Why every cook should master chicken teriyaki

By Alex Chung

Senior Food Writer at Pro Home Cooks

Let’s be honest, chicken teriyaki is just good. I loved it so much as a kid that I could practically just drink the sauce out of the bottle. What’s even better is that I still love it as an adult! It’s super easy to make, everyone loves it, and it creates well balanced and versatile meals. I recently figured out how to make traditional teriyaki sauce and it’s actually super easy to make. So in today’s episode, we are going to dive deep into the world of teriyaki so that one of my favorite childhood dishes can be adding to your arsenal of favorite go to meals!

We are going to create a homemade teriyaki sauce that you can keep in your fridge any time you need a quick but super delicious meal. Then I am going to show you how to make the classic chicken and broccolini teriyaki you always had growing up as well as a vegan option for those nights when you just need something on the lighter side. To see the full video click here and don’t forget to check out the full recipe and instructions down below!

Teriyaki Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1 knob of ginger

  • 2 cloves of garlic

  • 2 tablespoons of oil

  • 1 cup of sake

  • 1 cup of mirin

  • 1 cup of soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoon cornstarch

  • 4 tablespoon water

  • 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds

Instructions:

  1. Start by peeling your ginger and garlic. Chop the aromatics into very fine pieces.

  2. Next, drizzle in 1 tablespoon of oil and drop in your finely chopped garlic and ginger. On low heat, let the garlic and ginger bloom and become fragrant.

  3. After about 3 minutes, add in equal parts of sake, mirin, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil and let the alcohol cook off. This will take about 5 minutes on medium heat.

  4. Once the sauce has reduced by about 1/3, mix together the corn starch and water in a small bowl.

  5. Drizzle in your corn starch slurry and give it a mix. Your teriyaki sauce should become nice and thick.

  6. Finally add in about 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds. Stir to combine and once the sauce is cooled store in an air tight jar. Keep in the fridge until you are ready to use!

Chicken Teriyaki

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound of chicken thighs, preferred bonelss skin on

  • salt and pepper to taste

  • 1 head of brocollini

Instructions:

  1. Salt and pepper the chicken thighs and let them sit for 30 minutes or preferred overnight and in the fridge if possible.

  2. In a cold pan, place your chicken skin side down, and turn the heat to medium. Let the chicken fat render and get nice and crispy.

  3. In the mean time, cut up your broccolini or veggie of choice.

  4. Once your chicken skin is golden brown and crispy, flip it over to do the same to the other side. Once the chicken is nice and golden brown all around take it out and set it aside.

  5. Drop in your chopped up broccolini and let that sear in the chicken fat. Once it nice and a little crispy and vibrant in color, take it out.

  6. Dunk your chicken into the the teriyaki sauce. Slice it up and serve with some fluffy rice and seared broccolini.

Tofu Teriyaki

Ingredients:

  • 1 pack of firm tofu

  • salt and pepper to taste

  • 1 tablespoon of oil

  • 1 red onion, sliced

  • 1 red pepper, sliced

Instructions:

  1. Cut your tofu into long rectangles and then pat dry with a clean towel/paper towel.

  2. Sprinkle over some salt and pepper. If you have some time let the tofu sit for a couple hours, if not you can begin in the searing process.

  3. In a ripping hot pan, drizzle in some oil, and add your tofu in. Let each side get nice and crispy.

  4. Once your tofu is cooked, remove from the pan, and toss in your sliced veggies. Add a little more oil if necessary. Let your veggies soften and caramelize for about 3 – 4 minutes. Take off the heat and set aside.

  5. Dunk your tofu into your teriyaki sauce and cut into slices. Serve with your fluffy white rice and caramelized veggies.

Perfect Fluffy White Rice

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of rice

  • 1 cup of water

Instructions:

  1. Start by washing the rice until the water runs clear, about 3 -4 times is good. Then add the washed rice into a pot and add 1 cup of water.

