Simple Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Thighs with a Sesame Seed Twist
Sneak Preview: Whip up a simple teriyaki sauce to marinate chicken thighs in the morning before grilling them for dinner. Sprinkle with sesame seeds for interest, texture, and color. Ingredients include boneless, skinless chicken thighs, soy sauce, rice vinegar, dry sherry, garlic, and ginger.
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While dining with some friends recently, they expressed how much they enjoyed serving this grilled teriyaki chicken recipe to their dinner guests. Curiosity got the best of me, and it turns out they found the recipe on my website years ago. What?!
I was dismayed to hear they had been referring their friends to my website for the recipe. Unfortunately, I deleted that recipe a long time ago due to my dissatisfaction with the picture. Oops!
But fear not, my friends. I couldn’t bear to disappoint anyone, so I spruced things up, took new pictures, and restored the recipe to my website. Now, everyone can savor the company-worthy flavors of this incredible dish.
Five simple steps for making this chicken recipe:
- Prepare the marinade a day or two ahead of time for convenience or immediately before you need it.
- Marinate the chicken thighs all day or at least 30 minutes before grilling.
- Grill the thighs for 12-15 minutes using the cooked marinade to baste them for maximum flavor.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds on top of the thighs during the final minutes of grilling.
- Remove chicken from the grill, garnish, and serve.
Ingredients and substitutions:
- Soy sauce: Use low-sodium soy sauce if you prefer. I recommend tamari or coconut aminos as a substitute. Tamari is wheat-free and gluten-free. Coconut aminos is a good choice for somebody with many food sensitivities. Use a 1:1 ratio for either of these. For more choices, see this article.
- Dark Brown Sugar: You can use light brown sugar instead of dark brown sugar, but you’ll be giving up some flavor and the darker color that gives your chicken the characteristic glaze of teriyaki sauce.
- Dry Sherry: Dry sherry adds complexity to the character of this chicken. If you need a substitute, check out this post.
- Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar can be hard to find, but it’s essential to good teriyaki. If you need a substitute, Hangry Hanna recommends apple cider vinegar.
- Garlic Cloves: Fresh garlic is my first choice, but jarred garlic is my second choice, much better than powdered garlic.
- Fresh Ginger: Fresh ginger is entirely different from the powdered ginger you keep in your spice drawer for making pumpkin pie and other fall goodies. It’s not too expensive, and you can freeze it whole. It’s not necessary to thaw before using.
- Dried Red Pepper Flakes: Red pepper flakes or crushed red pepper (same thing) pack a punch. You don’t need much. If you don’t have any, substitute cayenne pepper.
- Chicken Thighs: I always use boneless and skinless chicken thighs because I want the marinade to soak into the chicken. I also like the juiciness of thigh meat. Use bone-in thighs if that’s what you prefer, but you might want to remove the skin. Chicken breasts could be substituted for thighs, but I recommend you slice them in half horizontally, then pound them to be slightly thinner so they will cook quickly.
- Sesame Seeds: These are strictly for garnish. If you need a substitute, try “Everything but the Bagel” seasoning, sold under several different brand names. If you can find them, black sesame seeds look dramatic and taste the same.
- Chives, Scallions, or Parsley for garnish: This is more for looks than taste. Suit yourself.
📌Kitchen Secrets📌
- Over the past 2-3 years, sesame seeds have become increasingly scarce at my go-to grocery store. However, thanks to a helpful employee at my favorite supermarket, I picked up a valuable tip.
If your preferred store has an Asian food aisle, make sure to look there. Sure enough, I found sesame seeds there, although they were packaged in cellophane bags rather than the usual glass or plastic bottles—no big deal. - For those who don’t use sesame seeds often, here’s a useful tip from Bob’s Red Mill: storing them in the refrigerator can extend their freshness for twice as long. Keep them in a sealed container.
- Fresh ginger is easy to freeze. Drop a small piece into a plastic bag. The next time a recipe calls for ginger, there is no reason to let it thaw. Use a micrograter on one cut end to grate it finely– no need to peel.
How to make the teriyaki chicken marinade
How to grill teriyaki chicken thighs
When you’re ready to grill the marinated chicken, preheat your grill to medium-high heat (400-425˚F.)
Microwave it in a microwave-safe container for 5 minutes on HIGH. This will kill any bacteria and thicken it so you can baste the chicken as it cooks.
I recommend this digital thermometer or this one if you don’t have one. If you buy a good one, I predict you’ll find excuses to use it every day that you cook.
