Teriyaki Chicken Thighs

By
Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen is a journalist, quick-cooking and slow-cooking expert, and accomplished cookbook author with over 30 years of experience in testing and developing recipes.
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Updated on 04/5/19
Teriyaki Chicken Thighs

boblin / Getty Images

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 8 to 10 servings

Teriyaki Chicken Thighs is a fabulous grilled recipe for bone-in, skinless chicken thighs. The chicken marinates for hours in the fridge, then is grilled to tender and juicy perfection. 

You could make more of this marinade if you like it, and store it in the freezer in 1/2 cup measures. Then when you want to make this recipe again, thaw it in the fridge overnight, marinate the chicken the next day, then grill. You have to plan ahead a bit with this method, but the results are so worth it.

You could use bone-in, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, but the cooking time will be shorter.

Serve this wonderful recipe with some hot cooked rice to soak up the marinade, a green salad, some scones or dinner rolls, and some asparagus or green beans you grill right along with the chicken.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 onion (finely chopped)
  • 5 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 tablespoons minced ginger root
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 teaspoon five-spice powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 4 to 5 pounds bone-in, skinless chicken thighs

Steps to Make It

  1. In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, and honey. Whisk together until smooth. Add the chicken broth, onion, garlic, ginger root, black pepper, white pepper, five-spice powder, and smoked paprika, and whisk until combined.

  2. Add the chicken thighs to the marinade; cover, and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.

  3. When you're ready to eat, prepare and preheat a gas or charcoal outdoor grill, building a two-sided fire. Make one side 3 briquettes thick, the other 1 briquette thick. If you are using a gas grill, turn on all the burners to high until hot, then turn off one of the burners.

  4. Remove the chicken from the marinade; put the marinade into a medium saucepan.

  5. Grill the chicken, moving it around the grill as needed and turning twice, for 25 to 35 minutes until the chicken registers 165 F on a reliable meat thermometer.

  6. While the chicken is cooking, simmer the marinade for 3 to 5 minutes until it is thickened. During the last five minutes, the chicken is on the grill, glaze the chicken with the marinade.

  7. Serve with your sides of choice and enjoy!

Tips

  • Don't marinate the chicken longer than 24 hours, or the marinade will actually start to make the meat tougher.
  • You can serve the remaining marinade on the side. It's delicious drizzled over hot cooked rice or polenta.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
653 Calories
30g Fat
30g Carbs
62g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 to 10
Amount per serving
Calories 653
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 30g 39%
Saturated Fat 8g 42%
Cholesterol 190mg 63%
Sodium 1072mg 47%
Total Carbohydrate 30g 11%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Protein 62g
Calcium 86mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)