  2. With the cover off, turning the heat to high. Once you start to some gentle bubbles, turn the heat to low, cap it, and set your timer for 15 minutes.

  3. Once it’s done, shut it off and let it steam for 5 minutes or until you are ready to serve your dish. When you are ready to serve, take a fork, and fluff your rice.

Why every cook should master chicken teriyaki

Ingredients:

Teriyaki Sauce:

  • 1 knob of ginger 
  • 2 cloves of garlic 
  • 2 tablespoons of oil 
  • 1 cup of sake 
  • 1 cup of mirin 
  • 1 cup of soy sauce 
  • 2 tablespoon cornstarch 
  • 4 tablespoon water 
  • 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds


Chicken Teriyaki: 

  • 1 pound of chicken thighs, preferred bonelss skin on 
  • salt and pepper to taste 
  • 1 head of brocollini


Tofu Teriyaki:

  • 1 pack of firm tofu 
  • salt and pepper to taste 
  • 1 tablespoon of oil 
  • 1 red onion, sliced 
  • 1 red pepper, sliced


Perfect Fluffy White Rice:

  • 1 cup of rice 
  • 1 cup of water

Instructions:

Teriyaki Sauce: 

  1. Start by peeling your ginger and garlic. Chop the aromatics into very fine pieces. 
  2. Next, drizzle in 1 tablespoon of oil and drop in your finely chopped garlic and ginger. On low heat, let the garlic and ginger bloom and become fragrant. 
  3. After about 3 minutes, add in equal parts of sake, mirin, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil and let the alcohol cook off. This will take about 5 minutes on medium heat. 
  4. Once the sauce has reduced by about 1/3, mix together the corn starch and water in a small bowl. 
  5. Drizzle in your corn starch slurry and give it a mix. Your teriyaki sauce should become nice and thick. 
  6. Finally add in about 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds. Stir to combine and once the sauce is cooled store in an air tight jar. Keep in the fridge until you are ready to use!


Chicken Teriyaki: 

  1. Salt and pepper the chicken thighs and let them sit for 30 minutes or preferred overnight and in the fridge if possible. 
  2. In a cold pan, place your chicken skin side down, and turn the heat to medium. Let the chicken fat render and get nice and crispy. 
  3. In the mean time, cut up your broccolini or veggie of choice. 
  4. Once your chicken skin is golden brown and crispy, flip it over to do the same to the other side. Once the chicken is nice and golden brown all around take it out and set it aside. 
  5. Drop in your chopped up broccolini and let that sear in the chicken fat. Once it nice and a little crispy and vibrant in color, take it out. 
  6. Dunk your chicken into the the teriyaki sauce. Slice it up and serve with some fluffy rice and seared broccolini.


Tofu Teriyaki: 

  1. Cut your tofu into long rectangles and then pat dry with a clean towel/paper towel. 
  2. Sprinkle over some salt and pepper. If you have some time let the tofu sit for a couple hours, if not you can begin in the searing process. 
  3. In a ripping hot pan, drizzle in some oil, and add your tofu in. Let each side get nice and crispy. 
  4. Once your tofu is cooked, remove from the pan, and toss in your sliced veggies. Add a little more oil if necessary. Let your veggies soften and caramelize for about 3 – 4 minutes. Take off the heat and set aside. 
  5. Dunk your tofu into your teriyaki sauce and cut into slices. Serve with your fluffy white rice and caramelized veggies.


Perfect Fluffy White Rice:

  1. Start by washing the rice until the water runs clear, about 3 -4 times is good. Then add the washed rice into a pot and add 1 cup of water. 
  2. With the cover off, turning the heat to high. Once you start to some gentle bubbles, turn the heat to low, cap it, and set your timer for 15 minutes. 
  3. Once it’s done, shut it off and let it steam for 5 minutes or until you are ready to serve your dish. When you are ready to serve, take a fork, and fluff your rice.
By Alex Chung

Senior Food Writer at Pro Home Cooks

Published