Juicy Japanese BBQ Chicken Thighs (Printable Version)

Marinated Japanese BBQ chicken thighs grilled and brushed with sweet-savory glaze; finished with sesame and scallions.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

→ Marinade and Sauce

02 - ¼ cup soy sauce
03 - 2 tbsp mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
04 - 2 tbsp sake or dry sherry
05 - 1½ tbsp honey
06 - 1 tbsp brown sugar
07 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
08 - 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
09 - 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
10 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

→ For Grilling and Garnish

11 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil, for grilling
12 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds
13 - 2 stalks green onions, thinly sliced

# Directions:

01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together soy sauce, mirin, sake, honey, brown sugar, rice vinegar, grated garlic, grated ginger, and toasted sesame oil until well combined.
02 - Add chicken thighs to the bowl, turning to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
03 - Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Brush the grates with vegetable oil to prevent sticking.
04 - Remove chicken from the marinade, reserving the excess liquid. Grill thighs for 5–7 minutes per side until cooked through with a nicely charred exterior.
05 - Pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 3–4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
06 - Brush the grilled chicken generously with the reduced sauce and transfer to a serving platter.
07 - Sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The marinade doubles as a glaze, so nothing goes to waste and every bite is packed with layered flavor.
  • Chicken thighs stay incredibly juicy even if you accidentally cook them a minute too long, which makes this nearly foolproof.
02 -
  • Never reuse the marinade as a finishing sauce without boiling it first, since raw chicken has been sitting in it.
  • If your grill pan is overcrowded the chicken will steam instead of char, so cook in batches if needed and keep the finished pieces warm in a low oven.
03 -
  • Take the chicken out of the fridge 15 minutes before grilling so it cooks more evenly from edge to center.
  • The sauce is done reducing when you drag a spoon through it and the line stays visible for a second before filling back in.

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