Description
Authentic teriyaki is not the sticky, overly sweet glaze most Westerners know. In Japan, teriyaki is a cooking technique — teri means gloss, yaki means grilled or broiled. Chicken thighs are grilled or pan-seared, then brushed with a simple reduction of soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar that caramelizes into a thin, lacquered glaze. The result is savory, balanced, and far more restrained than the takeout version.
Ingredients
Units
- 4 boneless, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1.5 pounds)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup mirin
- 2 tablespoons sake
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Steamed white rice for serving
- Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
- Thinly sliced scallions for garnish
Instructions
- Combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened. Set the teriyaki sauce aside.
- Score the chicken thighs lightly on the skin side, making shallow cuts about 1 inch apart. This helps them cook evenly and allows the glaze to penetrate. Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and press them flat with a spatula for the first minute to ensure even contact with the pan. Cook for 5-6 minutes without moving until the skin is deeply golden and crispy.
- Flip the chicken and cook for another 3-4 minutes until just cooked through. An instant-read thermometer should read 165°F.
- Pour off any excess fat from the pan. Add the teriyaki sauce and let it bubble around the chicken for 1-2 minutes, spooning it over the thighs repeatedly, until the sauce reduces to a glossy glaze that clings to the meat.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board and rest for 2 minutes. Slice each thigh crosswise into strips. Fan the slices over steamed rice, spoon any remaining glaze from the pan over the top, and garnish with sesame seeds and scallions.
Notes
- Use skin-on chicken thighs — the crispy skin is essential to the texture contrast, and thigh meat stays juicy far better than breast.
- The sauce should be a thin, glossy lacquer, not a thick, gloopy syrup. Reduce it just enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Authentic teriyaki has no garlic, ginger, or cornstarch. The simplicity of soy, mirin, sake, and sugar is the whole point.
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 1100
- Fat: 31
- Carbohydrates: 13
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 35