Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
A quick teriyaki chicken recipe featuring juicy, pan-seared chicken coated in a homemade sweet-savory glaze, ready in about 25 minutes.
Equipment
- Large skillet
- small bowl
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup mirin
- 2 tbsp sake or dry sherry substitute rice vinegar with a pinch of sugar
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water optional, for extra thickness
- Sesame seeds and sliced green onion for garnish
Instructions
Sear the Chicken
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the chicken and sear for 5-6 minutes per side, until golden brown and mostly cooked through.
Build the Teriyaki Sauce
- While the chicken sears, whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, sake substitute, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl.
- Once the chicken is seared on both sides, pour the sauce mixture directly into the skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Simmer and Glaze
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for 6-8 minutes, spooning it over the chicken occasionally, until it thickens and becomes glossy, and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- If you prefer a thicker glaze, stir in the cornstarch slurry during the last 2 minutes of simmering, stirring until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
Finish and Serve
- Remove the chicken from heat and let it rest for a couple of minutes before slicing. Spoon any remaining glaze over the sliced chicken, then garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onion before serving.
Notes
- Searing the chicken well before adding the sauce builds a nice base flavor from those browned bits that get incorporated into the glaze once the sauce is poured in.
- Spooning the sauce over the chicken periodically while it simmers helps it develop that signature glossy coating rather than just sitting in a pool of sauce underneath.
- The cornstarch slurry is optional and mainly helps if you prefer a thicker, more clingy glaze; skipping it results in a slightly thinner, more traditionally authentic teriyaki sauce.
- Using mirin specifically, rather than substituting it entirely with sugar, makes a genuine difference in achieving that signature glossy, slightly sweet flavor teriyaki sauce is known for.
- Leftover teriyaki chicken keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheats nicely in a skillet over low heat with a small splash of water to loosen the sauce.