Looking for an easy and delicious way to turn your chicken into an unforgettable meal? Look no further than this authentic Teriyaki Chicken Marinade! Bursting with flavor, it's incredibly simple to make with just a few basic ingredients. A mouth-watering taste you won't be able to resist.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Authentic Flavors - real Japanese recipe with traditional flavors that will give your chicken an irresistible taste that everyone will love
- Versatile - elevate your dinner tonight with tasty flavors and serving ideas to make this recipe your own
- Economical - cheaper to make your own homemade Teriyaki
What is Teriyaki?
Teriyaki is a Japanese marinade that tastes sweet and savory. Available in all supermarkets, Teriyaki is often used as a marinade, stir fry or as a Teriyaki dip. Homemade Teriyaki marinade tastes much better than store-bought!
Ingredients You'll Need
It's worth a trip down the Asian aisle of your supermarket to get these authentic ingredients for the authentic Teriyaki marinade experience. I promise it won't break the bank, and you can use them in other recipes too.
- Soy Sauce - use Japanese Soy Sauce like Kikkoman for authentic flavor
- Sake - a dry, fermented rice beverage (sometimes called rice wine)
- Mirin - a sweet rice wine, adds umami and shine to your glaze
- Sugar - to balance out flavors and adds sweetness
How to Make Teriyaki Chicken Marinade
This is an authentic Japanese Teriyaki Marinade recipe, and it all starts with the sauce!
- Mix - mix together soy sauce, sake and mirin together.
- Stir - add white sugar and mix until sugar dissolves.
- Use - your Teriyaki marinade is ready to use.
How to Cook Teriyaki Chicken
When I was in Japan, grilled Teriyaki was everywhere, usually with chicken or fish and cooked over hot coals or a grill. This was one of my favourite meals in Japan, and there are so many ways to prepare it!
- Marinate - for best flavor marinate chicken in a Ziploc bag for 8 hours, but recommend 2 hours minimum. If in a hurry, start cooking after 30 minutes
- Cook - pan fry in a wok, bbq over a grill or over hot charcoals.
- Serve - add over rice and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions
Pro Tip: When frying the Teriyaki Chicken, fry the chicken with a bit of oil, without the extra marinade. After the chicken is cooked and crisps up, add the remaining marinade and cook for a few minutes until the sauce thickens.
Chicken Breast or Chicken Thighs?
- Chicken Thighs - juicier and more flavorful, and traditionally made with Japanese Chicken Teriyaki (leave skin on to crisp up for extra flavor and texture) I used boneless and skinless chicken thighs.
- Chicken Breast - tends to dry out when cooked, but is healthier than dark meat
Chicken Teriyaki Serving Ideas
- Teriyaki Rice Bowl - slice Asian greens in half and steam them for 2 minutes to serve alongside the Chicken Teriyaki over rice. Drizzle with extra Teriyaki sauce, and garnish with sesame seeds.
- Chicken Skewers - marinate chicken pieces in teriyaki and thread over skewers. Grill until cooked and serve with rice and vegetables.
- Teriyaki Stir Fry - a family dinner favorite - stir fry your favorite vegetables with a bit of oil and set aside. Fry marinated chicken until cooked and add your cooked vegetables. Serve over rice.
- Teriyaki Wraps - cook your marinated chicken and add into a rice paper roll or wrap. Add rice noodles or your favorite vegetables.
Recipe Tips and FAQs
- Change the Meat - switch chicken for beef strips, pork or salmon
- Double it! - make extra Teriyaki Sauce to use for another day
- Even Cuts - to keep cooking time and flavors consistent, cut each chicken thigh into 4 to 6 pieces
- Hawaiian Teriyaki - add ¼ cup pineapple juice and ½ teaspoon grated ginger into the marinade - pineapple sweetens and helps tenderize chicken
- Air Fry chicken Teriyaki - heat air fryer to 400°F/200°C. Place chicken thighs in air fryer and cook for 7 minutes. Brush with glaze, flip and cook for another 7 minutes until cooked. Glaze with fresh marinade and serve.
- Use Fresh Marinade - best practise to cook with marinade that hasn't been in contact with raw meat to avoid cross contamination. Alternatively, makes sure marinade is fully cooked if re-using before serving.
Teriyaki Marinade Substitutes
- Japanese Sake - key ingredients in recipe but can sometimes be expensive. Substitute with Chinese Cooking Wine, but add an extra pinch of sugar as flavor is stronger than Sake
- Mirin - available in the Asian aisle in your supermarket for authentic flavor. However, you can substitute with 1 tablespoon of dry sherry or rice vinegar. (will need to add extra 1 tablespoon of sugar to counteract sourness)
- Japanese Soy Sauce - is made differently from Chinese soy sauce, with the addition of wheat - results in a gentler soy flavor, but can be substituted with Chinese Soy Sauce
- Sugar - instead of white sugar, substitute with honey or brown sugar for a sweet glaze
How to Thicken Teriyaki Sauce
If you want to use Teriyaki marinade as a dip, thicken it! Place marinade ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a low simmer and add a cornstarch slurry (1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 teaspoon of water). Cook for 2 minutes and add more if needed. Sauce will thicken as it cools.
Storage
You can make Teriyaki marinade in advance and use it when you're ready.
- fridge - place unused marinade in an airtight container and use within 2 weeks. Do not re-use uncooked marinade.
- freezer - place in an ice cube tray in the freezer, defrost and use when ready!
Bring home a bit of Japan for dinner tonight. This easy Teriyaki marinade recipe is quick to make, perfect with any meats. Ready to grill, bbq, pan fry, or in a stir fry. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!
Teriyaki Chicken Marinade
Ingredients
Teriyaki Marinade
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup sake
- 3 tablespoons mirin
- 3 tablespoons sugar
Chicken Teriyaki
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 lb (500g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs chopped into pieces
Instructions
Teriyaki Marinade
- Mix together soy sauce, sake, mirin and sugar together. Mix until sugar dissolves.
- Set aside ½ of marinade for basting. Place remaining marinade and chicken in a Ziploc bag or bowl, and allow to marinate for at least 2 hours (overnight is best).
Frying Chicken Teriyaki
- In a frying pan, heat oil and fry the chicken thigh pieces until they are golden brown. DON'T FRY THE CHICKEN IN THE MARINADE! The chicken thighs should be fried without the sauce, allowing them to crisp up, especially important if there is skin on the chicken thigh pieces.
- When the chicken is cooked, add Teriyaki marinade and cook until the sauce thickens, usually a few minutes.
- Serve with rice and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
©PetersFoodAdventures.com *originally posted August 2017, updated March 2023
