Chicken Teriyaki

Step 1

Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels on both sides. This helps them brown better when they hit the hot pan.

Step 2

Mince the ginger until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about the size of pencil-tip dots.

Step 3

Mince the garlic cloves until the pieces are the same tiny size as the ginger.

Step 4

In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons mirin, 2 tablespoons water, the minced ginger, and minced garlic until uniform.

Step 5

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.

Step 6

Place the chicken breasts in the skillet. Listen for a steady, loud sizzle. Do not move them for 5 minutes.

Step 7

Flip each chicken breast and cook the other side without moving them until the thickest part feels firm and reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 4–5 minutes more.

Step 8

Pour the teriyaki sauce around the chicken into the skillet. Use a wooden spoon to tilt the pan and coat both sides of the chicken with sauce.

Step 9

Reduce the heat to medium and let the sauce bubble gently for 1–2 minutes, turning the chicken once, until the sauce thickens and coats the meat with a shiny glaze.

Step 10

Transfer each chicken breast to a serving plate, spooning any remaining sauce over the top. Sprinkle with scallions or sesame seeds if desired.