Chicken Teriyaki Recipe (2024)

Recipe from Sujan Shrestha

Adapted by John T. Edge

Updated Feb. 13, 2024

Chicken Teriyaki Recipe (1)

Total Time
30 minutes, plus marinating
Rating
5(4,318)
Notes
Read community notes

Teriyaki is derived from the Japanese root words teri, which means “to shine,” and yaki, which means “to broil or grill.” That’s the way traditional teriyaki looks: shiny and incised with grill marks. In Japan, teriyaki is a mix of soy sauce, sake and the rice wine mirin, which imparts a subtle sweetness. The teriyaki found throughout Seattle, of which this is an adaptation, is a bit more showy. Cooks sweeten with white sugar and pineapple juice. They thicken with cornstarch. Ginger and garlic go into the mix because of the Korean ancestry of many cooks. It is not at all traditional, but it is simple to prepare and a pleasure to eat. Be sure to plan ahead as you do need to marinate the chicken before cooking. An overnight stay in the fridge is ideal, but many readers have been happy with a quick marinade of an hour or so. —John T. Edge

Featured in: A City’s Specialty, Japanese in Name Only

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

  • 1cup soy sauce
  • 1cup granulated sugar
  • teaspoons brown sugar
  • 6garlic cloves, crushed in a press
  • 2tablespoons grated fresh ginger
  • ¼teaspoon black pepper
  • 13-inch cinnamon stick
  • 1tablespoon pineapple juice
  • 8skinless, boneless chicken thighs
  • 2tablespoons cornstarch

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

557 calories; 32 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 31 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 26 grams sugars; 35 grams protein; 1908 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Chicken Teriyaki Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients except cornstarch and chicken. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and stir until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Discard cinnamon stick and mix in ½ cup water.

  2. Place chicken in a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag. Add soy sauce mixture, seal bag, and turn to coat chicken. Refrigerate for at least an hour, ideally overnight.

  3. Step

    3

    Remove chicken and set aside. Pour mixture into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low. Mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and add to pan. Stir until mixture begins to thicken, and gradually stir in enough water (about ½ cup) until sauce is the consistency of heavy cream. Remove from heat and set aside.

  4. Step

    4

    Heat a broiler or grill. Lightly brush chicken pieces on all sides with sauce, and broil or grill about 3 minutes per side. While chicken is cooking, place sauce over high heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a bare simmer, adding water a bit at a time to keep mixture at a pourable consistency. To serve, slice chicken into strips, arrange on plates, and drizzle with sauce.

Ratings

5

out of 5

4,318

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Mary

For those of you put off by the quantity of sugar, the introduction explains that this is a sweet, Seattle-specific, inauthentic version of Teriyaki. Perhaps a more authentic recipe would be more to your taste? This site has several less-sugary options, including Melissa Clark's Yakitori sauce. Google authentic Teriyaki, and wow, do the internets yield results! Or stick with this one, and reduce the amount of sugar. So many options that don't involve sugar-shaming other readers.

Linda Criss

Make the marinade
Do not heat
Make a bed of onion and carrot chunks
place bone in - skin on - chicken thighs on top of vegetables
Pour marinade over the dish
Bake 350
Two hours

Jennifer

This was easy and much better than any store bought marinade. First tip when reading ANY recipe I would say is to Always read it all the way through first, but, I did not marinade overnight, never do, no one has time for that. I let it marinate for 1hr 30min. More than enough time. Buy pre shaved ginger at grocery store by the herb pastes. 10-12 min each side for chicken under broiler. Pair with white rice and if you have a Publix near you then get their Makoto Honey Ginger salad mix in a bag.

Janet

This is so much tastier than any bottled teriyaki sauce, though I'm grateful for readers' suggestions for how to reduce the amount of sugar. Another thing: I wish the editors would stop using plastic bags in the recipe directions for marinades etc. Nonreactive bowls with a plate on top work fine.

Mary

I omitted the granulated sugar, but used all of the juice from a can of pineapple chunks. I marinated the chicken for an hour, then I browned it in a skillet for ~5 minutes per side, removed it from the heat. I cut up an onion, bell pepper, a fresh jalapeno and stir fried them with the pineapple chunks in a bit of peanut oil in the same pan until I had a few char marks and then added the chicken back, along with the marinade. I simmered all of that for about fifteen minutes. Served with rice.

professional chef

2 hours is 3-4x longer than necessary. Thighs cook quickly in a preheated oven, 25-35 minutes tops, depending on temperature and amount cooking. Im a professional chef on a mission to help people stop destroying their perfectly innocent and naturally delicious chickens.

Gaby

I made it with skinless pounded chicken breast. I only marinated it 4 hours and it was still delicious. Grilled it and served it with basmati rice, scallions and roasted king oyster mushrooms.

Michelle

Excellent. Worth the little bit of planning to marinate the night before. I used 1/2 cup of sugar and it was perfect. There was ample sauce, so we put it on our rice too. I baked the thighs at 400 for 12 minutes first, then broiled 3 minutes per side and they were perfectly done.

