Chicken Teriyaki is my personal favorite thing to order at Japanese restaurants but I like it even more when I make it from scratch. It is incredibly easy and infinitely better tasting!
Japanese is my favorite of all the Asian cuisines. I love the clean flavors and elegant plating. Sushi isn’t my preferred choice, so I tend to look for traditional dishes that are cooked. A lingering childhood favorite is teriyaki – the balance of sweet and salty is irresistible.
I have made various versions of teriyaki over the years, some with unconventional ingredients, others more commonly found. But I will be the first one to acknowledge that they have all been “American” concoctions. I am excited to explore the world of classic Japanese foods!
I was given the opportunity to review Chef Masaharu Morimoto’s cookbook, Mastering the Art of Japanese Home Cooking. I am delighted to make any of Chef’s recipes, in the hopes that some of his immense skills may rub off on me!
The cookbook has all the foods we are accustomed to seeing at Japanese restaurants here in the U.S., and many more. Chef adapted the recipes to utilize more easily found ingredients when possible, and for the less common items, you can order those online.
It is fun to see the real Japanese names for the dishes and learn some of the history behind them. There are also “Japanese Grandmother Wisdom” jewels sprinkled throughout that give us ideas for how to best utilize products, present the plates, and cook items. Those alone are worth buying the book.
But it is the recipes that instantly capture your attention and imagination. The photographs transport you to another land where the smallest details are intricately executed for the most beautiful presentations. I quickly marked over a dozen recipes I want to make – there will be many delicious meals coming out of my kitchen in the months ahead.
They have a chapter on rice, noodles, and soup, exploring different ways to utilize these foundation ingredients in surprisingly easy ways. And in case you were wondering, yes, he shows you how to make sushi rolls (including the rice and vinegar)! Step-by-step photos help us imagine we are standing beside the master, learning directly from his years of training.
The rest of the book is separated by cooking technique, teaching us the subtle nuances of each method from grilling, steaming, and stir-frying, to simmering, frying, dressing, and pickling. Each chapter includes recipes to help us master the technique. There is truly something for everyone in what is sure to become a classic cookbook that everyone will want in their culinary library.
Now, let’s talk about the dish I made for you, “true” Japanese Teriyaki Chicken! What a simple dish and so delicious! The sauce is a quick matter of putting the ingredients together, cooking them on the stove, straining out the solids, and you’re done. I love that you can make it in advance, shortening the time you need to get this meal on the table on busy days!
And the chicken is just as easy. You can pan-sear, grill, or broil it. Then you toss it in a hot skillet with some of the sauce, stirring as it thickens, turning occasionally. Then it is out of the pan, resting for a few minutes, sliced and served! The Artist kept coming into the kitchen as I was working, sniffing the air and asking when dinner was going to be ready. Yes folks, this smells that good! And it tasted even better!
I ate way more than I intended because I just couldn’t stop. And for a dish I know your kids will LOVE, you can double the sauce recipe, add a little more chicken, and use the leftover sauce and chicken from this recipe, toss it with spaghetti and your kids will devour it! (The recipe is also in the book.) 🙂
Enjoy this delicious Chicken Teriyaki with your family and friends, sip on some saké, and have a healthy, fun, and delicious evening. Happy Friday everyone!
Did you enjoy this recipe? Let me know in the comments, I love hearing from you!
Key Ingredients for Morimoto’s Chicken Teriyaki:
- Boneless chicken pieces, oil, cornstarch, salt and pepper
- Soy sauce, mirin, saké, sugar, onion, ginger, garlic
PRO Tip:
I recommend doubling the sauce recipe because once you taste it, you will want to put it on everything!
