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Easy Chicken Teriyaki with Marinade

Easy teriyaki chicken with a simple soy-honey marinade delivers a glossy sweet soy glaze and caramelized edges. Grill to juicy, tender chicken and optionally simmer reserved marinade into a thicker, spoonable glaze for a rice bowl finish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
marinating 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Japanese-American
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken marinade
  • 1.5 lb chicken thighs or breasts Use boneless if possible for faster, even grilling.
  • 0.5 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup mirin or rice wine
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch (optional, for thicker glaze) Optional—used only if you want the glaze thicker.
  • 0.25 cup reserved marinade portion Set aside 1/4 cup before marinating so you can thicken it later.
Garnish
  • 1 sesame seeds for garnish
  • 1 green onions for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 grill pan
  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Make the marinade and marinate
  1. In a bowl, combine soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, honey, garlic, and grated ginger until the sugar dissolves and the mixture looks glossy.
  2. Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade in a separate bowl for basting and thickening later.
  3. Add the chicken to the remaining marinade, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Grill and glaze
  1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat until hot, then arrange the chicken in a single layer.
  2. Grill the chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side, basting frequently with the reserved marinade as it caramelizes at the edges.
Thicken the glaze (optional) and serve
  1. If using the cornstarch, pour the reserved marinade into a saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 2 to 4 minutes, stirring, until it coats the back of a spoon.
  2. Serve the chicken over rice, drizzle with the glaze, and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

Notes

Pro tip: For the best caramelized edges, pat the chicken dry before grilling and baste often during the last few minutes so the sauce can turn shiny. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended because the glaze and garnish soften. If you want a lower-sugar option, reduce brown sugar and honey slightly while keeping the same soy and aromatics for flavor.