Crispy Japanese Teriyaki Chicken Recipe (2 Ways!)

By Sudachi · 30 min

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Lay the chicken thigh flesh-side up on a board. Make horizontal cuts into the thickest parts and open them out so the meat is an even thickness.
2. Flip the chicken, prick the skin all over with a fork, then sprinkle 4 pinches of salt on each side (1 pinch per side) and rub it in evenly.
3. Pat the surface dry with kitchen paper. For the traditional method, lightly dust the underside with ½ tbsp potato starch (katakuriko), brushing off any excess. For the extra crispy method, dust the skin with the starch instead.
4. Preheat the pan thoroughly over medium heat, add a generous splash of oil and swirl to coat. Place the chicken skin-side down and fry for 7 minutes.
5. For the crispy method, cover the chicken with foil and weigh it down with a heatproof flat-bottomed object, such as a pan filled with water.
6. While the chicken cooks, mix 1½ tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), 1½ tbsp mirin, 1½ tbsp sake, 1 tsp light brown sugar, 1½ tbsp dashi stock and ½ tsp honey in a small bowl until the sugar and honey dissolve.
7. Flip the chicken and fry the other side for 2 minutes.
8. Move the chicken to a plate briefly. Pour off the rendered fat into a heatproof container, leaving about 1 tbsp in the pan; wipe away excess with kitchen paper if needed. Turn off the heat, pour in the teriyaki mixture and scrape up any bits from the bottom with a wooden spatula.
9. Turn the heat to medium-high and let the sauce bubble for about 60 seconds. Return the chicken to the pan skin-side up.
10. Baste the chicken with the sauce for 30 to 60 seconds, until it becomes syrupy and clings to the surface. For crispy skin, skip basting and just move the chicken around the pan until the underside is glossy with sauce.
11. Remove from the heat and rest for 3 minutes, then cut into strips and pour any leftover glaze over the top.

Summarized from Sudachi's video. Watch it for the details.

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