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So saucy, so sticky, so so good! And you can prep and marinate everything ahead of time! Serve over rice + veggies.
With an incredibly easy homemade teriyaki sauce, this recipe comes together so quickly and so easily. Sweet, savory, and wonderfully sticky goodness here.
And you can even marinate your chicken (breasts are a great sub if desired) ahead of time, leaving prep work to an absolute minimum when ready to serve.
All that’s left to do is to throw these bad boys right on your grill until they’re wonderfully sticky and charred, basting with some of that homemade teriyaki sauce.
Serve over rice and broccoli or any other veggies you have on hand. This makes for a perfect quick weeknight meal or when you have company over on a summer night. It’s takeout right at home but made so much better.
CAN I USE CHICKEN BREASTS?
Yes, chicken breasts can absolutely be used here but chicken thighs have more dark meat and a higher fat content which will yield juicier, more flavorful chicken when thrown on the grill.
I’M SHORT ON TIME AND INGREDIENTS – CAN I USE STORE-BOUGHT TERIYAKI SAUCE?
Yes and yes. Some of my favorite store-bought brands are Kinder’s (sweet/salty/garlicky) and Yamasa (best Japanese-style IMO and a little less sweet).
WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE A GRILL?
No grill, no problem. A cast iron grill pan or a large cast iron skillet will work beautifully here, especially during those winter month when it’s too cold to grill out!
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
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TERIYAKI SAUCE: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/4 cup cold water and cornstarch. Stir in soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, honey, ginger, garlic and sesame oil. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 4-5 minutes. Let cool completely.
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In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken and 1/2 cup TERIYAKI SAUCE; marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade.
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Preheat grill to medium high heat. Brush chicken with canola oil.
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Add chicken to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes. Brush chicken with TERIYAKI SAUCE, cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes.
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Serve immediately with remaining TERIYAKI SAUCE, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
