Teriyaki Chicken Recipe

Prepare chicken

Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and pat them dry with paper towels. Lightly score the skin in two or three shallow diagonal cuts to help the marinade penetrate and to promote even fat rendering while grilling.

Make teriyaki marinade

In a medium bowl combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, granulated sugar, honey, grated ginger, minced garlic, and sliced white part of the green onion. Whisk until sugar is mostly dissolved.

Marinate chicken

Place the chicken thighs in a zip-top bag or shallow dish and pour about two-thirds of the marinade over them (reserve roughly one-third for basting and reducing into sauce). Press out excess air and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably 4 hours or up to overnight. Turn the thighs once or twice while marinating so they absorb flavor evenly.

Make cornstarch slurry

Before cooking, combine 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water and stir until smooth. This will be used to thicken the reserved marinade into a glaze.

Preheat grill

If using a kiawe (mesquite) charcoal grill or a gas grill, preheat to medium-high (around 400–450°F / 200–230°C). Oil the grates well to prevent sticking. If using a stovetop, heat a heavy skillet or cast iron over medium-high heat and add the neutral oil.

Sear and grill

Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off (discard marinade that touched raw chicken). Place thighs skin-side down onto the hot grill or skillet. Cook 5–7 minutes without moving to get good color and render fat. Flip and cook the other side 5–7 minutes. Use an instant-read thermometer to check doneness: target 160°F (71°C) internal; they will rise to 165°F with resting.

Baste during grilling

While grilling, baste the chicken two or three times with the reserved (unused) marinade that was not in contact with raw chicken. If you reserved marinade that touched raw chicken, bring it to a boil for at least 1 minute to kill bacteria before using as a baste.

Reduce reserved marinade to glaze

While the chicken finishes, pour the reserved (or boiled) marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the cornstarch slurry while whisking and simmer 1–2 minutes until glossy and thickened into a glaze. Remove from heat and stir in sesame oil. Taste and adjust sweetness by adding up to 1 tsp more honey or sugar if desired.

Finish chicken

When chicken reaches 160°F, move it to indirect heat or lower the pan heat and brush the thickened teriyaki glaze generously over the skin. Continue cooking until the internal temperature reads 165°F and the glaze is sticky and caramelized, about 1–3 more minutes per side. Do not overcook; watch for flare-ups if using charcoal—move chicken if flames scorch the glaze.

Transfer the grilled teriyaki chicken thighs to a cutting board and let rest 5–7 minutes to allow juices to redistribute.

Slice or serve whole. Spoon any remaining glaze over the thighs, sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and the sliced green onions on top, and add a pinch of red pepper flakes if using.

Serve with steamed rice and pickled vegetables or a simple salad.