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Teriyaki Chicken

Teriyaki chicken with caramelized chicken thighs glazed in a thick, glossy homemade teriyaki sauce. The dark amber edges blister as the sauce simmers, then clings to the chicken over white rice.
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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
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs Use thighs for the best sticky, caramelized 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
  • 2 tbsp water For the cornstarch slurry.
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
To serve
  • 0.5 sesame seeds, sliced green onions, and steamed rice for serving Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions; serve with steamed rice.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the teriyaki marinade and marinate
  1. In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, mirin, sake, garlic, and ginger, then reserve half for the sauce.
  2. Add the chicken thighs to the remaining half, toss to coat, and marinate for 20 minutes, turning once halfway for even flavor.
Caramelize the chicken
  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  2. Cook the marinated chicken for 5–6 minutes per side until caramelized and the thickest part reaches 165°F, then remove to a plate (reserve any juices in the pan).
Thicken the sauce and glaze
  1. Pour the reserved marinade into the skillet and bring it to a simmer.
  2. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 2–3 minutes, until the sauce turns thick, glossy, and dark amber at the edges.
  3. Return the chicken to the skillet and turn to coat thoroughly in the teriyaki sauce, letting it cling as it heats through.
Serve
  1. Serve the teriyaki chicken over steamed rice and drizzle with any extra sauce.
  2. Finish with sesame seeds and green onions so the sticky glaze looks glossy in the final plating.

Notes

Pro tip: simmer the sauce until it’s visibly thick and glossy before coating the chicken—this is what creates the sticky, dark-amber finish. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 3 days; freeze cooked chicken and sauce in an airtight container up to 2 months for best texture. For a lighter option, swap honey for brown sugar only (or reduce honey by half) to lower added sugar while keeping the amber color.