not quite japanese
I just came back from Japan, and this seemed like a fitting first recipe to post after a 2-week hiatus. However, I will tell you I didn’t see “teriyaki” once on a menu in Japan. I did some research, and while it is a traditional Japanese style of cooking, the teriyaki we know and love has been hella Americanized. The word teriyaki comes from both the type of sauce used (tare) and the method of cooking (yaki). Tare is a simple combination made from soy sauce, mirin, and sugar, while yaki refers to grilling or broiling.
I’m gonna tell you now, this chicken teriyaki recipe is not quite any of that. However, it is similar! The base of this marinade is definitely soy sauce, and I’ve added some honey for the sugar content and apple cider vinegar for some acidity. While I can’t say it really tastes like any of the food I had in Japan, it is certainly delicious, and I’d love to try this marinade with other proteins like shrimp and salmon. That said, I’m going to need to take a trip to the Japanese grocery store and start making some traditional recipes with my newfound admiration for Japanese cuisine, so stay tuned!
⟶ the recipe
teriyaki chicken with crispy fried rice
ingredients
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
½ teaspoon ground (or fresh) ginger
Salt and pepper
2 large chicken breasts, sliced or cubed
2 cups cooked white rice
Sliced green onion to top
Prep time
10 minutes
Cook time
10 minutes
Total time
10 minutes
4 servings
instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, water, honey, vinegar, oils, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken slices to the bowl, and toss them in the marinade, until all the chicken is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
Heat some vegetable oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken, and sear on one side for about 4 minutes, then flip to cook the other side for another 4-5 minutes. Toss chicken until all pieces are fully cooked through. Set aside, and cover to keep warm.
In a large, cast-iron skillet, heat some vegetable or sesame oil. Spread rice in an even layer with heat on medium high. Cook for about five minutes, until rice is crispy on bottom and pretty stuck together.
Using a spatula, flip the rice over in sections. Cook for another few minutes until the other side of the rice is crispy. Use the spatula to break up the rice, allowing the rest of it to crisp up in the oil.
Transfer rice and chicken to a plate, and top with sliced green onion and sesame seeds to serve.
⟶ recipe notes
- This is not a traditional teriyaki sauce. True teriyaki is simply made with sugar, soy sauce, and mirin (rice wine often used for cooking). This is my own concoction of a sauce that has a similar flavor to teriyaki, using way more ingredients and no mirin. While I do urge you to try real teriyaki at some point, I love this marinade as it’s bursting with flavor and keeps the chicken nice and juicy
⟶ modifications
- Use this teriyaki sauce to marinate all kinds of other proteins. Shrimp, salmon, tofu, and beef are all great options
⟶ make it ahead
- Definitely make sure you marinate the chicken ahead of time for the ultimate flavor and tenderness in the chicken. I usually marinate meat either the night before or the morning before I made the dish, but you can also do it an hour or two before. I wouldn’t marinate for over 24 hours, though
