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Teriyaki Chicken

Teriyaki chicken with caramelized chicken thighs glazed in a thick, glossy homemade teriyaki sauce. Marinade-to-sauce process creates dark amber blistered edges and a sticky coating served 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: Dinner
Cuisine: Japanese-American
Calories: 750
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs use thighs for the best caramelized, juicy glaze
Teriyaki marinade and sauce
  • 0.33 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp mirin or rice vinegar choose one
  • 2 tbsp sake or dry sherry (optional) optional but adds depth
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp water for the cornstarch slurry
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 sesame seeds, sliced for garnish
  • 1 green onions for garnish
  • 1 steamed rice for serving

Equipment

  • 1 large skillet

Method
 

Make the teriyaki marinade and marinate
  1. Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, mirin, sake, garlic, and ginger until the sugar dissolves, then set aside half of the mixture for the sauce.
  2. Add the chicken thighs to the remaining half, cover, and marinate for 20 minutes.
Caramelize the chicken
  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  2. Cook the marinated chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until deeply caramelized and blistered at the edges, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F, then remove the chicken.
Thicken the teriyaki sauce and glaze
  1. Pour the reserved marinade into the pan and bring it to a simmer.
  2. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce turns thick and glossy.
  3. Return the chicken to the pan and turn to coat in the teriyaki sauce until the glaze clings to the thighs.
Serve
  1. Serve the teriyaki chicken over steamed rice and drizzle with any extra sauce.
  2. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: use thighs instead of breast so they blister nicely and stay juicy under a sticky glaze. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet or microwave until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended for best texture. If you need a gluten-free swap, use gluten-free soy sauce (check mirin/sherry too).