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Teriyaki Chicken

Teriyaki chicken with caramelized, blistered edges glazed in a thick, glossy homemade teriyaki sauce. Marinated thighs are pan-seared, then simmered with the reserved sauce for a sticky, dark-amber finish over white 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
  

boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
teriyaki marinade and sauce
  • 0.3333333333 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
  • 2 tbsp water for the cornstarch slurry
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
for serving
  • 0.25 sesame seeds
  • 0.25 sliced green onions
  • 2 cup steamed rice

Equipment

  • 1 large skillet

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, mirin, sake, garlic, and ginger, then reserve half for the sauce and use the other half to marinate the chicken for 20 minutes.
  2. Let the marinating chicken sit at cool room temperature or chilled as convenient until ready to cook, so the flavors penetrate the thighs.
Cook and caramelize the chicken
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then add the marinated chicken and cook 5-6 minutes per side until deeply caramelized with dark amber blistered edges.
  2. Cook until the thickest part reaches 165°F, then remove the chicken from the pan to hold while you thicken the sauce.
Thicken the teriyaki sauce
  1. Pour the reserved marinade into the pan and bring it to a simmer.
  2. Stir in the cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water) and cook 2-3 minutes until the sauce turns thick and glossy.
Glaze and serve
  1. Return the chicken to the pan and turn to coat so the thighs are evenly glazed in the sticky teriyaki sauce.
  2. Serve over steamed rice, drizzle with any extra sauce, and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

Notes

For the stickiest glaze, make sure the reserved sauce actually reaches a simmer before adding the cornstarch slurry, then let it bubble until glossy. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 3 days; freeze cooked chicken and sauce up to 2 months, then reheat gently on the stovetop. For a lower-sugar option, reduce the brown sugar slightly (or use a sugar substitute that measures cup-for-cup).