Teriyaki Chicken
Teriyaki chicken is a Japanese dish of pan-seared chicken thighs glazed in a sweet-savory sauce made from soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and sake. The cooking begins skin-side down, pressing the chicken firmly against the pan to render the fat and crisp the skin to a deep golden color. Once flipped, the teriyaki sauce is poured in and the heat is lowered so the liquid reduces slowly, coating the chicken in a glossy, caramelized lacquer. Garlic and ginger, minced and added to the sauce, contribute a warm aromatic undercurrent that prevents the sweetness from becoming one-dimensional. As the sauce thickens, it clings to every surface of the chicken, creating a sticky, burnished exterior that contrasts with the moist meat beneath. The dish comes together in under thirty minutes and pairs equally well over steamed rice, alongside a green salad, or sliced into a bento box.
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Instructions
- 1
Mix soy sauce, mirin, sugar, sake to make teriyaki sauce.
- 2
Place chicken skin-side down in pan and cook until golden.
- 3
Flip and cook the other side.
- 4
Add teriyaki sauce and simmer on low, basting chicken until glazed.
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Nutrition (per serving)
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