This teriyaki chicken is super easy to make and takes only 15 minutes! Made with chicken thighs, it's super juicy on the inside and glazed with a glossy, sweet and savory teriyaki sauce on the outside. Perfect to go with some egg fried rice and sauteed garlic bok choy!
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Ingredient notes
Please scroll down to the recipe card for the ingredient quantities!
- Chicken thighs - Although you could use chicken breasts, chicken thighs have much more flavor and will stay super juicy. We recommend boneless chicken thigh, but it's up to you if you want it skin-on or skinless.
- Sake - This is Japanese rice wine and just like Shaoxing rice wine (Chinese cooking wine), it helps to remove unwanted flavors from the chicken. It is also the liquid that steams and helps to finish cooking the teriyaki chicken.
- Mirin - A sweetened rice wine for cooking. It's a Japanese pantry staple and many Japanese recipes from potato mochi to gyudon (Japanese beef bowl). Mirin adds that glossy shine to teriyaki sauce. If you're looking for an alcohol free alternative, try this non-alcoholic mirin.
- Soy sauce - Our recipe is based on light sodium soy sauce. If using regular soy sauce, you may need to use a tablespoon less. Soy sauce gives teriyaki sauce its savory note and brown color.
- Sugar - Just regular, white granulated sugar is fine. It adds the additional sweetness needed to the balance out the teriyaki sauce.
- Ginger - This is kind of optional. It adds an extra layer of flavor and helps to brighten up the dish.
- Salt and pepper - For seasoning the chicken thighs.
- Oil - Any neutral oil is fine.
How to make teriyaki chicken
Please scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and instructions!
1. Prepare teriyaki sauce. Briefly mix together all the ingredients for the teriyaki sauce and set aside.
2. Prepare chicken thighs. Trim away excess fat on the chicken and lightly season with salt and pepper.
3. Sear the chicken. Heat a small amount of oil in a pan over medium heat and sear the chicken until 75 percent cooked, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
4. Finish cooking chicken. Use a paper towel to soak up excess oil in the pan. Then, add the prepared teriyaki sauce. Let the chicken simmer in the sauce until just cooked, about another 2 to 3 minutes. Glaze the chicken occasionally and flip once or twice. Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the pan and let the chicken rest for about 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Reduce the sauce. While the chicken is resting, let the sauce reduce on medium heat until thickened and glossy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Discard the ginger.
🌟 Pro tip: A way to tell when the teriyaki sauce is ready is that the bubbles will go from large, medium bubbles to very fine, foamy bubbles. Then, tilt the pan so that only a thin layer of sauce is on the bottom of the pan and draw a line. If the sauce doesn't merge back together, the teriyaki sauce is reduced enough.
6. Garnish and enjoy! Slice the chicken and glaze with the sauce. Enjoy with rice and veggies.
Recipe tips
- Don't over reduce the teriyaki sauce. Teriyaki sauce will thicken more as it cools. So don't reduce it until it's the consistency that you would enjoy it. Instead, reduce until it is a little bit looser than how thick it would be when it's a little cooler.
- Chicken doesn't require color. Normally, it is ideal to give chicken a hard sear so that it looks golden brown. However, it's not necessary for teriyaki chicken because it will be glazed in a beautiful brown sauce. Also, we find that not giving the chicken thighs a hard sear, keeps the chicken more tender and juicy.
- Double the teriyaki sauce if you like it saucy. One recipe of teriyaki sauce is perfect for 1 recipe of chicken thighs. However, if you like sauce, we highly recommend that you double the teriyaki sauce.
Storage and reheating
Leftover teriyaki chicken can be stored in an airtight container and kept refrigerated for up to 4 days. To reheat, cover and microwave until warmed through or steam in a pan over medium heat with a small amount of water. Cover with a lid warm up the chicken quicker.
Also, we recommend that leftover teriyaki chicken to be kept whole and without the sauce on, if possible. Cut and glaze the chicken after it's been warmed through to keep the chicken as juicy as possible.
FAQ
The best substitution for sake is Chinese rice wine (Shaoxing rice wine) or dry sherry. If substituting in this recipe, we recommend diluting the rice wine or dry sherry with water. For example, this recipe calls for ¼ cup sake. Use 2 tablespoons rice wine or sherry and 2 tablespoons water instead.
If are looking for a non-alcoholic substitute, use water or stock, although the flavor may not be as fragrant.
If you don't have mirin, you can substitute with 3 parts sake and and 1 part sugar. For example, for every 3 tablespoons of sake, add 1 tablespoon of sugar. For an alcohol-free substitute, try this non-alcoholic mirin.
If you don't mind that using honey and/or brown sugar instead of regular sugar to make teriyaki sauce is not authentic and that the flavor will be different, then yes.
If you’ve made this recipe or any recipes from our blog, please tag us on Instagram using #twoplaidaprons! You can also tag us in your Instagram stories using @two_plaid_aprons. We would love to see your creations! It absolutely makes our day! 🥰
📖 Recipe
Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs trimmed as needed (about 4 thighs)
- ¼ cup sake
- ¼ cup mirin
- ¼ cup soy sauce light sodium
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ inch ginger peeled and cut into thin slices (optional)
- Salt and pepper as needed
- Oil any neutral oil (as needed for cooking)
- Toasted sesame seed optional for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the sake, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar. Stir briefly and set aside until needed.
- Lightly season the chicken thighs with salt and black pepper on both sides.
- In a pan over medium heat, add a small amount of oil, about 1 tablespoon. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs and sear each side for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until the chicken is about 75 percent cooked.*Color on the chicken is not necessary. So don't worry if the chicken isn't golden brown after searing.*
- Use a paper towel soak up any excess oil left in the pan. Then, pour the prepared sauce around the pan and add the sliced ginger.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium low heat and cook the chicken for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until cooked through, flipping occasionally. While simmering, also occasionally spoon the sauce over the chicken.
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove the chicken and let it rest for 3 to 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and reduce the sauce until thickened and glossy, about another 2 minutes. Discard the ginger.*Don't over reduce the teriyaki sauce! Teriyaki sauce will become thicker as it cools. Please refer to the blog post above for a photo reference and tips to show when teriyaki sauce is done reducing.*
- Slice the chicken thigh and glaze with teriyaki sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve over steamed white rice or fried rice and veggies. Enjoy while hot!
Notes
- Teriyaki sauce - One recipe of the teriyaki sauce is just enough for 4 chicken thighs. If you like it saucy, feel free to multiply the recipe by 2.
LM says
What can I use instead of sake?
Mei says
Mirin is an okay substitute for sake usually. You could also use a bit of water instead. But neither are perfect substitutions for sake, so the flavor will be a little different.
Mei ❤️
Elizabeth Gonzales says
I made this last night for dinner and everyone loved it. Even my picky eater ate it and did not complain!
Mei says
Hi Elizabeth! So glad to hear that everyone enjoyed it! =)
Mei ❤️