Chicken Teriyaki Recipe

Get ready to impress your taste buds with this delicious Chicken Teriyaki recipe; it’s like giving your dinner a first-class ticket to Tokyo without leaving the comfort of your kitchen!

I love creating a flawless Chicken Teriyaki and making each bite precisely savory and sweet. My favorite step is mixing soy sauce and mirin to achieve that perfect glaze.

Adding fresh ginger and garlic elevates the flavors to the next level, while sesame seeds give it a delightful crunch. This is a dish I could eat every week and never tire of.

Ingredients

• Soy Sauce: Adds savory umami, rich in sodium, enhances flavor depth.
• Mirin: Sweetens the dish, adds shine, pairs with soy for balance.
• Sake: Lightly sweet, adds complex flavors, tenderizes chicken.
• Sugar: Contributes sweetness, balances salty and acidic notes.
• Garlic: Provides aromatic pungency, boosts flavor complexity.
• Ginger: Adds warmth, subtle heat, aids digestion.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
• 2 tablespoons sake
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 2 green onions, chopped (optional for garnish)
• Sesame seeds (optional for garnish)

How to Make this

1. Prepare the marinade first. In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved.

2. The marinade should include minced garlic and freshly grated ginger. Make sure to mix it well with all the other flavors.

3. Chop the chicken thighs into pieces of bite-sized proportion. Mix the pieces into the marinade, ensuring each bit of chicken is well-and-truly coated. Then, cover the bowl and send it to the fridge for anywhere from a half hour to 2 hours. That’s your window to let the flavor get into the chicken. The longer you let it sit, the more pronounced the flavor will be.

4. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat.

5. Take the chicken from the marinade. Let any excess drip off. Put the chicken into the hot skillet. Save the marinade for later.

6. Prepare the chicken by heating it for approximately 5-7 minutes on every side, or until it has turned brown and is thoroughly cooked.

7. When the chicken has cooked, reduce the heat to medium and add the reserved marinade to the skillet.

8. Cook the marinade with the chicken for about 3-4 minutes, or until it thickens into a glaze, turning the chicken periodically to ensure it’s evenly coated.

9. Move the Chicken Teriyaki, which has been glazed, onto a serving platter.

10. If desired, chopped green onions and sesame seeds can be used for garnish. Serve hot. Enjoy!

Equipment Needed

1. Medium bowl
2. Whisk
3. Knife
4. Cutting board
5. Grater (for ginger)
6. Measuring cups
7. Measuring spoons
8. Large skillet
9. Spatula or tongs
10. Serving platter
11. Refrigerator

FAQ

• Can I substitute chicken thighs with chicken breast?Certainly, chicken breast can be substituted for thighs, but pay special attention to cooking times. Breasts are more likely to dry out if overcooked.
• Do I have to use sake in the recipe?If you don’t have sake, you can skip it, or use a bit more mirin, or substitute chicken broth for a non-alcoholic version.
• Can I make this dish without sugar?Sweetness and slight caramelization come from the sugar. Use honey or maple syrup if you prefer, or go with a sugar substitute.
• How do I know when the chicken is cooked through?Prepare until the inside registers a toasty 165°F (75°C), or until juices flow clear from the (safely) pierced meat. Cooks may also rely on this trusty visual cue for doneness: Chicken, when fully cooked, will lose its pink hue and look white all the way through.
• How long can I store leftovers?Store uneaten portions in an airtight container in the refrigerator for no more than 3 days and reheat them thoroughly before serving.
• Can I marinate the chicken overnight?Indeed, allowing the chicken to sit in marinade overnight intensifies the taste, but it is not essential for creating an excellent dish.

Chicken Teriyaki Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Replace soy sauce with either tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten-free alternative.
Instead of using mirin, combine 1/4 cup rice vinegar with 1 tablespoon sugar. Stir the sugar into the vinegar until it is completely dissolved.
Dry sherry or a mild white wine can replace sake.
Should you require a replacement for sugar, you can turn to either honey or maple syrup. They might, however, slightly change the flavor.
Replace vegetable oil with canola oil or grapeseed oil, which have a similarly neutral taste.

Pro Tips

1. Marinade Ahead For the best flavor, consider marinating the chicken overnight in the refrigerator. This extended marinating time allows the flavors to penetrate the meat more deeply, resulting in a richer taste.

2. Sake Substitute If you don’t have sake on hand, you can substitute it with dry sherry or even a light white wine. This will maintain the depth of flavor in the dish.

3. Glaze Consistency To achieve a perfectly thick and shiny glaze, reduce the marinade until it’s syrupy before adding the chicken back into the skillet. If needed, you can add a teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with a tablespoon of water to the marinade to help it thicken faster.

4. Even Cooking To ensure even cooking of the chicken, pound the thighs to an even thickness before marinating. This step will help the chicken cook uniformly and avoid undercooked or overcooked bites.

5. Crispier Texture For a crispier texture on the outside of the chicken, consider patting the marinated chicken pieces dry with paper towels before searing them in the skillet. This will help develop a nice crust.