Developed by Stew & Ally
Time:
Feeds: 2 people
Ingredients:
For Teriyaki sauce:
- 8 oz low sodium soy sauce
- 8 oz sugar
- 1-2 tbsp mirin
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
For chicken and marinade:
- 1 lb chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1-2 tbsp avocado oil
For bowl assembly:
- 1 cup sushi rice
- teriyaki sauce
- grilled chicken thighs
- sriracha (optional)
Directions:
For Teriyaki sauce: In a small saucepan, add soy sauce, sugar, and mirin. Heat on medium whisking frequently so that sugar dissolves. Bring to the edge of a boil and reduce to a simmer. Let simmer for about 5 minutes, whisking frequently. Make a cornstarch slurry with cornstarch and water. Add to simmering sauce and whisk rapidly as to not create any clumps. Continue to simmer and evaluate the thickness of the sauce. It can be thickened with a little bit more slurry or can be thinned out with some water. This is all about preference! Let cool and once closer to room temperature, this can be stored in a squirt bottle in the fridge. Make sure there’s either a cap for the spout or you can use some Saran Wrap between the bottle and lid for storage.
For the chicken: In a gallon ziplock bag, add soy sauce, mirin, sugar, garlic powder, and white pepper. Mix up and taste the mixture. Adjust the marinade according to what you think might be missing. Add avocado oil and mix once more. Then add the whole chicken thighs to the bag. Mix around to ensure the thighs are coated. Seal bag getting as much air out as possible. These thighs should marinate for at least 2-3 hours but can go as long as overnight. They shouldn’t marinate for more than 24 hours.
For assembly: Cook sushi style rice in a rice cooker (or your preferred method) accordingly. You’re welcome to add the appropriate ingredients to make this seasoned sushi rice but we’re always happy with just the rice on its own. It’s best to try to time this out so the chicken and the rice get done at the same time. I usually start the rice at the same time that Stew is getting the grill heated up. A key component to Seattle-Style Teriyaki is the grill flavor. You can always sear the marinated thighs in a hot sauté pan but the char from the grill ensure the best and most authentic flavor. If cooking in a pan, you will want to preheat your pan to around 400 degrees (DO NOT use Teflon pans). Pour a small amount of high smoke point oil in the pan, place chicken in and let it cook for 5-6 minutes and then flip the chicken. After about 10 minutes of total cook time you can begin checking for temperature. You are aiming for 165+ degrees. After it has reached temperature, pull from pan and let rest until the rice is done.
If grilling: Preheat your grill to ~400 degrees. Having hot grill grates is important because you want to develop char, and prevent the chicken from sticking to the grates. After about 5-6 minutes check and see if the chicken will easily release from the grill and flip. If it’s not releasing, give it another 1-2 minutes to cook. By 7-8 minutes into the cook if the chicken isn’t releasing nicely from the grill, you will need to flip it and do your best to minimize the amount of surface that is removed from the chicken. It’s best to slide whatever tool you are using to flip it in a scraping motion towards the grill. After you have flipped the chicken, let it get to 10 minutes of total cook time and start checking for 165+ degrees. Once your chicken has reached at least 165 degrees you can pull it and let it sit until the rice is done. Do not worry if the chicken gets into the 180-190 degree range, it will still be fine. Chicken thighs can be cooked to higher temperatures than the white meat because they contain more fat and it will actually render better this way.
Once the chicken is cooked and the rice is done, slice the chicken thighs into strips and prep for assembly. We like to have our teriyaki in bowls to get everything combined nicely but you can plate it however you like! Place rice in the bowl first and top with some of the teriyaki sauce. Add chicken on top of this and add additional teriyaki sauce to your liking. Top with sriracha if desired.
Notes: Another key component to a Seattle-Style teriyaki experience is the side salad with the signature dressing – usually iceberg salad mix with a very sweet dressing. We’ll be recipe testing and developing this too for the full experience!