Chicken Teriyaki – the Japanese classic

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 4 tbsp rice wine, mirin or sake
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tsp garlic, finely chopped
• ¼ tsp chili flakes, optional
• 1 tsp sesame seeds, hulled
• 4 chicken thighs with skin, boneless
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• salt and pepper
• 1 spring onion(s), cut diagonally into very thin rings
• 250 g broccoli florets, steamed, lightly salted and peppered
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• Rice, cooked

Instructions

Working time approx. 25 minutes; Rest time approx. 2 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 47 minutes

Whisk together the soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar in a bowl. The original teriyaki recipe doesn’t call for ginger, garlic, or chili flakes, but I really like the flavor. Rinse the chicken thighs under cold water, pat dry, and lightly season both sides with salt and pepper (you can also leave it out; the soy sauce in the marinade also provides salt). Then sprinkle a very thin layer of cornstarch and rub it lightly into the meat. In a non-stick pan, lightly toast the sesame seeds over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they are lightly golden brown. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. Heat the pan thoroughly, then add the pollo fino, skin-side down. Reduce the heat to medium-high (I used level 6 or 7 out of 9) and sear the meat until the skin is golden brown (about 6-7 minutes). Turn the meat over and sear the other side. After another 5-6 minutes, the meat will be cooked on the inside. Remove from the pan and use kitchen paper to remove as much fat as possible from the pan. Whisk the marinade again briefly and pour it into the pan (over medium heat!). Take a deep breath and enjoy the aroma! Add the pollo fino to the marinade. Let it simmer until it has significantly reduced and caramelized and has reached the desired saucey consistency. Turn the meat several times and spoon the marinade over it so that it is completely covered in the shiny sauce. If it thickens too much, you can carefully thin it with a little water a teaspoon at a time. Turn off the heat. Remove the pollo fino from the sauce, let it drain briefly over the pan, and let it rest on a board with the crispy skin facing up for 1-2 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange the rice and broccoli on plates. Sprinkle a few drops of sesame oil on the broccoli. Then, using a very sharp knife, cut the meat crosswise into 1-2 cm wide strips. Arrange on top of or next to the rice. Drizzle with the remaining sauce, garnish with spring onion rings and sesame seeds, and enjoy! Notes: Theoretically, you could also use chicken breast fillet, but the meat from the chicken thigh is much juicier and more flavorful, and cooks faster than a thick piece of chicken breast. Much of the fat remains in the pan after frying and is then removed, so it doesn’t end up on the plate or on your hips. The sweetness of the sugar should clearly overpower the saltiness of the soy sauce, but you can certainly use only half the sugar if you don’t want the sweetness to be so overpowering. If you like more sauce, simply increase the quantities of the ingredients accordingly.