One Pan Chicken Teriyaki (Homemade Sauce) in 30 Min! (VIDEO)
Sep 03, 2023, Updated Apr 01, 2024
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You’re going to LOVE this one-pan Chicken Teriyaki that comes together in under 30 minutes! It’s so easy to make – the chicken is super juicy and covered in a homemade teriyaki sauce that is going to be your new favorite. Keep reading and watch the video to learn my secret to no-fail juicy Chicken Teriyaki made in one pan!
Watch the Chicken Teriyaki Recipe Video Below!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- boneless skin on chicken thighs – I personally used boneless skin-on chicken thighs, as thighs are juicier and cooks faster. The skin absorbs the sauce and is the best part of Chicken Teriyaki.
- If you want to avoid the skin, you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- If you want to substitute with chicken breast, I would cut the chicken into thin slices. Make sure to adjust the cooking time.
- kosher salt
- white pepper: I love white pepper and it’s used very commonly in Asian cooking (another “secret ingredient” for cooking restaurant quality food at home). It has an earthier flavor than black pepper. I recommend having some in your pantry but if you can’t find it, you can always substitute with black pepper.
Teriyaki Sauce
Homemade teriyaki sauce cannot be beat – it’s super simple and goes with everything. If you want to double or triple the teriyaki sauce for the week, make sure to store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. (It not only tastes delicious on chicken but it’s also amazing on vegetables, stir-fries, and even noodles!)
- soy sauce: You will need “light” (not “low sodium”) or “all-purpose” soy sauce. Do NOT use dark soy sauce, as it is too intense for this recipe.
- mirin – This is a sweet cooking wine that is used frequently in Korean and Japanese cooking. It provides a great balance to the soy sauce in this recipe.
- If you don’t have mirin, you can substitute with rice vinegar but add 1 tsp of sugar, as rice vinegar does not have the sweetness of mirin.
- You can also substitute with 1/4 cup water + 1 tbsp honey mixed in
- sake: because the recipe has so few ingredient, I highly recommend using sake.
- If you don’t have sake, you can substitute with another cooking wine, like sherry or white wine.
- You can also substitute with 1/4 cup water + 1 tbsp honey mixed in (same as mirin).
- brown sugar
- garlic
- ginger
Want to fry chicken instead? Make my easy Fried Chicken!
Recipe Instructions
1. Season the Chicken
Season chicken on both sides with salt and white pepper. Let rest for 15 minutes to let the salt absorb into the chicken and skin.
2. Mix the Teriyaki Sauce
While the chicken is resting, mix soy sauce, mirin, sake, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger in a bowl and set aside.
3. Pat the Chicken Dry and Sear the Chicken
Pat chicken dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Over medium high heat, add 1 tbsp of oil and sear chicken skin side down for 2-3 minutes or until golden. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and remove.
4. Simmer the Teriyaki Sauce To Thicken
Use a paper towel to remove any excess fat, then over medium high heat, simmer the teriyaki sauce until the sauce has reduced and thickened (3-4 minutes). Add the chicken back into the pan and baste with sauce for another minute.
5. Plate the Chicken Teriyaki with Extra Sauce
Spoon extra sauce over the chicken, serve with rice and enjoy your Chicken Teriyaki!
PRO TIPS
Expert Tips for Making Chicken Teriyaki at Home!
Dry Brining – My Secret Weapon
Dry brining is my KEY TIP for this recipe. Dry brining is seasoning the raw chicken with salt (and pepper) for at least 15 minutes before cooking. The salt will get absorbed into the skin and draw out moisture – drawing out moisture will result in a crispier skin that will brown easier and tastier chicken meat. Make sure to pat your chicken as dry as possible with a paper towel before you cook it in the pan. Failure to remove the moisture will result in a skin that will not crisp up.
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce Tips
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce is better – there’s no argument here! If you’re new to making sauces from scratch, here are my top tips:
- Try to avoid substitutions: There are so few ingredients and each ingredients plays a specific role in the flavors of the sauce; if at all possible, I would recommend you do not substitute or omit any ingredient. I did provide some substitutions in the ingredient list above but want to encourage you to use the ingredients lists for the best homemade teriyaki sauce.
- Watch your sauce while it cooks! You want to cook down your sauce, as it should be thick and syrupy. However, the sugar in the sauce means that there is a high chance of burning if you do not watch it carefully. As the water cooks down, keep an eye on it and make sure it stays at a simmer to avoid burning. Take it off the heat once it’s reached the thick, syrupy consistency needed.
- This is NOT a marinade! It’s a finishing sauce, layered on the chicken in the last few minutes of cooking. Once layered, it’ll continue to cook on the chicken, similar to a glaze. Do not use this as a marinade!
