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Teriyaki Chicken

Teriyaki chicken with caramelized chicken thighs glazed in a thick, glossy homemade teriyaki sauce. Marinade-and-simmer technique yields dark amber, sticky coating over white rice with sesame seeds and green onions.
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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 thighs
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
Teriyaki marinade and sauce
  • 0.333 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 garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
Cornstarch slurry water
  • 2 tbsp water
Cooking and garnish
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 0.5 sesame seeds
  • 2 sliced green onions
  • 1.5 cup steamed rice
  • 1 cup steamed broccoli accent (optional if not serving with broccoli)

Equipment

  • 1 large skillet

Method
 

Make marinade and marinate
  1. Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, mirin, sake, garlic, and ginger; reserve half for the sauce and pour the other half over chicken thighs in a bowl.
  2. Cover and marinate for 20 minutes, then let the chicken come back closer to room temperature while the skillet heats.
Caramelize the chicken
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  2. Add the chicken thighs (discard excess marinade from the bowl) and cook 5-6 minutes per side until well caramelized and the center reaches 165°F.
  3. Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep it warm.
Simmer teriyaki sauce to glossy
  1. Pour the reserved marinade into the same skillet and bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat.
  2. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the sauce turns thick and glossy.
Glaze and serve
  1. Return the chicken to the skillet and turn to coat in the teriyaki sauce until sticky and evenly glazed.
  2. Serve over steamed rice with any extra sauce and garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, with steamed broccoli as an accent if desired.

Notes

Pro tip: reserve exactly half of the marinade before it touches the raw chicken so you can simmer it into a safe, thick teriyaki sauce. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; freeze glazed chicken (without rice) for up to 2 months. For a lighter option, use lower-sugar teriyaki by reducing brown sugar slightly and increasing mirin.