Christina

What I like to do when recipes call for marinading overnight, 6 hours etc is to make up a big batch, do the marinade time then freeze the uncooked meat in some sauce in zip lock bags. That way I can have the meat already marinaded when I pull it from the freezer. I have a wonderful recipe for boneless pork chops - Teriyaki and Beer Marinade. Great on the grill.

Jennifer

Made this tonight. Family loved it. I did marinate the chicken overnight and grilled it. Cut the granulated to sugar to 3/4 cup. I added a small can of pineapple chunks to the chicken and used the juice for the sauce. Easy to make too. Will be making this again.

flatjack

Excellent recipe. I just have to say that the sauce to chicken ratio seems way out off balance: I ended up with way to much leftover sauce

Peter C. Herman

Really good, but a cup of sugar? Seriously? I cut the sugar content down to about three tablespoons of brown sugar (I also used pineapple juice) and it came out great.

KimmieLA

Grilled outside on skewers with fresh pineapple & dried figs. Used ground cinnamon instead of stick. Was yummy even after 3.5 hrs marinate. Added cumin for a little kick. Used low-salt soy sauce. Cooked brown rice with chicken broth to accompany. Yummy Sunday dinner with grilled corn.

Leskap19

The floating material may have been clumps of cornstarch. I had one and I had to strain it out. Otherwise, this was very delicious and easy. Just wish I made more chicken as it would make great left overs.

Yvette

These are just so tasty and so easy to make. Cut into small pieces and serve with toothpicks as an hors d'oeuvre or serve over rice as a main dish or with any other side. Not fancy by any means but everyone will love it.

BetsyS

Too sweet for our taste.

Ben C

Whoever is recommending cooking bone-in chicken thighs in the oven at 350 for 2 hours is making wild suggestions. That's about an hour of extra cooking time. You'd be better off cooking at 375 for like 45 minutes and broiling for 2-3 minutes.

Paul

Trying to use only what's in the fridge and pantry this week, without having to go to the grocery store. I made the sauce (used rice vinegar instead of pineapple juice) and drizzled it over stir-fried shrimp, tofu, bok choy and rice. We all loved it, especially the kids, who had thirds and now probably have diabetes but it was worth it.

Lauren

Made this as written many times. Recently, I’ve been only using a 1/2 cup sugar, and aprox a tablespoon molasses instead of brown sugar. My family loves it just as much as the original. In a pinch, I’ve also made the entire sauce in the microwave in the bowl I plan to marinate in. One less pot to clean.

K

Really good. I made this with just 1/4c of sugar instead of the full amount. I glazed it a second time mid way through cooking for extra coating of sauce. Sprinkled with sesame seeds and sliced scallions after it was done. It was a huge hit and am making it (the second time in two weeks) tonight.

Kate

Tasty but very, very sweet (and I have a sweet tooth!). I’d cut down on the sugar next time. Also, this makes an enormous amount of sauce so think ahead to what else you can use it for.

CJR

Four stars, tasty and easy to make. I agree that it is on the sweet side but that’s how it’s supposed to be.

RW Carter

Sauce is amazing. Lower and slower on the grill is the key. High heat and high sugar are dangerous. Garnish with scallions and a bit of ginger.

kidrid

Verb: Marinate/marinatedNoun: marinade

Traci

I eliminated the sugar altogether (not sugar shaming, have a diabetic family member) and just used pineapple juice and some honey for the sweetener. Other than that, followed the recipe exactly and it was utterly delicious!

Jan

My husband and I really enjoyed this dish. I used full amount of sugar, marinated in fridge overnight, and oven-broiled 7 minutes each side, one notch from the top. This is a keeper!

Heidi

Experienced beginner at broiling. Put the chicken on for three minutes. Needed four but the smell of burning chicken had me pulling it out soon. Just the rough tips of the chicken had burned a bit crispy which was yummy. Thank you for this recipe. I really like that this had cinnamon in it.

Jeff

Disappointing. Tried it on a whole chicken that was spatchco*cked and cooked in the oven. Looked great, thought we had a real winner, but it came out bland compared to what we usually get from our teriyaki sauce recipes. Seemed to lack depth.

Rick T

Good, but oversweet for my taste. Needed something astringent, like lime juice.

Susan

I think the steps could be written in a better sequence. Too much back and forth with the sauce. I never had to thin it with water at the end. It's very tasty and I enjoyed it over rice.

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Chicken Teriyaki Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is teriyaki chicken sauce made of? ›

Authentic Japanese teriyaki sauce combines soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and sake to create a distinctively sharp taste, with Westernized versions incorporating honey, garlic, and ginger for added edge. Cornstarch is often added to teriyaki sauce as a thickener.

Does teriyaki sauce go on before or after cooking? ›

Teriyaki sauce is usually added to the meat (or meat substitute) while it's being cooked on a grill or a wok. It's also often used as a dipping sauce or condiment for pork tenderloin, chicken thighs, chicken breasts, flank steak, or, of course, your meat substitutes of choice.

