Quick & Easy Teriyaki Chicken

Name: Quick & Easy Teriyaki Chicken
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs skin-on bone-in chicken thighs ((4 large thighs)); 3 tablespoon cornstarch (or potato starch / tapioca starch); 1.5 tablespoon vegetable oil (or any neutral oil); 1 green onion (finely chopped (optional garnish)); ½ teaspoon sesame seeds (optional garnish); ¼ cup cooking sake; ¼ cup mirin; 3 tablespoon regular soy sauce (or light soy sauce); 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar (or cane sugar / honey); 2 garlic cloves (minced); 1 teaspoon ginger (grated)

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Crispy juicy chicken thighs coated in a sweet sticky teriyaki sauce. This quick and easy teriyaki chicken is made with minimal ingredients in 30 minutes! Great as a main dish with rice. It's restaurant-quality and fantastic for the whole family!

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Ingredients & Substitutes
Expert Tips
Instructions
Storage & Reheating
Pairing Suggestions
FAQ
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💬 Reviews

My teriyaki chicken features crispy tender chicken thighs pan-fried and glazed in a sticky sweet sauce with garlic and ginger. This is a very popular chicken dish from Japan, and I absolutely adore it!

You'll find this served with white rice and cabbage as an entrée or in a bento box at many Japanese restaurants. Each restaurant or Japanese household has their own way of cooking this dish.

You'll love this easy Asian chicken recipe because it's:

quickly made with simple ingredients in one-pan!
so delicious as the chicken is tender with a crispy skin!
great for picky eaters.
better-than-takeout.
great for meal preparation.

Ingredients & Substitutes

Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.

Skin-on Bone-in Chicken Thighs: are highly recommended. As a last resort, substitute with skinless boneless chicken thighs but reduce cooking time. You may use chicken breast and horizontally slice it into half, then pound it with a meat tenderizer into ½-inch-thick pieces.
Cornstarch: or substitute with potato starch or tapioca starch.
Neutral Cooking Oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil or coconut oil.
Green Onion: optional garnish.
Sesame Seeds: if you're allergic to sesame, please omit.

Teriyaki Sauce

Cooking Sake: A Japanese rice wine available at Asian supermarkets. Or substitute with dry sherry wine, shaoxing wine, or chicken stock.
Mirin: A Japanese sweet rice cooking wine available at Asian grocers. For a non-alcoholic version: substitute with ¼ cup cold water + 3 drops of rice vinegar + ½ teaspoon white sugar.
Regular Soy Sauce: or substitute with low-sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you're gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce.
White Granulated Sugar: or substitute with cane sugar or honey.
Garlic
Ginger: or substitute with ¼ teaspoon ground ginger.

Note: Most Asian grocery stores will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients or check online stores, like Amazon.

Expert Tips

Source fresh chicken thighs at the grocery store by performing a smell check. If you smell any odors through the packaging, put it back and get a fresher batch.
Pat dry the chicken thighs with paper towel to remove excess moisture, especially on the skin for crispy chicken.
Evenly coat the chicken thighs in the cornstarch on both sides for crispy skin.
Sear the chicken thighs in the pan and avoid moving it around, so it can form a crispy golden crust.
Press down on the thighs while they’re skin-side down in the pan for crispier skin.
Leave the browned bits and leftover oil in the pan from searing the chicken as it contains flavor for the sauce.

Instructions

Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make teriyaki chicken:

In a small bowl or cup, combine the sauce ingredients as listed above and mix to dissolve the sugar. Set aside.

In a small bowl or cup, combine the sauce ingredients as listed above and mix to dissolve the sugar. Set aside.

Place chicken thighs skin-side down on a cutting board. Then with the tip of a sharp knife, make small slits around the bone until you can remove it. Pat dry the chicken thighs on both sides with paper towel to remove excess moisture, especially the skin.

Place chicken thighs skin-side down on a cutting board. Then with the tip of a sharp knife, make small slits around the bone until you can remove it. Pat dry the chicken thighs on both sides with paper towel to remove excess moisture, especially the skin.

Evenly coat the chicken thighs with cornstarch on both sides, shaking off any excess. Set aside on a large plate lined with parchment paper.

Evenly coat the chicken thighs with cornstarch on both sides, shaking off any excess. Set aside on a large plate lined with parchment paper.

Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat. Sear the chicken thighs skin-side down until crispy golden brown, about 4-6 minutes. Avoid moving the chicken around so it can form a crust. Flip over and fry on the other side until cooked through and golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan.

Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat. Sear the chicken thighs skin-side down until crispy golden brown, about 4-6 minutes. Avoid moving the chicken around so it can form a crust. Flip over and fry on the other side until cooked through and golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan.

Into the pan, add the sauce and scrape the brown bits on the bottom. Simmer for 2 minutes stirring occasionally until slightly thickened.

Into the pan, add the sauce and scrape the brown bits on the bottom. Simmer for 2 minutes stirring occasionally until slightly thickened.

Add the chicken skin-side down into the sauce. Then quickly flip it over to coat the other side. Remove off heat. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve as whole pieces or let it rest for 5 minutes and slice thighs into strips. Enjoy!

Add the chicken skin-side down into the sauce. Then quickly flip it over to coat the other side. Remove off heat. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve as whole pieces or let it rest for 5 minutes and slice thighs into strips. Enjoy!

Storage & Reheating

Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat with a couple tablespoons of water.
Freezer friendly? Teriyaki chicken can be stored in a freezer friendly bag and frozen up to 3 months or until you see freezer burn. To reheat, defrost it and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a pan.

Pairing Suggestions

Teriyaki chicken serves well:

starters like miso soup, korokke, crab corn salad, salad with Japanese ginger salad dressing.
steamed white rice or brown rice.
vegetables like sautéed cabbage, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, mushrooms snap or snow peas.
seafood dishes like shrimp tempura, panko shrimp or ebi mayo.
protein dishes like tonkatsu, ramen eggs, enoki beef rolls or ginger miso salmon.
noodles like ramen, yaki udon, creamy mushroom udon, or udon carbonara.

FAQ

Can I make this in advance?

Teriyaki chicken can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, microwave or in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat until hot.

Can I use this teriyaki sauce for other dishes?

This homemade teriyaki sauce can also be used for other dishes, like teriyaki salmon, teriyaki tofu or as a sauce with rice and more!

You can simmer it on its own in a small saucepan and transfer to an airtight container. Then store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, using a clean spoon to scoop the sauce.

Why isn't my chicken crispy?

Non-crispy chicken can be due to various reasons. They include not patting the chicken dry with paper towels, not evenly coating the chicken in cornstarch, the pan wasn't hot enough or the chicken didn't properly sear from being moved around too often.

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