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Teriyaki Chicken

Teriyaki chicken with caramelized chicken thighs glazed in a thick, glossy homemade teriyaki sauce. The sauce simmers until dark amber and coats the meat, with sesame seeds and green onions over steamed rice for a sticky Japanese chicken dinner vibe.
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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
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs Use thighs for the best caramelized, glossy glaze.
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, but adds depth.
  • 3 garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch Mixed with water to make slurry.
  • 2 tbsp water For cornstarch slurry.
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
To serve
  • 1 sesame seeds
  • 1 sliced green onions
  • 1 steamed rice For serving over white rice.

Equipment

  • 1 large skillet

Method
 

Make and marinate
  1. In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, mirin, sake, garlic, and ginger until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Reserve half the mixture for the sauce, then pour the other half over the chicken thighs and marinate for 20 minutes.
Caramelize chicken
  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the marinated chicken and cook 5-6 minutes per side, until caramelized and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  3. Remove the chicken from the pan and keep it warm.
Thicken and glaze
  1. Pour the reserved marinade into the pan and bring it to a simmer.
  2. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the sauce turns thick and glossy.
  3. Return the chicken to the pan and turn to coat in the teriyaki sauce.
Serve
  1. Serve the teriyaki chicken over steamed rice and drizzle with any extra sauce.
  2. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Notes

Pro tip: Don’t crowd the skillet—cook in a single layer so the thighs develop dark amber blistered edges. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; rewarm gently in a skillet with a splash of water or soy sauce. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce can thin after thawing. For a lower-sugar option, reduce the brown sugar by about 1-2 tablespoons and add an extra tablespoon of mirin or vinegar to keep the balance.