Nutrient | Per Serving | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 0 | 0 |
| Protein | 0.0g | 0.0g |
| Fat | 0.0g | 0.0g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.4g | 0.9g |
| Carbohydrates | 0.0g | 0.0g |
| Fiber | 0.0g | 0.0g |
| Sugar | 0.0g | 0.0g |
| Sodium | 0mg | 0mg |
| Cholesterol | 0mg | 0mg |
Per serving values based on 2 servings.
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