WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Too many chicken teriyaki recipes are lackluster, with overmarinated chicken chunks shellacked in a one-dimensional corn-syrupy sauce. They’re a long way from the sweet-salty recipe promised in the name (in Japanese, teri means “shine”—referring to the sauce—and yaki means “broiling”). We wanted a straightforward, authentic recipe for crisp, moist chicken with a strong gingery punch. To stand up to the bold sauce, we chose bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. We set a weight on top of the chicken as it cooked (we used a heavy Dutch oven), which helped to brown a greater surface area of the chicken evenly, as well as to aid in pressing out most of the fat. Our quick mixture of soy sauce, sugar, mirin, ginger, and garlic made an incredible sauce that far surpassed anything from a bottle. A splatter screen (or an inverted large strainer) helps control the splatter that occurs when the second side of the chicken browns. Mirin can be found in the international section of most major supermarkets and
in most Asian markets. If you cannot find it, substitute 2 tablespoons of white wine and 1 teaspoon of sugar.
Serves: 4
Total time: 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 8 (5-to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed Pepper
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 scallions, sliced thin on bias
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season with pepper. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Carefully lay chicken skin side down in skillet. Place weighted Dutch oven on top of chicken and cook until skin is deep mahogany brown and very crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. (Chicken should be moderately brown after 10 minutes. If it is very brown, reduce heat; if it is still pale, increase heat.)
- Remove weighted pot and flip chicken. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, without weight, until chicken is lightly browned on second side and registers 175 degrees, about 2 minutes; transfer to serving platter.
- Whisk soy sauce, sugar, mirin, ginger, garlic, and cornstarch together in bowl. Pour off fat from skillet, then add soy sauce mixture and bring to simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick and glossy, about 2 minutes. Stir in any accumulated chicken juices. Return chicken to skillet and turn to coat with sauce. Return chicken to serving platter, sprinkle with scallions, and serve, passing remaining sauce separately.
