Japanese Chicken Teriyaki with Glossy Sauce
Teriyaki is chicken seared skin-side down until crisp, then finished in a sauce of soy, mirin, sake and sugar in equal parts, reduced over medium heat until it turns glossy and coats the back of a spoon.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Calories
- 420
Teriyaki literally means "grilled with shine" in Japanese — the name describes the sauce. The classic ratio is simple enough to memorise, and all the skill lives in reducing it to the right point.
Method
-
1
Dry the chicken
Pat the thighs thoroughly dry with kitchen paper and season lightly with salt. Dry skin is the precondition for crisp skin — a wet surface steams instead of browning.
-
2
Sear the skin
Heat a spoonful of oil in a pan over medium heat, lay the chicken skin-side down and press it flat with a spatula. Leave it undisturbed for seven minutes until the skin is deep golden and crisp, then flip and give it four more.
⏱ 12 min -
3
Mix the sauce
Combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar with the grated ginger. Pour off the excess fat from the pan, then add the sauce.
-
4
Reduce to a glaze
Let the sauce bubble over medium heat, turning the chicken through it every so often, for about five minutes, until it thickens, shines, and coats the back of a spoon.
⏱ 6 min -
5
Slice and serve
Cut the chicken into strips, spoon the glaze over, and scatter with sesame seeds and spring onion. Serve with plain steamed rice.
Cooked it? Rate it
Your rating tells the next cook whether this recipe is worth their time.
✓ Thanks — your rating is in.
Tips that actually matter
- Thighs beat breasts here — the fat is what gives the glaze its shine and stops the meat drying out.
- Do not move the chicken during those first seven minutes. Every nudge interrupts the crust that is forming.
- No mirin? Use two tablespoons of rice vinegar plus an extra spoon of sugar.
People also ask
My sauce stayed watery.
It needs longer on the heat. Keep it bubbling until it reduces by half and visibly coats the back of a spoon.
Does this work with salmon?
Yes, and it is a Japanese classic. Sear the salmon three minutes a side, then add the sauce and reduce as above.
Why does bottled teriyaki taste different?
Commercial versions usually carry starch thickeners and extra sweeteners. The real thing is thinner in body and much cleaner in flavour.
Cook mode
Japanese Chicken Teriyaki with Glossy Sauce
-
1
Dry the chicken
Pat the thighs thoroughly dry with kitchen paper and season lightly with salt. Dry skin is the precondition for crisp skin — a wet surface steams instead of browning.
-
2
Sear the skin
Heat a spoonful of oil in a pan over medium heat, lay the chicken skin-side down and press it flat with a spatula. Leave it undisturbed for seven minutes until the skin is deep golden and crisp, then flip and give it four more.
-
3
Mix the sauce
Combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar with the grated ginger. Pour off the excess fat from the pan, then add the sauce.
-
4
Reduce to a glaze
Let the sauce bubble over medium heat, turning the chicken through it every so often, for about five minutes, until it thickens, shines, and coats the back of a spoon.
-
5
Slice and serve
Cut the chicken into strips, spoon the glaze over, and scatter with sesame seeds and spring onion. Serve with plain steamed rice.
Comments
Cooked it? Tell us how it went, or ask a question — we read every comment.