Bone In Teriyaki Chicken Thighs (Printer-friendly)

Savory-sweet glazed chicken thighs, roasted until tender and golden

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 3.3 lb

→ Marinade and Sauce

02 - 1/3 cup soy sauce
03 - 1/4 cup mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
04 - 2 tbsp honey
05 - 2 tbsp brown sugar
06 - 2 tbsp rice vinegar
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
09 - 1 tbsp sesame oil
10 - 1 tbsp cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
11 - 2 tbsp cold water (optional, to mix with cornstarch)

→ Garnish

12 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
13 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, honey, brown sugar, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and sesame oil until fully combined.
02 - Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and turn each piece to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight for deeper flavor penetration.
03 - Set the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easier cleanup.
04 - Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade, holding onto all the remaining liquid. Place the thighs skin-side up on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them apart so they brown evenly.
05 - Roast the chicken for 35 to 40 minutes. After the first 20 minutes, baste generously with the reserved marinade. Continue roasting until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the skin turns a deep golden brown.
06 - While the chicken roasts, pour the remaining marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. For a thicker glaze, dissolve the cornstarch in cold water and whisk it into the boiling sauce. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until glossy and coats the back of a spoon.
07 - Transfer the roasted chicken thighs to a warm serving platter. Drizzle with the reduced teriyaki sauce, then scatter the sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds over the top. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The skin gets absurdly lacquered and golden without any deep frying or fuss.
  • That sticky savory sweet glaze tastes like you spent all day when it really just marinated itself.
02 -
  • The marinade needs to come to a full boil if you plan to use it as a finishing sauce since raw chicken has been swimming in it.
  • Overnight marination is the single biggest upgrade you can make to this recipe turning good chicken into something people will actually remember.
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest for five minutes after roasting so the juices redistribute instead of running out onto the plate.
  • Toasting your sesame seeds in a dry pan for sixty seconds before sprinkling them on doubles their flavor with almost zero effort.

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