Description
This best teriyaki chicken recipe delivers tender, juicy chicken with a gorgeous glossy glaze in just 25 minutes. Made with simple, quality ingredients and proper technique, this easy homemade teriyaki chicken tastes restaurant-quality while being surprisingly simple to make at home.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken:
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into roughly 2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Teriyaki Glaze:
- ⅓ cup soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons mirin (or honey/maple syrup if unavailable)
- 1½ tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (optional, for thicker glaze)
Optional Garnish:
- 2 tablespoons sliced scallions
- Sesame seeds
- Fresh cilantro
- Red pepper flakes
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken. Pat chicken pieces completely dry with paper towels. Moisture prevents proper browning. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Uniform sizing ensures even cooking – aim for roughly 2-inch pieces.
- Mix teriyaki glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, mirin, minced ginger, and minced garlic until sugar is mostly dissolved. The mixture should be well combined and aromatic. This creates the base for your teriyaki sauce.
- Heat skillet and prepare to cook chicken. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Let it preheat for about 1 minute. The pan should be hot enough for proper browning but not smoking – you want to brown the chicken, not char it.
- Add oil to hot skillet. Add neutral oil to the hot skillet and let it heat for 30 seconds until shimmering. The oil should coat the bottom evenly. Don’t skip preheating – cold oil results in different browning.
- Brown the chicken. Working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding (crowded pan prevents proper browning), add chicken pieces to the hot skillet in a single layer. Let them cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until golden brown on the bottom. Don’t move them around – you want that golden brown color to develop.
- Turn and continue browning. Flip chicken pieces and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the second side is golden brown. The chicken doesn’t need to be completely cooked through at this point – it will finish cooking in the glaze.
- Pour glaze over chicken. Pour the prepared teriyaki glaze over the browned chicken in the skillet. Stir gently to coat all chicken pieces with the glaze. The sauce should coat the chicken and fill the bottom of the skillet.
- Simmer and reduce glaze. Reduce heat to medium and let the mixture simmer for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 165°F) and the glaze has thickened and reduced slightly. The sauce should be glossy and coat the chicken beautifully.
- Thicken glaze if desired. If you prefer a thicker glaze, add the optional cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water) and stir for about 1 minute until the sauce thickens to desired consistency. This creates that thick, glossy glaze characteristic of teriyaki, though it’s optional.
- Taste and adjust. Taste the teriyaki chicken and adjust seasonings. Add a pinch more salt if needed, or a splash more rice vinegar for brightness. Adjust heat level by adding red pepper flakes if desired.
- Serve immediately. Transfer teriyaki chicken to a serving platter or individual bowls. Garnish with sliced scallions, sesame seeds, and fresh cilantro if desired. Serve immediately while hot, over steamed rice or with your choice of sides.
Notes
- Pat chicken dry – Moisture prevents proper browning; dry thoroughly with paper towels
- Don’t overcrowd – Cook chicken in batches if necessary; crowding prevents browning
- Brown first, glaze second – Browning develops flavor before adding sauce
- Cornstarch is optional – Use for thicker glaze, or skip for thinner sauce
- Fresh ginger and garlic matter – Quality aromatics make authentic flavor difference
- Adjust sweetness to taste – Add more brown sugar for sweeter glaze, or reduce for less sweet
- Serve over rice – Traditional presentation with steamed white or brown rice
- Make ahead components – Prepare glaze ahead and cook chicken fresh, or cook completely ahead
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 6 ounces)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0f
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 140mg