- Use it on vegetables, stir-fries, or noodles! I love this sauce so much and believe it tastes amazing with more than just chicken! Here are other dishes you can use your homemade teriyaki sauce on:
- I love using it with fried Japanese food, such as Japanese Fried Chicken – Chicken Karaage or Air Fryer Chicken Karaage
- Salmon (or you can also try my Miso Glazed Salmon)
- noodles, such as Yaki Soba or Yaki Udon
- Chicken Meatballs with a Teriyaki Glaze
- Burgers, such as a Chicken Teriyaki Burger
- Vegetables and Stir-fries
Storage Tips
Once you’ve made this delicious Chicken Teriyaki, you’re going to want to make double or triple the portions for the week!
For the chicken, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. (This is the chicken cooked with or without the sauce.)
For the sauce itself, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Why I Love Making Homemade Sauces
I love making as many Sauces and Condiments at home as possible! It allows me to:
- control the quality of my ingredients
- avoid unnecessary additives or preservatives
- I can customize it to my taste (I usually prefer sauces on the less sweet and more spicy side)
I would highly recommend you try making some of your favorite sauces or condiments at home as well!
Some of my favorite recipes that you will love are:
- If I had to pick one recipe of mine you have to try, it would be my super versatile Sichuan Chili Oil – I drizzle this one top of EVERYTHING! One of the most commonly asked questions I get is what brand of chili oil I recommend and my answer is always – my own!
- I love making homemade Garlic Herb Compound Butter for the holidays, special occasions, or even just to elevate your weekly meals at home! If you’re having guests over, they will be so impressed by how beautiful and delicious this butter is!
- Dumplings are one of my favorite foods in the world and nothing goes better with dumplings than my homemade Dumpling Dipping Sauce! It’s sweet, savory, spicy, and tangy – basically the perfect sauce!
If you tried this Chicken Teriyaki or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Chicken Teriyaki (Easy Homemade Sauce) (Video)
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skin on chicken thighs
- 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
Instructions
- Season chicken on both sides with salt and white pepper. Let rest for 15 minutes to let the salt absorb into the chicken and skin.
- While the chicken is resting, mix soy sauce, mirin, sake, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger in a bowl and set aside.
- Pat chicken dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Over medium high heat, add 1 tbsp of oil and sear chicken skin side down for 2-3 minutes or until golden. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and remove.
- Use a paper towel to remove any excess fat, then over medium high heat, simmer the teriyaki sauce until the sauce has reduced and thickened (3-4 minutes). Add the chicken back into the pan and baste with sauce for another minute.
- Spoon extra sauce over the chicken, serve with rice and enjoy!
Notes
- Watch your sauce while it cooks! You want to cook down your sauce, as it should be thick and syrupy. However, the sugar in the sauce means that there is a high chance of burning if you do not watch it carefully. As the water cooks down, keep an eye on it and make sure it stays at a simmer to avoid burning. Take it off the heat once it’s reached the thick, syrupy consistency needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
awesome recipe 👌. Instagram handle is will_that_one_guy
Hi..may i know what can i use to substitute the sake?
You could use rice wine vinegar, shaoxing wine, or sherry!
Tastes good and not too sweet!
Another one of my go to favorites! Thank you for the amazing recipes.
Simple yet flavorful.
Turned out amazing. Love the recipes!
Wow, this teriyaki chicken looks absolutely incredible! As a big fan of Japanese cuisine, I’m always on the hunt for authentic teriyaki chicken recipes. Your recipe definitely fits the bill with its use of mirin, sake, and soy sauce for the glaze. I really appreciate you sharing details like using dark meat chicken thighs and cooking them skin-side down first to get a nice crispy skin. Those sesame seeds on top are the perfect finishing touch! I also love your suggestions for steamed rice and vegetables on the side – it makes for a well-rounded and flavorful Japanese meal. I can’t wait to make your best teriyaki chicken recipe this weekend for my family. Thanks for sharing the detailed instructions and mouthwatering photos. This looks like an amazing way to enjoy one of my favorite Japanese dishes at home!
As a Londoner we are graced with a million options of Asian food in our city, so we know what ‘good is’!
I’m a keen home cook who loves to new Asian recipes and this is a failsafe, my brothers also tried it and loved it!
Ps I had no sake so used rice wine vinegar and it tasted lovely x
I’m so glad you and your brothers enjoyed it!
what kinda of sake do you use in – there is Gekkeikan, Sho Chiku, Momokawa Silver dry crips, Ozeki, ty-Ku Junmai and I don’t know what to use in the chicken Teriyaki.
Hi Denise – any “draft” sake should work well! I normally spend about $4-$6 on a bottle for cooking.
I like when you provide a picture of the brands of ingredients you use. I’ve never used some of the products and am not sure what has the best flavor vs ordinary flavor. I’ve made your mushroom chicken twice now and love it. I am tackling one of your dishs a week to learn some new meals. Love them.