Teriyaki chicken has become a beloved mainstay across many cuisines, offering a tangy sweet and savory flavor profile that is simply hard to resist. But what exactly gives this dish its signature sticky, rich and complex taste? Let’s take a deep dive into what comprises this popular entree.
A Brief History of Teriyaki Chicken
While the name “teriyaki” is Japanese in origin, meaning “shiny or glazed grilled meat”, the modern incarnation of teriyaki chicken actually has its roots in America. Japanese immigrants to Hawaii and Seattle in the mid-20th century are credited with transforming the traditional cooking technique used for fish in Japan into the chicken dish we know and love today.
By tweaking the original teriyaki method and incorporating ingredients more common in American cooking these immigrants created a new fusion cuisine that combined elements of different food cultures into something novel and delicious. The resulting dish spread rapidly from the West Coast across the country and the rest is history!
The Key Ingredients in Teriyaki Chicken
While recipes can vary several core components work together to produce classic teriyaki chicken
Chicken
Boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs are usually used to ensure a tender and juicy texture when cooked quickly over high heat. Dark meat chicken thighs impart more flavor.
Teriyaki Sauce
The sauce is what gives teriyaki chicken its signature sticky glaze and balanced sweet-savory taste. Traditional ingredients include:
- Soy sauce – for saltiness, savoriness and color
- Mirin or sake – for sweetness
- Sugar or honey – to balance and amplify the sweet flavors
- Ginger – for a subtle spicy kick
- Garlic – for aromatic flavor
- Cornstarch or water – to thicken the sauce
Modern recipes sometimes include extras like sesame oil, rice vinegar and chili flakes as well.
Oil
A neutral oil like vegetable, peanut or canola is used to sauté the chicken and prevent sticking. A small amount of sesame oil can be added for extra flavor.
Aromatics
Garlic, ginger and scallions are often cooked with the chicken to impart aromatic flavors.
Accompaniments
Teriyaki chicken is usually served with a starchy side like rice or noodles to soak up the sauce. Steamed or stir-fried vegetables add color and nutrients.
How Teriyaki Chicken Comes Together
With an understanding of the core ingredients, we can now walk through the general process of how this dish is made:
-
Make the teriyaki sauce: Whisk together the sauce ingredients – soy sauce, mirin, sugar, ginger, garlic, cornstarch and water.
-
Cook the chicken: Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces and cook through.
-
Add aromatics: Push chicken to the side. Add minced garlic, ginger and scallions to the pan and cook briefly.
-
Coat with sauce: Add prepared teriyaki sauce to the skillet. Toss or turn chicken to evenly coat with the sauce.
-
Reduce the sauce: Let the sauce simmer until thickened and sticky, coating the chicken.
-
Finish and plate: Remove from heat. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions. Serve chicken and sauce over rice or noodles.
And that’s it – the simple process yields the beloved sticky, glistening teriyaki chicken we all crave!
Teriyaki Chicken Variations
One of the great things about teriyaki chicken is that it’s endlessly adaptable:
-
Try thigh meat for extra juiciness and flavor
-
Coat larger chicken pieces or skewers for variety
-
Substitute or combine other sugars like brown sugar, maple syrup or pineapple juice
-
Use tamari instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free option
-
Stir in chili paste or flakes for heat
-
Mix in minced garlic and ginger to the sauce
-
Garnish with sliced scallions, sesame seeds or toasted sesame oil
-
Serve over sushi rice, soba noodles, or a green salad
The sauce can also be used to glaze vegetables, tofu, shrimp, beef or pork for a teriyaki twist. The possibilities are endless!
Healthier Homemade Teriyaki
While delicious, restaurant or pre-made teriyaki sauce can be high in sodium, sugar and preservatives. Luckily, it’s easy to make a healthier version at home with fresh ingredients. Here are some tips:
-
Use reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari
-
Opt for natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup in moderation
-
Boost flavor with fresh ginger, garlic, citrus juice
-
Skip cornstarch and let the sauce reduce to thicken
-
Use peanut or sesame oil for sautéing instead of heavy oils
-
Load up on vegetables like peppers, broccoli, bok choy
-
Serve over brown rice or quinoa instead of white rice
-
Grill, bake or broil chicken instead of frying for lower fat
With these simple substitutions, you can customize teriyaki chicken to be a bit healthier while maintaining all that sweet, savory, sticky goodness. Just avoid drowning the dish in sauce for balance.
