Quick & Easy Teriyaki Chicken

Quick & Easy Teriyaki Chicken

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!

Note: this recipe has been modified as of Apr 30, 2025 to improve it!

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 30

Course Main Course

Cuisine Japanese

Servings

Calories per serving 407 kcal

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

Sauce

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

Instructions

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.
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 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.
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!

Notes

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.

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