The Best Chicken Teriyaki

Joshua Weissman is the king of chicken.

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The Best Chicken Teriyaki
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Ingredients

Brine:

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 4 quarts (4L) water
  • 1 cup (260g) soy sauce
  • ¼ cup (60g) brown sugar
  • 60 g kosher salt
  • 8 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 8 sprigs of thyme
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 2 lemons, quartered
  • 2 sprigs of rosemary
  • 2 bunches parsley
  • 4 tsp (10g) black peppercorn

Seasoning & Cooking:

  • 2 thai chilies, thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 inch ginger, grated
  • 1 Tbsp (8g) cornstarch
  • 1 Tbsp (15g) water
  • ½ cup (95g) light brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup (80ml) pineapple juice
  • ⅓ cup (80ml) dark soy sauce
  • 3 Tbsp (45g) rice wine vinegar
  • 1.5 Tbsp (25g) vegetable oil

Directions

Brine:

  1. In a 6 quart pot or storage container whisk together water, soy sauce, brown sugar, salt, garlic, thyme, rosemary, parsley, and black peppercorn until the salt has dissolved.
  2. Add chicken breast to the brine, cover, and refrigerate for 6-8 hours.
  3. After brining period, remove breast from the brine and pat dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
  4. Reserve brined chicken for preparation in the refrigerator.

Seasoning & Cooking:

  1. Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes.
  2. In a large bowl, add pineapple juice, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, and light brown sugar. Whisk until the sugar dissolves, then add Thai chilis, ginger, and your chicken. Mix to combine, cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge overnight.
  3. Strain your chicken through a large mesh strainer, and reserve the liquid. Heat a large wok over high heat, and add enough oil. Once hot, add half of your marinated chicken and sear, tossing occasionally until the chicken gets some color and cooked through. Remove and repeat with the rest.
  4. Add half of the marinade, bring it to a boil, and reduce for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Separately whisk together cornstarch and water; whisk until homogenous, and add half of your slurry to the sauce to thicken. Add more if necessary.
  5. Once sauce reaches desired thickness, add in raw chopped garlic, and toss to evenly coat the chicken.
  6. Serve with rice and garnish with thinly chopped green onion.