Teriyaki Chicken is Endlessly Satisfying
However you choose to make it, teriyaki chicken remains a crowd-pleasing dish with a complex harmony of complementary sweet and salty flavors doused over tender, protein-packed chicken. By mastering a homemade teriyaki sauce and adding your own creative spin, you can produce a version of this Asian-American classic that is healthier and tailored to your taste. Forget takeout – make tonight a homemade teriyaki night! Your family will undoubtedly ask for seconds.
How to Make Teriyaki Chicken (See the video)
- Butterfly chicken thigh fillets to make the fillet an even thickness (photo above).
- Using the tip of a knife, poke the skin randomly.
- Heat a frying pan and cook the chicken, skin side down.
- Turn the chicken over and cook further.
- Add the Teriyaki Sauce to the pan and cook until the sauce thickens.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and cover with a sheet of foil.
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized strips.
Poking the skin will allow the teriyaki sauce to penetrate into the flesh better.
The step-by-step photo does not show it, but I steam cook the chicken for about 30 seconds after adding the teriyaki sauce (see the video). This ensures that the chicken is cooked through.
To nicely coat the cooked chicken with the teriyaki sauce, there are a couple of important things you need to adhere to.
What’s in My Teriyaki Chicken
You will be surprised to know that there are only 5 ingredients involved in making such a delicious, well-loved Japanese dish (vegetables in the photo below are just for serving):
- Shredded cabbage
- Finely julienned carrot
- Finely julienned capsicum
I use chicken thigh as it is juicier than chicken breast and best suited for Teriyaki Chicken. You can use chicken breast if you prefer, but you will find that the cooked chicken is slightly dry.
I know the skin is fatty, but I use chicken thigh with the skin on. I think that the chicken looks nicer with the skin on when cooked, especially nicely browned.
You can’t talk about Teriyaki Chicken without mentioning Teriyaki Sauce.
This is a very simple sauce that is made up of only 4 ingredients. But once you know the proportion of ingredients, it becomes so easy to cook flavoursome dishes in 5-10 minutes. Any dishes called ‘teriyaki’ something use this Teriyaki Sauce.
The Teriyaki Sauce is made with 1 part soy sauce + 1 part cooking sake + 1 part mirin + about ½ part sugar. I say ‘about ½ part sugar’ because you can adjust the sweetness to your liking. Note that there is no garlic and no ginger in the traditional Teriyaki Sauce.
Here is the sample photo of the soy sauce, mirin and, sake (from left to right) I use. At supermarkets in Australia, you might find different brands of mirin and cooking sake such as Bento brand. They are fine to use too. Please visit Pantry Essentials for Japanese Home Cooking – Part 1 and Pantry Essentials for Japanese Home Cooking – Part 2 for more details about them.
Combine them together and mix well to dissolve the sugar. You can heat the mixture slightly to speed up the process of dissolving the sugar if you like.
This sauce is a very good sauce to have on hand. It keeps for weeks in the fridge, and you can sauté or grill fish/meat/vegetables and pour the sauce over it. You could add grated garlic/ginger to vary the flavour too.
chicken teriyaki for lunch! #chickenteriyaki #lunchideas #asianfood
FAQ
What is teriyaki chicken made of?
In a bowl, stir together ¼ cup soy sauce, 3 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 clove of minced garlic, 1 tsp grated fresh ginger, 1 Tbsp water, and 1 Tbsp cooking oil. Place about 1.75 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a wide bowl or dish (or a zip top bag), then pour the marinade over top.
What does teriyaki consist 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.
Is teriyaki chicken healthy?
How healthy is teriyaki chicken? Teriyaki Chicken isn’t the healthiest depending on how it is prepared. Even though it can be a good source of protein, it can be high in calories, fat, and sodium. They can be made healthier with healthier ingredients and should be consumed in moderation.
Is teriyaki chicken white or dark meat?
You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts if you’re in a pinch or prefer white meat, but thighs are definitely the best choice for teriyaki. Cornstarch: Used to thicken the sauce, giving it a glossy texture that clings to the chicken.