Welcome to Nippon Spoon!
Today, we’re making halal-friendly Japanese Teriyaki Chicken.
Teriyaki Chicken is one of Japan’s most classic and beloved home-cooked dishes.
This version is simple, juicy, and made with a rich glossy sauce — without mirin or sake.
The ingredients are minimal, the cooking process is easy, and the result is sweet, savory, and perfect with a bowl of steamed rice.
Let’s get started!
Halal-Friendly Notes
No Mirin or Sake (Alcohol-Free)
Traditional Japanese teriyaki sauce often includes mirin and sake.
This recipe skips both to keep it halal-friendly.
Instead, soy sauce, sugar, and water are used to create a simple glossy teriyaki sauce with a balanced sweet and savory flavor.
Soy Sauce Choice
This recipe uses added alcohol-free soy sauce.
Halal-certified soy sauce is also a good option if available.
The added alcohol-free soy sauce I use is linked here.
Halal Chicken
This recipe uses halal-certified chicken thighs.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
- Halal chicken thigh – 320 g (11 oz)
- Salt – a pinch
- Potato starch – 1 tsp
- Soy sauce – 1 1/2 tbsp
- Sugar – 1 tbsp
- Water – 1 tbsp
- Cooking oil – as needed
Prepare the Chicken
Today, I’m using 320 g of halal chicken thighs.
Make small cuts in the thicker parts of the chicken and open them slightly to even out the thickness.
If desired, trim off any excess fat or sinew.
Season the chicken very lightly with salt.
This helps bring out the flavor of the chicken.
Next, lightly coat the chicken with 1 teaspoon of potato starch.
Spread it evenly over the entire surface on both sides.
The potato starch helps the chicken brown nicely and gives the teriyaki sauce a natural glossy thickness.
That’s it for the chicken preparation.
Make the Teriyaki Sauce
In a small container, combine:
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
Mix well until the sugar dissolves.
The teriyaki sauce is now ready.
Cook the Chicken
Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add a small amount of cooking oil.
Once the pan is hot, add the chicken.
Chicken thighs take a little time to cook through, so cook them slowly over medium heat.
Check the color occasionally as they cook.
After about 6 minutes, the chicken has developed a nice golden brown crust.
Flip the chicken over.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 3 more minutes.
If too much oil collects in the pan, lightly wipe some off.
After 3 minutes, the chicken should be nicely cooked through.
Lower the heat and add the teriyaki sauce.
Flip the chicken as the sauce cooks down and coats the surface evenly.
Once the sauce thickens to a glossy consistency, remove the pan from the heat.
Serve and Enjoy
Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Look at that glossy shine!
The balance of sweet and savory flavors is perfect, and the sauce coats the chicken beautifully.
This is classic Japanese teriyaki chicken — juicy, tender, and perfect with steamed rice.
Despite the simple ingredients and easy cooking process, the result is incredibly flavorful.
Enjoy!
Watch How to Make It
This video shows how to make halal-friendly Japanese Teriyaki Chicken step by step.
A quick peek at today’s halal Japanese dish