Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Jasmine Rice
- 300 g jasmine rice, dry
- 450 ml water
- 3 g salt
Teriyaki Sauce Base
- 80 ml soy sauce
- 60 ml mirin
- 30 ml sake
- 30 g brown sugar
- 10 g ginger, fresh, grated
- 2 garlic, minced
- 5 g cornstarch
Chicken & Vegetables
- 600 g chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, cut into 3cm pieces
- 400 g broccoli, florets only
- 15 ml neutral oil
- 5 g sesame seeds, toasted
- 2 green onion, thinly sliced
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 643 kcal
- Protein
- 41 g
- Carbohydrates
- 89 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 17 g
- Sodium
- 1721 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 141 mg
- Potassium
- 806 mg
- Calcium
- 106 mg
- Iron
- 2.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 83 mg
- Phosphorus
- 436 mg
- Zinc
- 3.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 43 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 91 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 121 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.26 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.46 mg
- Niacin
- 10.2 mg
- Folate
- 78 mcg
- Water
- 337 g
- Alcohol
- 1 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Rinse the jasmine rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Combine with water and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered.
While rice cooks, whisk together soy sauce, mirin, sake, brown sugar, grated ginger, and minced garlic in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves.
Heat neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces in a single layer. Sear without moving for 3-4 minutes until golden brown, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes.
Pour the prepared sauce mixture over the chicken. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 4-5 minutes, turning the chicken to coat. If a thicker sauce is desired, stir in the cornstarch slurry now. Ensure chicken reaches an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F.
While chicken simmers, steam the broccoli florets in a steamer basket or microwave with a tablespoon of water for 3-4 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp.
Fluff the rice with a fork. Plate the rice, top with broccoli and teriyaki chicken. Pour remaining sauce from the pan over the dish. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
Chef's Notes
- Chicken thighs are highly recommended over breasts for teriyaki as they remain juicy even when simmered in the glaze.
- Rinsing the jasmine rice is crucial; it removes excess surface starch, ensuring distinct, fluffy grains rather than a gummy block.
- For an authentic 'char' flavor without a grill, let the sauce reduce until it's almost sticky candy in the pan, but watch closely to prevent burning.
- If you want a deeper gloss to your sauce, whisk in a small knob (10g) of cold butter right at the end of cooking.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store rice and chicken in separate airtight containers to prevent rice from getting mushy.
Freezer: 1 month — Rice freezes well; broccoli texture may degrade slightly upon thawing.
Reheating: Microwave with a splash of water to steam the rice and re-emulsify the sauce.
Troubleshooting
Sauce is too thin and watery
Cause: Not reduced long enough or insufficient sugar content
Fix: Remove chicken, increase heat to high to reduce sauce rapidly, or add cornstarch slurry
Prevention: Allow sauce to bubble vigorously before reducing heat
Chicken is tough or dry
Cause: Overcooked or overcrowding the pan during searing (steaming instead of searing)
Fix: Dice smaller and mix with extra sauce to mask texture
Prevention: Cook in batches if using a small pan; use thigh meat instead of breast
Cultural Context
Teriyaki (from 'teri' meaning luster and 'yaki' meaning grilled) is a cooking technique indigenous to Japan, though the heavy sauce-laden version with garlic and ginger is a staple of North American Japanese cuisine (specifically Seattle and Hawaii). Authentic Japanese tare is usually thinner and less sweet.
