Recipe
Chicken teriyaki
Japanese · 30 min · Easy
Pan-seared chicken thighs glazed in a glossy soy, mirin and sugar sauce. Serve with rice.
Photo: Mayte Baque on Unsplash
Homemade teriyaki is simpler, and far better, than the bottled kind. Juicy chicken thighs are seared until golden, then glazed in a quick sauce of soy sauce, mirin and a little sugar that bubbles down until sticky and glossy.
Serve it over steamed rice with something green on the side.
Chicken teriyaki recipe
By FeastPick Kitchen · Updated October 11, 2026
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) soy sauce
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) mirin
- 2 tablespoons sake or water
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
For the chicken
- 1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- Toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions, to serve
- Steamed rice, to serve
Instructions
- Whisk all the sauce ingredients together until the sugar dissolves.
- Pat the chicken dry. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook without moving for 5 to 6 minutes, until deeply golden underneath.
- Flip and cook for 4 to 5 minutes more, until cooked through (165°F / 74°C in the thickest part).
- Lower the heat to medium and pour in the sauce. Let it bubble for 3 to 4 minutes, turning the chicken often, until the sauce reduces to a sticky glaze.
- Slice the chicken, spoon over the glaze, and serve over rice with sesame seeds and scallions.
Tips
- Chicken breast works too: slice it in half horizontally so it cooks evenly and doesn't dry out.
Storing leftovers
Keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water.
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