FAQs about Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
Yes. In general, heat your air fryer to 400˚F. Reduce the heat by 25 degrees when you start to bake.
To use a broiler, place the chicken on a foil-covered baking sheet. Place the chicken under the broiler until brown and crispy for 6-8 minutes. Turn the chicken, coat the pieces with teriyaki sauce, and continue to broil for another 6-8 minutes until the chicken is almost cooked through. Sprinkle with seeds and allow the chicken to brown a minute or two longer before removing from the oven.
My friends told me they always serve this recipe with baked potatoes on the side. Sounds yummy! Brown or white rice is a traditional accompaniment for this Asian dish. A mildly flavored rice side dish like this colorful Hominy Rice is a favorite in my family. Homemade dinner rolls like these Tangzhong dinner rolls will take any dinner menu to the next level.
Yes. Double-wrap and keep in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Eat cooked chicken within 3-4 days.
Parting Thoughts: If you are like me and have only one or two people at your table, you might think this recipe makes way too much. However, leftover teriyaki chicken has many uses.
How about leftover chicken in this fried rice recipe, a chicken teriyaki pizza, or an Oriental salad with thin slices of teriyaki chicken? Add shredded carrots, fresh basil, and maybe some cilantro, along with plenty of romaine lettuce. Top it with sweet and sour dressing, peanut dressing, or this low-cal yogurt balsamic dressing with soy sauce.
Recipe Help at Your Fingertips: For questions or suggestions, email Paula at saladinajar.com. If you need help, I’m happy to troubleshoot via email (faster than leaving a comment). Attach pictures and as many details as possible for the best advice.
Simple Teriyaki Chicken Thighs with Sesame Seeds
Video
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (77 g) soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons (36 g) dark brown sugar – firmly packed
- 3 tablespoons (45 g) dry sherry
- 3 tablespoons (48 g) rice vinegar
- 3 garlic cloves – crushed or minced
- 1½ teaspoons fresh ginger – finely grated
- ¼ teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 8 4-oz. (227 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1-2 tablespoons sesame seeds – toasting is optional
Instructions
Marinade
- Whisk together in a medium bowl: ⅓ cup (77 g) soy sauce, 3 tablespoons (36 g) dark brown sugar, 3 tablespoons (45 g) dry sherry, 3 tablespoons (48 g) rice vinegar, 3 garlic cloves, 1½ teaspoons fresh ginger, and ¼ teaspoons red pepper flakes.
- Pour the marinade into a gallon-size plastic zippered bag or large bowl with the 8 4-oz. (227 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Allow the chicken to marinate in the refrigerator at least 1 hour or as long as all day.
Cooking Chicken Thighs
- Preheat your grill to 400-425˚F (200-220˚C). Drain the teriyaki sauce from the chicken into a microwave-safe 4-cup measuring cup.
- Cook the reserved teriyaki sauce in a microwave for 4-5 minutes. The sauce will boil and cook down a bit.
- Arrange the chicken thighs on a hot grill with the smooth side down. Cook until the bottom browns, about 6-8 minutes. Turn the chicken thighs, brush the marinade over the top, and grill for another 6-8 minutes. The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 170˚F (77˚C).
- Sprinkle the thighs with 1-2 tablespoons sesame seeds and remove from the grill. Garnish with chopped parsley, green onions, or chives, if desired.
Notes
Notes:
- Over the past 2-3 years, sesame seeds have become increasingly scarce at my go-to grocery store. However, thanks to a helpful employee at my favorite supermarket, I learned a valuable tip. If your preferred store has a dedicated section for Asian foods, explore that aisle. To my surprise, I found sesame seeds there, although they were packaged in cellophane bags rather than the usual convenient bottles. No problem.
- For those who don’t use sesame seeds very often, here’s a useful tip from Bob’s Red Mill: storing them in the refrigerator can extend their freshness for twice as long. To maintain their quality, keeping them in a sealed container is recommended.
- Fresh ginger is easy to freeze. Drop a piece into a zippered plastic bag and store in the freezer. The next time a recipe calls for ginger, there is no reason to let it thaw. Use a micrograter on one cut end to grate it finely– no need to peel.
Paula Rhodes, author
I’m a retired home economist, wife, mother, grandmother, and creator of Saladinajar.com. I believe you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Here you’ll find time-saving tips, troubleshooting advice, and confidence-inspiring recipes to make life in the kitchen more fun, appetizing, and satisfying.