Succulent chicken thighs glazed in a sweet-savory teriyaki sauce, served with steamed rice and sesame.
Teriyaki (照り焼き) means 'luster grill' in Japanese — teri refers to the glossy glaze, yaki to the cooking method. Authentic teriyaki sauce is just soy, mirin and sake reduced to a sweet, sticky glaze. Chicken thighs are ideal because they stay juicy even when caramelized.
Serves 4
Whisk together soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside. Mix cornstarch with 1 tbsp water separately.
Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Score the thickest part of each thigh with a knife so it cooks evenly. Season lightly with salt.
Heat oil in a heavy skillet or cast-iron over medium-high. Place chicken skin-side down. Do not move for 6–7 minutes until skin is deeply golden and crispy.
Do not rush this step — a well-rendered skin holds the glaze beautifully.
Flip chicken. Add teriyaki sauce to the pan. Cook 5 minutes, basting constantly, until sauce reduces and coats the chicken. Stir in cornstarch slurry to thicken glaze.
Rest chicken 3 minutes. Slice. Serve over steamed Japanese rice, spoon glaze over, garnish with sesame and spring onions.
Skin-on thighs give the best result — the rendered fat keeps the chicken moist.
Don't substitute teriyaki sauce — making it from scratch takes 5 minutes and tastes dramatically better.
Adding a small knob of butter at the end makes the glaze extra glossy (optional but delicious).
Salmon teriyaki: same technique, cook salmon skin-side down 4 minutes each side.
Tofu teriyaki: press extra-firm tofu, slice and pan-fry until golden before glazing.
Refrigerate up to 4 days. The glaze may thicken — add a splash of water when reheating.
Teriyaki as a cooking technique dates to 17th-century Japan. The sweet soy glaze evolved as sugar became more available. The term 'teriyaki' was popularized in the West in the 1960s via Japanese-American restaurants.
Yes, but reduce cooking time to 4 minutes per side. Breast is leaner and overcooks quickly — use a meat thermometer (74°C / 165°F).
Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice wine (lower alcohol than sake) that adds sweetness and gloss. Find it at Asian stores or online. In a pinch: 1 tbsp dry sherry + 1 tsp sugar.
Per serving (350g) · 4 servings total
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes