Tori No Teriyaki

Step 1

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels on both sides, removing as much moisture as you can see — this helps them brown better.

Step 2

In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, minced ginger, and minced garlic until evenly combined. Set the bowl to the side.

Step 3

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

Step 4

Place the chicken thighs skin-side down (the side that originally had skin) in the hot skillet — you should hear an immediate sizzle.

Step 5

Cook without moving them for 6 minutes until the underside turns golden brown and pulls away easily from the pan when you try to lift an edge.

Step 6

Flip each chicken thigh to the other side using tongs or a spatula, then cook for 4 more minutes until that side is also golden brown.

Step 7

Pour the teriyaki sauce from the bowl over the chicken, tilting the pan so the sauce flows around all the pieces evenly.

Step 8

Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, turning the chicken over every minute, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy and coats the chicken like a glaze, about 4–5 minutes.

Step 9

Transfer the chicken to a serving plate and drizzle any remaining sauce from the pan over the top.