Teriyaki Chicken is a beloved dish known for its perfect balance of sweet, savory, and slightly tangy flavors. The tender, juicy chicken is glazed with a rich homemade teriyaki sauce, creating a dish that’s both comforting and packed with flavor. Whether you’re serving it for a weeknight dinner or as part of a special meal, Teriyaki Chicken is sure to satisfy your taste buds.
The key to great Teriyaki Chicken lies in the sauce. Traditional teriyaki sauce is made from soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, and a splash of vinegar, simmered together to create a perfectly balanced glaze. The result is a thick, sweet, and salty sauce that sticks to the chicken, infusing it with rich flavor as it cooks. While store-bought teriyaki sauce is convenient, homemade sauce takes this dish to another level, allowing you to adjust the sweetness and saltiness to your liking.
To make Teriyaki Chicken, boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs are often used. The chicken can be marinated in the teriyaki sauce to soak up the flavors before being grilled, pan-seared, or baked. As the chicken cooks, the sauce caramelizes, forming a beautiful golden glaze on the surface. The result is a dish that’s both juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside, with each bite offering a savory, sweet explosion of flavor.
Teriyaki Chicken is versatile and can be served with a variety of sides. It pairs wonderfully with steamed rice, sautéed vegetables, or a crisp salad. For a complete meal, you can also serve it with stir-fried vegetables or add it to a bowl with some quinoa and greens. The dish also works well as a filling for wraps or sandwiches.
One of the best things about Teriyaki Chicken is how quickly it comes together. Whether you marinate the chicken for a few hours or just coat it with the sauce before cooking, the process is quick, making it a great option for busy nights. And with just a handful of ingredients, it’s easy to prepare, yet feels like a restaurant-quality meal.
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken thighs boneless, skinless
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup mirin
- 1/4 cup sake
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp ginger grated
- 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, garlic, and ginger. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
- Place chicken thighs in a resealable plastic bag or a shallow dish and pour the marinade over chicken. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken thighs and cook until browned on both sides, about 5-7 minutes per side.
- Pour the marinade into the skillet and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and let it simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
- If the sauce is too thin, add the cornstarch mixed with water and stir until the sauce has thickened.
- Serve the teriyaki chicken over steamed rice and garnish with chopped green onions or sesame seeds if desired.
Nutrition
Honestly this taste like soy sauce with sugar… i mean teriyaki is just that right? 😅 Didn’t wow me, but my family ate it all.
This teriyaki chicken is amazing! So flavorful and easy to make. My family loved it!
Nice and easy, but my sauce stayed kinda salty even after thickening. Next time I’ll cut the soy sauce or add a touch more sugar.
I don’t have mirin, can I use vinegar instead? 🤔
So good! My kids loved it. I’ll definitely make this again!
That’s awesome to hear! I made it for my family too and they couldn’t get enough. It’s definitely a keeper!
I’m not sure about the sake. Do you really need it? Can you substitute with something else?
Honestly… it’s just chicken in sweet soy sauce. Not bad, but not life-changing. I think store-bought teriyaki would get you 80% there.
I don’t know how to make the sauce thick. Help!
Quick question—can I skip the ginger?
You can, yeah. The ginger adds a little brightness, but the garlic + soy/mirin/sake/sugar will still taste very “teriyaki.” If you skip it, just make sure you simmer a bit to let the flavors meld.
Looks great, but I don’t have mirin. Can I just use more sake? 😕