Chicken Teriyaki

We’ve all done it, in malls all around the United States. The ascent to the food court via the escalator. Walking slowly but purposefully around each booth, stopping to pick up free chicken teriyaki samples from styrofoam plates set on plastic trays. The deliberate furrowing of the forehead as each sample is carefully evaluated, in order to reassure the hopeful expressions on the faces holding the trays that they are still in the race.

From my days as a teenager seeking for tiny, pricey, sparkling t-shirts to my present-day days as an obsessive bargain hunter, the chicken teriyaki sample guy has always had the most success attracting me to his booth.

You’ve definitely waited in line for chicken teriyaki at the mall at least once, and here’s how to make it at home. You won’t believe how simple it is to prepare, as I’m sure I’ve said before. What the chefs at Sarku Japan achieve on a massive flat-top griddle can be recreated in your own kitchen with just 9 items.

You’ll adore this if you’re not in the mood to go shopping but yet want some “mall” chicken teriyaki.

INGREDIENTS:

• 900g of boneless skinless chicken thighs (chop into small chunks)
• 3 1/2 tablespoons of mirin
• 3 1/2 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of dark soy sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon of grated ginger

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Mirin, soy sauce, black soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, sesame oil, and cornstarch can be added to the chicken in a bowl.
2. Blend together completely until no individual components can be tasted. Marinate for at least two hours.
3. To prepare the oil, place a wok or big skillet over medium heat. Sear the chicken for 1 minute on one side after transferring it to the pan in a single layer (reserving the marinade). After waiting a minute, resume stir-frying.
4. Return the remaining marinade to the pan, and boil over medium heat to thicken the sauce and coat the chicken.
5. Eat it with rice!