Sesame Chicken Teriyaki Bowl Recipe

There’s just something about a sexy glaze of sticky goodness on a chicken thigh that adds a little bit of specialness to a weeknight. I knocked this out last Tuesday when I had absolutely no desire to cook, yet was craving something that seemed like I put some love into it. Spoiler: that love was lacking. The sauce is doing all the work.

I also like to serve this over crispy lettuce leaves instead of rice – it’s a little lighter, and, frankly, I think the lettuce ends up totally absorbing that excess glaze in a criminally good way.

What You’ll Require

For the chicken:

4 boneless chicken thighs, skin-on (I don’t recommend skipping the skin on these, as it crisps up so nicely)

Neutral oil 1 tbsp

Salt & pepper

For the glaze:

3 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbs mirin

1 tbsp sake (or a dash of dry white wine)
1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar

1 clove garlic, grated

1 tsp grated ginger

For serving:

1-2 mini bell peppers, slices length wise (colored ones if you can find them)
A few leaves of butter lettuce or otherwise soft-type lettuce

Toasted sesame seeds, for sprinkling

How I Make It

Pat chicken dry. Now, I know this is a we are not stirring something and there’s not that much to do step, but Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Leaving the skin dry helps you achieve crispy chicken skin.

Heat up your oil in a pan over medium heat and add the chicken, skin-side down. Leave it alone for 6-7 minutes until it’s golden brown and the skin will naturally release itself from the pan.

Repeat with the other side for about 5-6 minutes until done. Remove the chicken from the pan.

Add the peppers to the pan you cooked the chicken in. Those chicken bits stuck to the bottom are actually giving you some flavor. Cook the peppers 2-3 minutes until they develop some color and are just tender.

Prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, mix the soy, mirin, sake, honey, garlic, and ginger. Add the glaze to the pan and boil for a few minutes until it has thickened and is slightly glossy.

Cut the chicken into chunky strips. Add to the pan and toss everything together to coat with the glaze.

Plate it over lettuce leaves, Top with peppers, and finish with a generous sprinkle of sesame seeds.

A Few Notes From My Kitchen

Add a spoonful or two of water to help loosen it back up.
The chicken thighs are a MUST for me here – they will still be succulent even if you cook them a bit longer in the pan, compared to a chicken breast that will teach you a lesson if you leave it a few minutes more.
I normally reheat this in the oven the next day for lunch and I just glaze everything on.

Nutrition guide: Teriyaki Chicken Bowl

These are estimates for 4 servings (1 thigh per serving, with peppers, lettuce, glaze and sesame seeds). Actual numbers vary with thigh size, how much glaze you use, and how much fat renders out in the pan.

Per serving (approx.)