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Teriyaki Chicken

Teriyaki chicken with caramelized chicken thighs glazed in a thick, glossy homemade teriyaki sauce. Dark amber blistered edges cling to the sticky glaze, finished with sesame seeds 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: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs Cutting is not required; pat dry for better caramelization.
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) Optional, but adds depth; use sake if available.
  • 3 garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch Whisk with water to form a slurry.
  • 2 tbsp water For the cornstarch slurry.
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
For serving
  • 0.5 sesame seeds, sliced green onions, and steamed rice for serving Serve over steamed rice; garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

Equipment

  • 1 large skillet

Method
 

Make the teriyaki marinade
  1. Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, mirin, sake, garlic, and ginger in a bowl until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Reserve half the mixture for the sauce and marinate the chicken in the other half for 20 minutes, refrigerated, until well coated.
Caramelize and glaze the chicken
  1. Heat 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 and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, then remove to a plate.
Thicken the sauce and finish
  1. Pour the reserved marinade into the pan and bring it to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits.
  2. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 2-3 minutes until thick and glossy.
  3. Return the chicken to the pan and turn to coat in the teriyaki sauce until glazed.
Serve
  1. Serve the teriyaki chicken over steamed rice, drizzle with any extra sauce, and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

Notes

Pro tip: reserve the marinade and cook it separately after simmering—this keeps the sauce safe since the raw marinade touched the chicken. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days; freeze chicken and sauce (without the rice) up to 2 months. For a lighter option, use low-sodium soy sauce and reduce the brown sugar slightly while keeping the cornstarch for the glossy texture.