Before you cook
Background Recipe story & origin
The dish is often served over rice, the sauce-soaked grains as important as the meat itself. Teriyaki (照り焼き) is a Japanese cooking technique where food is grilled or pan-fried with a glaze of soy sauce, mirin, and sake. The name combines 'teri' (shine/luster) and 'yaki' (grill/broil), describing the glossy appearance. Unlike American teriyaki, authentic Japanese teriyaki contains no garlic, ginger, or pineapple. The technique originated as a way to preserve and flavor fish, later applied to chicken and beef. The sauce is added during the final minutes of cooking, basting repeatedly as it reduces to a syrupy glaze that coats the protein. Proper teriyaki has a sweet-savory flavor without being cloying.
Before you start Equipment you'll need
- large skillet — Provides large surface area for pan-frying salmon cakes until golden and crispy on both sides
Safety Safety & allergen notes
- Sugar in sauce can burn quickly; watch heat carefully.
- Chicken thighs should reach 175°F internal temperature.
Non-negotiables Rules for success
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Use equal parts soy, mirin, sake.
This classic ratio creates the balanced sweet-savory flavor
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Cook chicken skin-side first.
Crispy skin is essential; starting skin-down renders fat and crisps
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Add sauce when chicken is almost done.
Sauce needs only brief cooking to glaze; adding early burns the sugar
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Baste repeatedly while sauce reduces.
Multiple layers of glaze build the characteristic lacquered shine
Prep Get set first
About 5 min of prep
- Mix teriyaki sauce
- Pat chicken dry
- Slice scallions
- Have rice ready
Real teriyaki is about the glaze technique: the sauce reduces to a shiny lacquer on the chicken.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Make the sauce and prep chicken
Whisk together soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar until sugar dissolves. Pat chicken thighs dry and season with salt.
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Cook the chicken
Heat oil in large skillet at 400°F. Place chicken skin-side down. Cook without moving 7 to 8 minutes until skin is golden and crispy. Flip and cook 5 minutes more until nearly cooked through.
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Glaze and serve
Pour off excess fat from skillet. Add teriyaki sauce. Simmer, turning chicken and basting constantly, 3 to 4 minutes until sauce thickens and coats chicken with glossy glaze. Transfer to plates, spoon remaining sauce over. Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds. Serve with rice.
Chef's notes
Teriyaki means 'shiny grilled' - describing the glazed finish.
Authentic teriyaki has no garlic or ginger (those are American additions).
The sauce should coat a spoon when properly reduced.
Works with salmon, yellowtail, or beef as well.