Can I just use teriyaki marinade as sauce? ›

If you want to turn your teriyaki marinade into a sauce you can serve with your meal, simply add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and ½ cup of water to the other ingredients. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the sauce until it thickens to your desired consistency. Voila!

What's the difference between teriyaki marinade and teriyaki sauce? ›

Marinating meat provides juice flavor and a tender meat consistency (via MadamnGRecipe). In contrast, teriyaki sauce adds instant flavor gratification and has a consistency that is usually thicker than a marinade. It is used for basting or pouring over meat as it cooks.

How to make teriyaki sauce taste better? ›

Brown sugar in place of white granulated sugar.
  1. 1 Tablespoon cornstarch.
  2. 1 Tablespoon cold water.
  3. 1/2 Cup sugar. (Brown sugar can add a depth to the flavor too.)
  4. 1/2 Cup low sodium soy sauce.
  5. (1/2 teaspoon of MSG)
  6. 1/4 Cup apple cider vinegar.
  7. 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger.
  8. 1 garlic clove, minced.
Mar 15, 2023

Can you use teriyaki sauce straight from the bottle? ›

A blend of traditionally brewed soy sauce for umami flavor, wine, sugar and spices, teriyaki marinade & sauce has the depth of flavor that makes it an ideal marinade or brush-on sauce, right from the bottle.

Should teriyaki sauce be thick or thin? ›

The thinner teriyaki sauce makes for a better a marinade, though in our teriyaki taste test, we determined you're better off making your own teriyaki marinade at home than buying a bottle of the thin stuff. The thicker American-style teriyaki sauce is a wiser purchase.

Can you use Kikkoman teriyaki sauce as a marinade? ›

ADD JAPANESE FLAIR TO EVERY DISH.

Kikkoman Teriyaki Marinade is the perfect choice for lovers of flavoursome marinated vegetables or meat, whether grilled, pan-fried or braised. It's particularly popular as a marinade during the barbecue season but is also ideal for enhancing stir-fries or as a dip.

How to turn chicken marinade into sauce? ›

Boiling a marinade for several minutes will certainly reduce the amount of liquid, which could leave the marinade thicker. In some cases, that may be preferable; the thicker sauce can cling to veggies or meat more easily. If the sauce thickens too much, add some chicken or vegetable broth after the five-minute boil.

Can you use jar marinade as a sauce? ›

Sauce. By cooking the marinade down through boiling, you can also make a tasty sauce. Some marinades that possess a thicker consistency, such as Tennessee Whiskey may stand to be used as a sauce on their own without any cooking necessary.

Which is better soy sauce or teriyaki sauce? ›

When to Use Each Sauce. Teriyaki Sauce: Ideal for glazing or marinating meats like chicken, beef, and fish. It pairs wonderfully with dishes like our Huli-Huli Homemade Sauce Recipe for Chicken. Soy Sauce: Perfect for stir-fries, marinades, and as a condiment.

How do I choose teriyaki sauce? ›

Japanese-style teriyaki sauce should be glossy and shiny with a clean flavor and a good balance of saltiness and sweetness. It should pack plenty of umami punch to bring out the flavor of the grilled meat it is being applied to.

How to use up teriyaki sauce? ›

Use leftovers with ingredients such as aubergines, chicken and salmon. Marinate chicken wings in teriyaki sauce, lime juice, clear honey and chopped fresh chilli for at least 1 hour. Put the chicken on a baking sheet (reserve the marinade) and roast for 30 minutes in an oven heated to 200˚C/180˚C fan/ gas 6.

What alcohol pairs with teriyaki? ›

A dry German Riesling could also work well. While it shares the high acidity of the Alsace Riesling, it tends to be less fruity and more mineral-driven, which can provide a nice contrast to the sweet and savory teriyaki sauce. Lastly, a Lambrusco, a sparkling red wine from Italy, could be an interesting choice.

What does teriyaki chicken contain? ›

Traditional teriyaki from Japan is grilled meat with a simple glaze made of soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar.

What is teriyaki sauce vs soy sauce? ›

Teriyaki Sauce vs Soy Sauce

Teriyaki sauce is a sweet and savory sauce made from soy sauce, sugar, and mirin. On the other hand, soy sauce is a dark, salty sauce made from fermented soybeans, wheat, and salt.

What is the Flavour of teriyaki sauce? ›

What does teriyaki sauce taste like? Teriyaki sauce has a complex flavour; a mixture of sweet and savoury, tangy and salty. The sweetness comes from the sweet wine and the caramelisation of the sugar, honey or syrup, which also gives the sauce its shiny glaze.

What is Subway teriyaki chicken made of? ›

An Asian classic, is made with tender chicken pieces dressed lightly with teriyaki sauce, served hot and topped with your choice of fresh vegetables and condiments on freshly baked bread.

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