Japanese · Free
Chicken Teriyaki
Pan-seared chicken glazed in a glossy homemade teriyaki sauce that is sweet, savory, and beautifully sticky. Made with just four pantry ingredients for the sauce, it is a fast weeknight dinner that tastes like a restaurant favorite.
****+
Prep 10 min · Cook 18 min
Method
Mix the teriyaki sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar until the sugar begins to dissolve. This four-part mixture is the classic base that will reduce into a glossy glaze.
Prepare the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season them lightly with the salt. Drying the surface helps the chicken sear rather than steam.
Sear the first side: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then lay the thighs in smooth-side down. Cook without moving them for 4 to 5 minutes until deeply golden.
Sear the second side: Flip the thighs and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the second side is browned and the chicken is nearly cooked through. Some pink in the very center is fine at this stage since it will finish in the sauce.
Pour off excess fat: Tilt the pan and carefully spoon out any large pools of rendered fat, leaving the browned bits behind. This keeps the finished sauce from turning greasy.
Add the sauce: Give the sauce a quick stir and pour it into the skillet along with the grated ginger if using. It will bubble up immediately and begin to reduce.
Glaze the chicken: Lower the heat to medium and simmer, spooning the sauce over the chicken repeatedly, for 3 to 5 minutes. As the sauce reduces it will thicken into a syrupy glaze that coats the back of a spoon.
Check doneness: The chicken is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F at the thickest part. If it needs more time, add a splash of water and continue simmering gently.
Rest and slice: Transfer the glazed thighs to a cutting board and let them rest for 3 minutes. Slice them crosswise into strips about 1/2 inch wide so they soak up even more sauce.
Plate and finish: Arrange the sliced chicken over bowls of warm rice and spoon the remaining pan glaze on top. Scatter with sliced scallions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds before serving.
Chef's tips
- Real teriyaki sauce is built from soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar reduced in the pan -- skip the bottled stuff for a fresher, glossier result.
- Watch the sauce closely near the end because the sugar can go from perfectly glazed to burnt in under a minute over high heat.
- Chicken thighs are the traditional and more forgiving choice, but you can use breasts or skin-on thighs if you prefer; just adjust the cooking time to reach 165 degrees F.
Cooking times vary by equipment -- cook to temperature and to taste.
