Japanese Teriyaki Chicken Recipe

Teriyaki is simple - it's basically marinading the meat, then grilling, stir-frying or broiling it, basting it with the marinade as you cook it to form a glaze. You can use the marinade with any kind of meat or fish, including shrimp. You can also adjust the sugar and ginger, depending on how sweet/hot you like your teriyaki. If grilling or broiling, you can skewer the meat strips on bamboo skewers, just like the teriyaki sticks you buy at fairs; they're a lot easier to handle that way. If doing this, be sure to soak the skewers in water for at least an hour, so they don't burn! You can find the skewers in the Oriental sections of most grocery stores.

Teriyaki Chicken, Beef, Etc.

For about 1 lb. meat or fish. If using meat, slice into 1/4" thick strips about 3-4" long. This is easier if you partially freeze the meat first. Although you can use entire chicken breasts or steaks, the flavor won't penetrate as much. With fish, as it falls apart so easily when done, it's better to leave it in steaks or fillets and stick to broiling or grilling rather than pan-frying.

Mix all ingredients in a glass bowl or a large Ziploc bag. Add meat, cover if in bowl, and marinate in refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or up to 24 hours.

When ready to cook:

Remove meat from marinade. Strain marinade and discard garlic, ginger and green onions, reserving liquid. Grill or broil meat as usual, brushing occasionally with reserved marinade while cooking. If stir-frying, use a large skillet with about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, on high heat. When pan is very hot, just short of smoking, add meat. Keep heat on high, stirring meat constantly. While stir-frying, once the leftover marinade on the meat has cooked down so it's almost dry, you can pour in another couple tablespoons of marinade if you like a thicker glaze. Keep stirring on high heat, until marinade cooks down again, then serve. Not advisable to add marinade more than the one time, as you'll likely overcook the meat if you do.

Leftover marinade can be frozen for re-use, or you can bring it to a simmer in a small saucepan and thicken it with a teaspoon or so of cornstarch mixed with a few tablespoons of water, to make a sauce.