Teriyaki chicken – most classic Japanese dish?

Teriyaki chicken is one of the most symbolic Japanese dishes to me. When someone says “Japanese food” my brain automatically thinks of Teriyaki chicken or sushi. And for good reason! It’s such an easy and comforting dish that you can make any day of the week within 30 minutes!

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts)

For the Teriyaki Sauce:
1 tbsp Light soy sauce
1 tbsp Dark soy sauce
1 tbsp Cooking wine
1 tsp Sesame oil
1 tbsp Honey
1 tsp Sugar ( or 1/2 tsp if you prefer less sweet)
1 tsp Corn Starch
1/2 tsp Black pepper
3 thinly sliced Ginger
Thinly sliced green onions to garnish

Instructions:
1. Marinate boneless chicken thighs with light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cooking wine, sesame oil, honey, sugar, cornstarch, and black pepper. Set aside.

2. Heat a bit of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and sear until browned on one side (3 minutes), then flip and cook the other side for another 3 minutes.

3. Pour left over marinade into the pan with the chicken. Add ginger slices/ Stir to coat evenly and let it simmer. Cover with lid for 2 minutes.

4. Serve the chicken over a hot bowl of rice and garnish with thinly sliced green onions. Enjoy!

What’s more classic than teriyaki chicken? And that is a rhetorical question. Juicy, delicious, and always good with a hot bowl of rice. Marinate your boneless chicken thighs with all these ingredients. Give it a good massage and store in the fridge for an hour or two. Every time I see teriyaki chicken, it gets me thinking. Is this the most symbolic Japanese food? Is it this or is it sushi? What are your thoughts? Let me know. Once your chicken is seared on both sides for 3 minutes, pour in the rest of your marinade and cover with a lid for 2 minutes. Brush on honey for that extra sweetness before garnishing with more green onions. Watch my chicken glide around the pan. Then serve over rice, pour over sauce, and you’re done.