Crispy-Skinned Chicken Teriyaki
Getting truly crispy chicken skin for teriyaki means weighing the thighs down with a heavy pot while they cook - it keeps the skin flat against the pan so every bit gets golden and rendered. The sauce reduces right in the same pan with all those crispy bits, which is why it tastes so much better than sauce made separately.
Ingredients
For the Teriyaki Sauce
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- half a cup mirin
- half a cup sake
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
For the Chicken
- 4 large skin-on boneless chicken thighs
- half a teaspoon table salt
- 2 teaspoons neutral oil
- Sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Remove bones from chicken thighs if needed, keeping skin intact.
- Make shallow crosshatch cuts on flesh side of thighs.
- Salt flesh side only and pat skin very dry.
- Heat large non-stick pan over medium-low with oil.
- Place chicken skin-side down and weight with heavy pot.
- Cook undisturbed 10-12 minutes until skin is golden brown.
- Flip and cook 2-3 minutes more until internal temp reaches 175F.
- Rest chicken on wire rack 5 minutes.
- Wipe excess fat from pan, keeping fond.
- Add soy sauce, mirin, sake, and brown sugar to pan.
- Simmer until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon.
- Slice chicken skin-side down into strips.
- Coat chicken with sauce and garnish with sesame seeds.
- Serve over steamed rice.
Notes
Keep chicken skin as dry as possible before cooking for maximum crispiness. Don't over-reduce sauce.