Real-Deal Chicken Teriyaki

Ingredients

• 1.75 lb bone-in chicken thighs (1½–2 pounds; deboned and cut into 1½-inch pieces with skin attached)
• 3.5 tbsp sake (divided)
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger (grated)
• 2 tsp vegetable oil

Steps

1. 1

   Place 1 chicken thigh skin side down on a cutting board. Using a sharp paring knife, trim excess skin and fat, leaving enough skin to cover the meat. Cut a slit along the length of the thigh bone to expose the bone. Using the tip of the knife, cut/scrape the meat from the bone. Slip the knife under the bone to separate the bone from the meat. Discard the bone and trim any remaining cartilage from the thigh.

2. 2

   Keeping the thigh skin side down, cut into 1½-inch pieces, leaving as much skin attached as possible. Transfer to a medium bowl and repeat with the remaining thighs.

3. 3

   Add 1½ tablespoons of sake and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to the chicken and stir gently until the chicken is evenly coated.

4. 4

   In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of sake.

5. 5

   Microwave the soy sauce mixture until the sugar is dissolved, about 30 seconds.

6. 6

   Place a fine-mesh strainer over the bowl containing the soy sauce mixture. Add 2 tablespoons of grated ginger to the strainer and press to extract the juice. Discard the ginger solids, but do not wash the strainer.

7. 7

   Line a large plate with paper towels and set aside.

8. 8

   Heat 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering.

9. 9

   Place the chicken skin side down in the skillet (the skillet may be very full). Increase the heat to medium-high; place a Frywall or splatter screen on the skillet if using.

10. 10

    Cook without moving the chicken until all pieces have a ¼- to ½-inch perimeter of white, about 6 to 8 minutes.

11. 11

    Slide the skillet off the heat and flip the chicken pieces. Return the skillet to the burner and reduce the heat to medium. Continue to cook until the chicken is just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

12. 12

    Remove the skillet from the heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to the prepared paper towel-lined plate.

13. 13

    Pour off the fat from the skillet, scrape out any browned bits, and wipe the skillet clean with paper towels.

14. 14

    Return the chicken to the skillet. Add the soy sauce mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the chicken is thinly coated and the sauce has the consistency of maple syrup, 1 to 2 minutes.

15. 15

    Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a serving bowl. Pour the remaining glaze in the skillet through the now-empty strainer set over a small serving bowl.

16. 16

    Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the glaze over the chicken and serve, passing the remaining glaze separately.

Notes

The skin protects the meat during cooking and helps the glaze adhere. The cornstarch in the sake pretreatment helps thicken the glaze and keeps the chicken supple. The remaining glaze will only be a few tablespoons, but it is very potent.

Nutrition per serving

• main dish
• chicken
• teriyaki
• Japanese
• skillet
• dairy-free