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Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
4.9 from 86 votes

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken uses boneless skinless chicken thighs marinated overnight in a homemade teriyaki sauce made with soy sauce, mirin, sugars, garlic, and ginger. The marinade tenderizes and flavors the chicken deeply, which is then grilled for a slightly charred, caramelized exterior. This method produces juicy thighs with a balanced sweet-savory glaze suitable for serving with rice or salad.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 202 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian-American Fusion

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 TB cornstarch
  • 1 ½ cups soy sauce or gluten-free Tamari sauce, regular
  • 1 ½ cups white sugar
  • ¾ cups brown sugar
  • ¾ cups mirin Japanese sweet rice wine; not rice vinegar
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 TB ginger freshly grated
  • 1 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • scallions optional garnish, thinly sliced scallions, toasted sesame seeds
  • sesame seeds optional garnish, thinly sliced scallions, toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a medium bowl, combine cornstarch with soy sauce. Thoroughly dissolve the cornstarch, whisking until any bits of white cornstarch no longer visible.
  2. Add both sugars, mirin, garlic, ginger, and pepper to the soy sauce mixture. Whisk sauce until ingredients are well combined. Set aside.
  3. Thoroughly dry chicken thighs with paper towels, and trim. Working one at a time, place each piece on a cutting board and top chicken with cling wrap. chicken evenly to about 1/2 in. thick.
  4. Remove cling wrap. Using a fork, poke holes all over chicken pieces; this allows marinade to soak in.
  5. In a large bowl, pour in just enough marinade to completely submerge chicken; reserve unused sauce. Cover and let sit in fridge overnight, turning chicken pieces over once while marinading. Pour unused marinade in an airtight container and keep chilled.
  6. One hour before cooking, remove chicken from fridge. Generously grease and preheat outdoor grill (or indoor cast iron grill) until oil is smoking hot. Remove chicken from marinade, discarding used marinade.
  7. Grill chicken on medium-high heat until just-cooked. If using outdoor grill baste generously and frequently; less frequently for indoor grill. Cook approximately 5 minutes per side (actual cook time varies depending on heat of your grill.) 
  8. While chicken is cooking, pour desired amount of remaining, unused/clean sauce in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring 1 minute until slightly thickened. If desired, add a bit more sugar to taste. Set aside. 
  9. Slice cooked chicken into strips. Drizzle with teriyaki sauce and garnish with chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds, if desired.

Notes

  • Mirin is Japanese sweet rice wine and can be found in Asian markets or grocery Asian aisles.
  • Chicken thighs tend to be more tender and flavorful; breasts can be used but may dry out.
  • Serve grilled teriyaki chicken with jasmine rice, brown rice, or Hawaiian macaroni salad.

Nutrition Information

Calories 202kcal (10%) Carbohydrates 25.6g (9%) Protein 16.4g (33%) Fat 3.2g (5%) Saturated Fat 0.8g (4%) Cholesterol 70mg (23%) Sodium 692.4mg (29%) Fiber 0.2g (1%) Sugar 21.9g (44%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 202

% Daily Value*

Calories 202kcal 10%
Carbohydrates 25.6g 9%
Protein 16.4g 33%
Fat 3.2g 5%
Saturated Fat 0.8g 4%
Cholesterol 70mg 23%
Sodium 692.4mg 29%
Fiber 0.2g 1%
Sugar 21.9g 44%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.