Teriyaki Chicken
Marinate chicken thighs over the weekend in an easy homemade teriyaki sauce for a quick weeknight dinner.
Equipment
- 1 large cutting board
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 plastic zip seal bag or container with lid
- measuring cups and spoons
- 1 10" saute pan
- 1 tongs or chopsticks
- 1 small sauce pan optional
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs fat trimmed
- ¼ to ½ cup Simple Teriyaki Sauce or store-bought teriyaki sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Trim the fat off the chicken thighs. Place chicken thighs in a plastic resealable bag or large container.
- Add teriyaki sauce and mix until the chicken is well coated. Cover and put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
- Optional: take the chicken out of the fridge for 15 minutes before cooking. (This helps to bring your chicken closer to room temperature so it cooks quicker, but it is not required. You can include this time in your marinating time.)
- Heat 10” saute pan to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the pan. Add half of the meat to the pan, flipping the meat after 5 to 6 minutes of cooking and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes on the other side. Remove the cooked meat after checking that the internal temperature reads over 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and cook the remaining meat for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Remove the cooked meat after checking the temperature and let it rest.
- Optional: to make a teriyaki glaze, put 1/8 cup teriyaki sauce into a small pot on medium heat. While the sauce is warming, mix a slurry of ½ tsp cornstarch and ½ tsp water. Add the slurry to the sauce and mix well to combine. Turn the heat up to medium high. Let it come to a boil and turn the heat off immediately. Stir the glaze and set it aside to top on the teriyaki chicken for extra flavor.
Video
Notes
Tips and Tricks
Can I use store bought teriyaki sauce?
Using store-bought teriyaki sauce for chicken as a marinade to cook on the stove is difficult because there’s more sugar in the store-bought teriyaki sauce. This will cause the chicken to quickly burn in the pan before it is cooked in the center. You’re better off scraping off the marinade and putting the chicken on a pan in the oven (400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes).
Alternatively, you can use a non-stick pan instead of stainless steel. The chicken will still burn, but not nearly as fast. You’ll also have a risk of the non-stick coating leaching into your food.
Can I double this recipe and make a big batch?
Yes! This is a recipe that will easily double or triple or quadruple. You can choose to cook the chicken as you need it or everything all at once. When cooking the entire double or triple batch, it’s much easier to cook the marinaded chicken in the oven on a foil-lined sheet pan at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes. Then turn the oven to broil on high, move the chicken to the second rack from the top, and broil for 1 or 2 minutes.
How long do leftovers keep?
Leftover cooked chicken keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat refrigerated leftovers in the microwave for 1 minute.
You can let the chicken marinate in the fridge up to 3 or 4 days. This depends on how fresh the chicken was when you first bought it.
Can I cook this in the air fryer?
Yes, you can. I haven’t had the chance to test this in the air fryer yet. I would try air frying it at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes, flipping the chicken after the first 10 minutes of cooking. If you’ve had success in the air fryer, let me know!