How to make Morimoto’s Chicken Teriyaki:
- For the Chicken: Pound chicken pieces to an even 1/2-inch thickness; sauté until golden on both sides and cooked through
- Mix together the cornstarch and water; place half of the chicken back in the pan and add half of the teriyaki sauce and 1 tsp of cornstarch mixture
- Cook, turning the chicken often until sauce is thickened and coats the chicken, 1 to 2 minutes, then move chicken to a cutting board; repeat with remaining chicken, cornstarch mixture, and sauce
- Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces
- To make the Teriyaki Sauce: Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook 8 minutes to infuse the flavors; strain out the solids and discard, use the sauce within two weeks
Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Liquid measuring cups
- Meat mallet
- Large skillet
- Tongs
- Small saucepan
- Wire strainer
Gluten-Free Tips:
Be sure to use gluten-free soy sauce or Tamari.
Morimoto's Chicken Teriyaki (Gluten-Free)
"Teriyaki has become as common in America as tacos and General Tso's. Yet like those other famous foreign T words, the dish is so much better than its many impostors lead you to believe. The key is the sauce, which takes minutes to make and keeps well. My version boasts extra complexity from ginger and garlic." Chef Morimoto, Mastering the Art of Japanese Home Cooking.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 lb boneless chicken thighs, breasts, or a mixture of the two
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1-1/2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup Teriyaki Sauce, recipe below
Teriyaki Sauce
- 1/2 cup Japanese soy sauce (gluten-free if needed)
- 1/2 cup mirin (sweet rice wine)
- 1/2 cup sake (Japanese rice alcoholic beverage)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup roughly of chopped yellow onion
- 5 thin round slices of peeled ginger
- 2 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
Instructions
- Make the Chicken: If you are using chicken breasts, place a breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound it out to an even 1/2-inch thickness. Repeat with the remaining breasts. Lightly season both sides of the chicken with salt and black pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat until it shimmers. To avoid crowding the skillet, cook the chicken in 2 batches until deep golden brown on one side, about 6 minutes. Flip the chicken, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a plate as it's cooked.
- In a small container, stir together the cornstarch and 1-1/2 tsp water until smooth. Return half the chicken to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Pour in half of the Tare No Teriyaki, let it bubble, and drizzle on 1 tsp of the cornstarch mixture. Cook, flipping over the chicken often, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken well, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and repeat with remaining chicken.
- Let the chicken rest for a few minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Serve right away or keep refrigerated in an airtight container and serve it in your bento box the following day.
- Prepare the Teriyaki Sauce: Combine the ingredients in a small pot, bring to a boil over high heat, and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for about 8 minutes so the aromatics have a chance to infuse their flavor into the liquid. Strain, discarding the solids.
- The sauce keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Recipe Source: The Heritage Cook
Notes
From Chef Morimoto's "Mastering the Art of Japanese Home Cooking" cookbook.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 702Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 277mgSodium: 3683mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 2gSugar: 46gProtein: 61g
If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to follow me on social media so you never miss a post:
| Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Twitter |
Create a New Tradition Today!
Disclosure: I received a copy of Morimoto’s cookbook to review. All opinions, as always, are my own.
Welcome! The suggestions here are not intended as dietary advice or as a substitute for consulting a dietician, physician, or other medical professional. Please see the Disclaimers/Privacy Policy page for additional details. Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material from The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. This page may contain affiliate links. This post was first shared in Nov 2016. The article was updated in 2021.
Camilla @ Culinary Adventures
Yep, this is on my to-try list, too. Yours – as always, Jane – looks fantastic!
Jane Bonacci
Ahhh, thanks so much Camilla – I feel the same way about your work too!
Renee @ Tortillas and Honey
I have never made teriyaki chicken before and it’s one of the things I’ve been wanting to made. I loved that Morimoto provided so many different ways to use the sauce that it makes me want to make this recipe even more. I love that you converted it to gluten-free!
Jane Bonacci
You should give it a try Renee, you’ll never go back to store bought again! And Morimoto’s recipe is really simple, like all the recipes in the book, enticing us with every page!
Adina
Wonderful looking dish, I love the look of that sauce on the chicken.
Jane Bonacci
Thanks Adina! The sauce is killer and I’m only sorry I didn’t double it myself as I recommend in my notes – I literally want to pour it over everything, LOL!