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Teriyaki Chicken

Teriyaki chicken with caramelized chicken thighs glazed in a thick, glossy homemade teriyaki sauce. Sticky amber edges, savory garlic-ginger marinade, and sesame-green onion 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: Dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine: Japanese-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and aromatics
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
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) optional
  • 0.25 cup cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp water for cornstarch slurry
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Serving
  • 1 sesame seeds
  • 1 sliced green onions
  • 1 steamed rice
  • 1 steamed broccoli accent (optional as visible in shot)

Equipment

  • 1 large skillet

Method
 

Make marinade and marinate
  1. Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, mirin, sake, garlic, and ginger in a bowl until the sugar dissolves; reserve half of the mixture for the sauce.
  2. Add the chicken thighs to the remaining half and toss to coat; cover and marinate for 20 minutes.
Caramelize and cook chicken
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  2. Remove chicken from the marinade and cook in the skillet for 5-6 minutes per side until caramelized and the internal temperature reaches 165°F; remove to a plate.
Thicken the teriyaki sauce and glaze
  1. Pour the reserved marinade into the pan and bring it to a simmer while stirring.
  2. Stir in the cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water) and cook for 2-3 minutes until thick and glossy.
  3. Return the chicken to the skillet and turn to coat in the thick teriyaki sauce.
Serve
  1. Serve the glazed chicken over steamed rice, drizzle with any extra sauce, and garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
  2. Add steamed broccoli as an accent alongside the rice for serving.

Notes

For the glossiest coating, simmer the reserved sauce until it reduces enough to visibly cling to the back of a spoon before returning the chicken. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet to re-glaze. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce can thin after thawing. For a lower-sugar option, replace the brown sugar with an equal amount of a brown-sugar substitute (or use half the amount and reduce longer).