Chicken Teriyaki
Chicken teriyaki with a piece missing…wonder who ate it…
The Evolution
#growth
Recently, I have been reading a book about self-discipline called ‘365 Days With Self-Discipline’ by Martin Meadows. It is a “daily companion” that you should read a chapter that is no longer than two pages every day. The chapter I recently read before writing this had to do with talent. It speaks of the idea that the person who has talent without discipline will always lose to the person who has discipline but minimal talent. I say all this to preference that even if you struggle cooking, you always have an opportunity to improve. This was my first time making chicken teriyaki 5 and a half years ago:
This is not to say this was bad by any means - but when I compare this version to the one I am making today, there was some evolution, to say the least.
If you don’t know, I was born in Hawaii, and though I only lived there as a young child, the flavors left such a strong impression on me. Sweet and savory is a common pairing in the islands (think spam Musubi or eggs with ketchup), so teriyaki chicken always reminds me of my birthplace.
Let’s get into the recipe. As you are cooking,
When you look at the first picture, you will notice a few different things: glazed chicken, a curly garnish, and rice with green bits. All elements of this dish are really simple to replicate, the hardest part might be just waiting for the teriyaki sauce to reduce and thicken.
Teriyaki Sauce: I am begging you when I say this: do not buy store-bought teriyaki sauce. You can if you want to, but just know you’re doing your taste buds a disservice. When you make your own sauce, you also end up with a bottle of Sake - so choose wisely
Curly Green Onions: YouTube and social media as a whole may have taught me more than what school has. If you take a 2” section of the green part of the scallion, slice it thinly vertically, and put it in a bowl of ice, you’ll get an easy (but aesthetically pleasing) garnish for a lot of recipes. Impress your followers and just do it.
Rice Vinegar + Mirin: When you eat sushi, have you noticed the rice has a unique sweetness paired with a slightly sour aftertaste? Rice vinegar and mirin are responsible for that effect. If you do proceed to add this to your rice, just know it will make other dishes that you eat with rice taste different.
Ginger: If you want to peel ginger, use a spoon. That’s it.
Ready to cook?
The Recipe
Prep your ingredients:
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken thigh
2:1 ratio of Salt and White Sugar (for dry brine)
150 mL of Soy Sauce (~5 oz)
150 mL of Mirin (~5 oz)
100 mL of saké (~3.5 oz)
2 Tbsp of Agave or Honey
2 Tbsp of Dark Brown Sugar
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 - 1.5” chuck of ginger, peeled
1 cup of rice
3-stalks of green onions
1/2 Tbsp of Rice Vinegar
1/2 Tbsp of Mirin
(Optional) 3-4 Thai chilies, sliced
How to cook:
Dry Brining You Chicken
This is how the chicken gets seasoned; the rest of the flavor comes from the teriyaki sauce. You’ll need a 2:1 ratio of salt and white sugar.
Before you place your chicken on a wire rack, you can remove excess fat on the skin, but this is optional.
Take your salt and white sugar, and sprinkle it onto the chicken on both sides.
Place the chicken in the refrigerator, uncovered, for a few hours to dry brine.
The Recipe
Prep your veggies: peel your ginger, smash your garlic, chop two stalks of (washed) green onions, and slice your Thai chilies.
After prepping the veggies, take your chicken out of the fridge. Wash your rice as much as you want and add it to a rice cooker.
If you use a pot, add rice with water (based on the package), bring it to a boil, cover it with a lid, leaving a tiny crack, and set the temperature to low. It should be ready in 15 to 20 minutes and fluffy.
(OPTIONAL) If you want to test your knife skills and make a garnish, you can do the following: vertically slice a 2-inch piece of green onions and one Thai chile. Add them to a bowl for an ice bath.
While the rice is cooking, put a pot on medium heat. To it, add the following: soy sauce, mirin, saké, dark brown sugar, agave/honey, Thai chilies (leaving one left over), garlic, and ginger.
Bring the ingredients to a light simmer and let it seep for 5 to 10 minutes. After that time, strain the solids and place the pot and sauce back on the stove.
Brought back to a simmer, the sauce will reduce in that same pot while you cook the chicken. Heat a large skillet to low to medium heat, and add a high smoke point oil. I used stainless steel pans and used about a tablespoon of avocado oil.
Depending on the size of your skillet, add 2 to 3 chicken thighs. Cook 3 minutes per side for 10 to 12 minutes.
If baking, brush the chicken with oil and place in a 425-degree oven, then bake for 15 minutes.
Your sauce should be thick enough to lightly coat a spoon once all your chicken is done cooking. In that same skillet (or a fresh one), add your chicken and teriyaki sauce over medium heat and cook until nicely glazed on both sides.
Repeat for all thighs. Your rice should be finished, so now we can add our final ingredients. Then slice a green onion and add it, mirin, and rice vinegar to the rice. Mix until combined.
Add your rice to a bowl and slice up one or two chicken thighs. Place the slices onto the rice and remove your garish from the ice bath. Place the onions and chili on top of the chicken. Serve while hot.
