These Teriyaki Chicken Thighs are so tasty and easy to make! All you need to do is marinate the chicken, and then pan fry it on both sides, and then you get delicious teriyaki chicken you can serve with some white rice and veggies!
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What is Teriyaki?
Technically speaking, in Japan, the word Teriyaki (or 照り焼き) refers to a cooking method where you broil or grill food with a mixture of soy sauce, mirin, and sugar.
However, in the States, when we refer to Teriyaki, we usually mean the Teriyaki sauce or marinade (such as Teriyaki Pork Stir Fry, Teriyaki Beef Tenderloin Medallions)
In this recipe, I marinade the beef tenderloin medallions with my homemade teriyaki sauce prior to pan searing – kicking up the beef tenderloin medallions a notch!
Also, this is how I make it medium rare. I ate too fast and didn’t manage to take a good picture of it cut open for you to see! But just wanted to mention that if you prefer it more well done, to cook it a little longer.
What is Teriyaki Sauce?
Nowadays around the world we often just think of the teriyaki sauce when we hear the word teriyaki.
The Teriyaki sauce is a savory and sweet sauce that can be used as a marinade, glaze, or dipping sauce that's made with soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar (and often times garlic and ginger are also added).
It's not hard to see why teriyaki sauce is so popular around the world. The flavor is so tasty with a balance of sweet, savory, and tangy!
The sweetness comes from the sugar / honey, while the soy sauce adds to the savory notes, and rice wine adding to some tanginess - while garlic and ginger add even more pow to the flavor!
Dark Meat vs. White Meat
For this recipe you can use chick breast instead of chicken thighs depending on your preference. Usually, you can use them interchangeably and then for some recipes, depending on the thickness of the chicken you may need to adjust the timing.
Basically – just make sure that the chicken is thoroughly cooked before serving!
With all that said, I do recommend Chicken Thighs though because it does come out more juicy and more tender.
How to Cook Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
Gather your Ingredients:
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil (vegetable, canola, or peanut oil work well)
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey (or sugar)
- 1 tablespoon rice wine (mirin) or rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- Optional garnishing: sesame seeds and chopped green onions
Marinate the Chicken:
- In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, honey, rice wine/vinegar, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Mix well.
- Add the chicken thighs to the marinade, ensuring they are well-coated.
- Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight in the refrigerator for deeper flavor.
Pan-Fry the Chicken:
- Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Add chicken with marinade to the pan, ensuring they are not overcrowded. Cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 165°F (75°C).
Remove from heat and serve:
- Transfer the chicken thighs to a serving plate.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions, if desired.
- Serve immediately with rice, noodles, or your favorite side dishes.
I sprinkled with green onions but forgot to sprinkle it with the sesame seeds, but it turned out delicious nonetheless!
Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
This Teriyaki Chicken recipe is so tasty and easy to make! All you need to do is marinate the chicken, and then pan fry it on both sides, and then you get delicious teriyaki chicken you can serve with some white rice and/or veggies!
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil (vegetable, canola, or peanut oil work well)
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey (or sugar)
- 1 tablespoon rice wine (mirin) or rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- Optional garnishing: sesame seeds and chopped green onions
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, honey, rice wine/vinegar, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Mix well. Add the chicken thighs to the marinade, ensuring they are well-coated. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight in the refrigerator for deeper flavor.
- Pan-Fry the Chicken: Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken with marinade to the pan, ensuring they are not overcrowded. Cook for about 5-7 minutes per side, or until cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 165°F (75°C).
- Remove from heat and serve: Transfer the chicken thighs to a serving plate. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions, if desired. Serve immediately with rice, noodles, or your favorite side dishes.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 338Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 138mgSodium: 1079mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 1gSugar: 9gProtein: 30g
The nutrition information for this recipe is an approximate total per serving. Please double check the nutrition information for your exact ingredients and brands for more precise nutrition information. Keep in mind that if there is a marinade, often times not all the ingredients will be consumed.
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