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Teriyaki Chicken

Teriyaki chicken with caramelized chicken thighs glazed in a thick, glossy homemade teriyaki sauce. The sauce reduces to a dark amber sheen with blistered edges, then coats the chicken for sticky, flavorful every bite over steamed rice.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
marinating 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Japanese-American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
Teriyaki marinade and sauce
  • 0.33 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp mirin or rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp sake or dry sherry (optional)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water to make a slurry
  • 2 tbsp water used to make the cornstarch slurry
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Serving
  • 1 sesame seeds
  • 1 sliced green onions
  • 1 steamed rice

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the teriyaki marinade and marinate
  1. Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, mirin, sake, garlic, and ginger until the sugar dissolves and the mixture looks smooth; reserve half for the sauce.
  2. Add the chicken thighs to the remaining half and marinate for 20 minutes, turning once so the surface looks evenly coated.
Caramelize the chicken
  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  2. Add the marinated chicken and cook 5-6 minutes per side until caramelized with dark amber blistered edges, and the internal temperature reaches 165°F; remove chicken to a plate.
Thicken the sauce and glaze
  1. Pour the reserved marinade into the pan and bring it to a simmer so it bubbles actively across the surface.
  2. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the sauce turns thick and glossy and clings to the spoon.
  3. Return the chicken to the pan and turn to coat so every piece is glazed with the sticky teriyaki sauce.
Serve
  1. Serve the glazed teriyaki chicken over steamed rice, drizzle with any extra sauce, and garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Notes

Pro tip: reserve half the marinade before it touches the raw chicken, then use that reserved portion for the thick glossy glaze. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet or microwave until hot. Freeze chicken and sauce without garnishes for up to 2 months. For a lower-sugar option, replace brown sugar with a brown-sugar substitute measured 1:1 and keep honey the same (or reduce honey slightly) for a similar sticky sheen.