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Teriyaki Chicken

Teriyaki chicken made with a homemade teriyaki sauce that turns thick, glossy, and dark amber as it simmers. Caramelized chicken thighs are glazed and 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: Main Dish
Cuisine: Japanese-American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
Teriyaki marinade and sauce
  • 0.333 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)
  • 3 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 sesame seeds
  • 1 sliced green onions
  • 1 steamed rice

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, mirin, sake, garlic, and ginger, then reserve half for the sauce. Whisk until the brown sugar dissolves and the mixture looks smooth.
  2. Add the remaining half to the chicken thighs and turn to coat. Marinate for 20 minutes so the surface absorbs flavor.
Cook and caramelize
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Make sure the oil shimmers before adding the chicken.
  2. Place the marinated chicken in the skillet and cook for 5-6 minutes per side. Cook until caramelized with dark amber blistered edges and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  3. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Keep the pan drippings for the sauce.
Glaze with teriyaki sauce
  1. Pour the reserved marinade into the pan and bring it to a simmer. Stir constantly until it bubbles.
  2. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer for 2-3 minutes until thick and glossy. Watch for the sauce to coat the back of a spoon.
  3. Return the chicken to the pan and turn to coat in the teriyaki sauce. Keep turning until the glaze clings to the chicken evenly.
Serve
  1. Serve the teriyaki chicken over steamed rice. Drizzle with any extra sauce from the pan.
  2. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Scatter them over the top right before serving.

Notes

For the gloss, don’t rush the cornstarch step—simmer 2-3 minutes until the sauce coats a spoon. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet until warm. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce may lose its thick texture after thawing. If you need a lower-sugar option, replace the brown sugar with a 1:1 brown sugar substitute and simmer until the sauce turns glossy.