Teriyaki chicken

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the teriyaki mix: in a bowl whisk together light soy sauce, mirin, sake, brown sugar, grated garlic, grated ginger and sesame oil. Measure out and reserve 60 ml of this mix in a small bowl for the glaze before you add the chicken.

2. 2

   Put the chicken thighs into the remaining teriyaki mix, turn to coat, cover and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to soak up flavour.

3. 3

   Heat a frying pan over medium–high heat and add the vegetable oil. Score the skin of each thigh a couple of times (don’t cut through) and place the thighs skin‑side down. Cook without moving for 8 minutes to render the fat and crisp the skin.

4. 4

   Turn the thighs and cook for a further 6 minutes until cooked through. Check doneness: the juices should run clear and the thickest part should be cooked (or use a meat thermometer to 75°C).

5. 5

   Transfer the chicken to a board and rest for 5 minutes so the juices settle.

6. 6

   Return the pan to medium heat and pour in the reserved 60 ml teriyaki mix. Bring to a brisk simmer and reduce for 2 minutes so the alcohol cooks off and the flavour concentrates.

7. 7

   Whisk cornflour with the cold water to make a slurry, pour into the simmering pan and stir for about 2 minutes until the sauce turns glossy and coats the back of a spoon.

8. 8

   Return the rested chicken to the pan and spoon the glaze over each thigh for 90–120 seconds so the sauce clings and becomes sticky. Remove and slice into serving pieces.

9. 9

   Scatter over finely sliced spring onions and toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately with steamed rice and greens if you like.

Tips

• Always reserve a small portion of the marinade before adding raw chicken — that reserved mix becomes the sauce; anything that touched raw chicken must be cooked thoroughly before reuse.
• Score the skin gently with a sharp knife so fat renders evenly and the skin crisps rather than shrinks.
• If the glaze thickens too fast, lift the pan off the heat for a few seconds and stir in a splash of water to loosen it; add slurry sparingly — you can always add more.
• Make‑ahead: you can marinate the chicken up to 4 hours in the fridge. Reheat gently in a pan and freshen with a quick spooning of warm sauce.
• To toast sesame seeds quickly, dry‑fry in a small pan for 1–2 minutes, shaking frequently until fragrant and slightly darker.

Substitutions

• light soy sauce → tamari, same quantity

  Stays close

• brown sugar → clear honey, 40 g (slightly sweeter and less molasses flavour)

  Noticeably different

• skin-on boneless chicken thighs → chicken breasts, 800 g, flatten slightly and reduce cooking time by a few minutes

  Noticeably different

• sake → additional mirin plus 1 tbsp water, same total volume

  Stays close

Nutrition

Per serving · estimated

570

Calories

40 g

Protein

18 g

Carbs

38 g

Fat

1 g

Fibre

16 g

Sugar

1100 mg

Sodium

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