Properly grilled and cooked teriyaki chicken is always a fan favorite. This recipe will show you how to make grilled teriyaki chicken. There are many who claim to have the definitive recipe for authentic teriyaki chicken, but there is no such thing.
Teriyaki chicken has become associated with Japanese cooking, but there is no such thing in Japan. This is like there is no such thing as a fortune cookie in China. Teriyaki is defined as “a Japanese dish consisting of fish or meat marinated in soy sauce and grilled.” This definition can mean anything so long as the meat is marinated and grilled.
After much research and subjecting my family to many taste tests, I have determined the following recipe is very tasty. Authentic? Who knows?
It is important you grill the meat at a high temperature and do not smoke it “low and slow”. I recommend a Weber Kettle, but any direct grilling charcoal BBQ grill will work.
Please note, I may receive a commission for any purchases made after clicking on the links on this page.
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- Small Bowl To mix ingredients to make the marinade
- Gallon sized Zip-Lock Bag
- Direct Heat BBQ Grill I highly recommend a charcoal grill, but a gas grill will work in a pinch
- Charcoal I like lump charcoal, specifically, FOGO.
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 cup Soy Sauce
- 2 tsp Coarse Ground Black Pepper (16 Mesh)
- 2 tsp Garlic Powder I like to replace the ginger with ¼ cup of bourbon for a slightly different taste. If you do use bourbon, add it last after the sugar
- 1 tsp Ginger Powder
- 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
- ¼ cup Mirin
- ¼ cup Sugar Adjust to taste
Meat
- 8 count Boneless Skinless Thighs 6-10 pieces depending on their size
Instructions
Marinade
- Mix all the dry ingredients of the Marinade together except for the sugar in a small bowl2 tsp Coarse Ground Black Pepper (16 Mesh), 2 tsp Garlic Powder, 1 tsp Ginger Powder
- Add and mix the wet ingredients1 cup Soy Sauce, ¼ cup Mirin, 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
- Add the sugar a little at a time, the amount added is purely a suggestion. Adjust the amount to your liking¼ cup Sugar
Prep the Meat
- Add the marinade and chicken to a Ziplock bag. Mix the chick end marinade and let it marinade for at least 20 minutes8 count Boneless Skinless Thighs
Grill the meat
- Setup your grill for direct grilling, start the fire and wait for it to come up to temperature.
- Add the marinated chicken to the grill and grill until the internal temperature reaches at least 185°F. Flip the meat regularly to avoid burning. Watch for flame ups.
- Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes
- Slice the chicken into ¼ – ½ inch width slices and serve.