Japanese Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Chicken Teriyaki
Enjoy tender, juicy chicken glazed in a deeply flavorful, glossy sweet soy sauce, perfectly caramelized to sticky perfection.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Good to know
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Prick the chicken skin several times with a fork to prevent shrinking, and lightly salt the meat side.
- 2
Whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves to create the teriyaki sauce.
- 3
Heat the oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken skin-side down and press flat with a spatula to ensure even browning.
- 4
Cook without moving for 6-8 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and crispy, then flip and cook the meat side for 3-4 minutes.
- 5
Wipe away excess fat from the pan with a paper towel, then pour in the teriyaki sauce.
- 6
Simmer aggressively, basting the chicken repeatedly until the sauce reduces to a thick, glossy glaze that coats the meat perfectly (about 3-4 minutes). Slice and serve immediately.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
72/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving460
Calories
44 g
Protein
11 g
Carbs
26 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Teriyaki names a technique, not a bottled sauce: teri (shine) and yaki (grilled), meat glazed with a reduced soy, mirin, and sake mixture until glossy. The home version of chicken teriyaki builds that glaze right in the pan around crisp-skinned thighs.
Listahan note
This version makes the sauce from scratch in four pantry ingredients and crisps the chicken skin first, so the glaze clings to a browned surface rather than steamed meat.
Technique cues
- Prick the skin and press the thighs flat as they cook so the skin renders crisp and even instead of shrinking and curling.
- Wipe the rendered fat from the pan before the sauce goes in, or the glaze will be greasy and will not cling.
- Reduce the sauce while basting until it is thick and glossy; that shine is the teri the dish is named for.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Whisk the sauce and start rice before the chicken goes in; the cooking is quick once the skin is rendering.
- Make-ahead
- Mix the sauce ahead; cook the chicken fresh, since the crisp skin and glossy glaze do not hold well.
- Leftover move
- Slice leftover teriyaki chicken over rice bowls, into onigiri, or cold into a lunchbox.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Soak the pan right away; the sugary glaze sets hard once it cools.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
Skin-on chicken thighs
The protein
Purpose: Dark meat stays juicy and the skin crisps into the best surface for the glaze.
Handling: Prick the skin and press flat in the pan for even browning.
Adaptation: Skinless thighs work but lose the crisp skin; breast is leaner and dries faster.
Soy sauce
Salt and umami base
Purpose: It is the savory backbone and the source of the glaze's dark color.
Handling: Whisk with the mirin, sake, and sugar before cooking.
Adaptation: Use tamari for gluten-free; low-sodium soy needs a touch more reduction.
Mirin
Sweetness and shine
Purpose: Its sugars are what make the glaze glossy and lacquered.
Handling: Combine with the other sauce ingredients up front.
Adaptation: A mix of sugar and a splash of sake or water approximates it.
Sake
Depth and balance
Purpose: It adds a subtle savory complexity and helps the sauce reduce smoothly.
Handling: Whisk into the sauce; the alcohol cooks off as it reduces.
Adaptation: Dry sherry or a splash of water with extra mirin can stand in.
Sugar
Glaze body
Purpose: A little sugar thickens the sauce into a clinging glaze.
Handling: Dissolve it into the sauce before it hits the pan.
Adaptation: Honey or mirin can carry the sweetness instead.
Technique notes
- Render the skin patiently without moving the thighs; rushing this step is why home teriyaki often has soft skin.
- Wiping the fat before saucing is the difference between a clinging glaze and an oily one.
- Stop reducing when the sauce coats the back of a spoon; it thickens further off the heat.
Ingredient swaps
- Gluten-free direction
- Replace the soy sauce with tamari or a certified gluten-free soy sauce — check that any other packaged ingredients here are labeled gluten-free too. This one leans on the boneless skin-on chicken thighs.
- Lower-sodium direction
- Use low-sodium soy and lean on the mirin and sugar for the glaze.
- Leaner direction
- Use skinless thighs or breast and add a teaspoon of oil, watching closely so the leaner meat does not dry out.
Serve alongside
- Steamed rice
- Miso soup
- Steamed broccoli or greens
- Quick pickled cucumber
- Green tea
- Cold barley tea
- Light lager
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate up to 3 days in a sealed container with the glaze.
- Reheat gently in a pan or microwave with a splash of water to loosen the glaze.
- Freeze up to 2 months; thaw overnight and reheat gently.
Equipment
- Wide skillet
- Fork for pricking the skin
- Spatula or press
- Whisk
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