Sweet and savory baked teriyaki chicken thighs in the oven. A delightful, simple recipe made with just three ingredients and ready in less than one hour.
Chicken thighs, teriyaki sauce, and a little cornstarch – that’s all you need to make these delicious teriyaki chicken thighs in the oven. This is a great recipe for the whole family, perfect for a busy weeknight, weekend, and entertaining.
The juicy, sticky-crispy skin oven-baked teriyaki chicken thighs are incredibly flavorful and satisfying, sweet and savory at the same time, comforting, and just fabulous every time. For more savory-sweet chicken recipes, check out our Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs, the Sweet and Sour Chicken Thighs, or the Sticky Honey Lime Chicken Thighs with Soy Sauce.
3 Simple Ingredients
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. You will need 1 or 2 per serving, depending on the size of the thighs and who’s eating.
- Those I had weighed about 9 oz/ 250 g per piece.
- Store-bought teriyaki sauce: A sweet and salty Japanese-style sauce containing soy sauce, sugar, mirin, garlic, and ginger.
- Cornstarch: 2 teaspoons mixed with a bit of water to thicken the sauce.
Homemade teriyaki chicken thighs in the oven
- Preheat the oven to 425°F/ 220°C.
- Prepare: Dry the meat with paper towels. Place chicken thighs in a baking dish and pour about ½ cup of sauce on top. Turn the chicken in the sauce to coat it all over, and arrange it in a single layer, skin-side down, in the dish (1).
- Bake thighs for 20 minutes. Flip them, brush them with some of the pan juices, and bake them for another 20 minutes. Check that they are cooked using a meat thermometer (2).
- Glaze: Once the chicken is cooked, pour the juices into a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer.
- Mix the cornstarch with about 1 tablespoon of cold water. Whisk the slurry into the simmering sauce and let it bubble once or twice until slightly thickened.
- Preheat the broiler. Place the thighs onto a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil (for easy cleanup), brush them with the thickened sauce, and broil them for 2-3 minutes until they are crisp. Keep an eye on them at all times; they can quickly burn if you don’t watch out.
- Sprinkle them with finely sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds (3).
Expert Tips
- According to USDA, you should never wash chicken. That will only spread bacteria in your sink and on your kitchen surfaces. Harmful bacteria will only be destroyed by heat during the baking process.
- Sauce: ½ cup teriyaki sauce should be enough to coat four thighs. If it’s not, add a little bit of extra teriyaki sauce to ensure that the chicken pieces are nicely coated. You can also cook the recipe with homemade teriyaki sauce.
- Double batch: Double all the ingredients and use a larger baking dish or a baking sheet.
Recipe FAQ
If you have the time, coat them with the sauce, place them in a covered non-metallic container or a resealable plastic bag, and marinate them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and up to 4-5 hours. Then, bring the meat to room temperature before roasting it (the time you need to preheat the oven should do it).
You can, but the baking time will be shorter. Cook the pieces for about 10 minutes, flip them, and bake them for another 10 minutes. Make sure you check that they are cooked through; if not, allow 5 more minutes and recheck the internal temperature.
If using chicken drumsticks, the roasting time will be pretty much the same, a few minutes shorter, maybe.
The best way to check is with an instant-read thermometer; the internal temperature should be 165°F/ 74°C (Amazon affiliate link).
If you don’t have one, cut near the bone, the flesh should be white, and the juices should run clear; you should see no red or pink spots.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat before serving.
Freeze in freezer containers or bags for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge and reheat before serving.
Reheat in the oven at 400°F/200°C for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
You can also reheat the thighs in the air fryer or the microwave. However, the chicken reheated in the microwave will not be crisp anymore.
You can refresh the skin by broiling the pieces for a couple of minutes.
What to serve with teriyaki chicken?
- Plain white rice (basmati or Jasmin rice) goes perfectly with oven-baked teriyaki chicken. You could also try them with Simple Buttered Rice with Garlic, Carrot Rice, or Cheesy Corn Rice. A simple baguette on the side is excellent as well.
- Vegetables: Roasted or steamed broccoli, bok choy or other Asian greens, Roasted Green Onions, Buttered Leeks, French-Style Green Beans, and so on.
- Salads: Simple White Cabbage Salad, German Coleslaw, green salad with Yogurt Dressing or vinaigrette, or another crunchy salad.
More oven-baked tender chicken thighs recipes
Teriyaki Chicken Thighs in the Oven
Equipment
- Baking dish about 9×13 inches/ 23×33 cm, Note 1
- Brush
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs about 9 oz/ 250 g each, Note 2
- ½ cup teriyaki sauce bottled, about 5.3 oz/ 150 g, Note 3
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- 1 green onion thinly sliced, optional for garnish
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds toasted, optional for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F/ 220°C.
- Prepare the thighs: Dry them well with paper towels. Place them in a baking dish and pour about ½ cup of sauce on top (150 g). Turn the chicken in the sauce to coat it all over, and arrange it in a single layer, skin-side down, in the dish.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Flip the pieces with tongs, brush them with pan juices, and bake them for another 20 minutes.
- Check with a meat thermometer that the chicken is cooked through; the internal temperature should be 165°F/74°C (Amazon affiliate link).
- Glaze: Once the chicken is cooked through, pour the pan juices into a small saucepan and bring them to a simmer. Whisk 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with about 1 tablespoon of cold water to obtain a thick yet pourable paste. Whisk the slurry into the simmering sauce and let it bubble once or twice until slightly thickened.
- Broil: Preheat the broiler. Place the thighs onto a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil (or you can use the same baking dish). Brush them generously with thickened sauce and broil them for 2-3 minutes until they are crisp. Keep an eye on them at all times; they can quickly burn if you don’t watch out.
- Sprinkle them with finely sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Baking dish: The chicken thighs should fit snuggly inside in a single layer. If you make a double batch, use a larger dish.
- Servings: Four large thighs will serve 2 to 4 persons depending on appetite. It’s best to cook two pieces per adult and only one per child. The nutrition is calculated for 4 servings.
- Teriyaki sauce: ½ cup of sauce should be enough to coat four thighs. If it’s not, add a bit more as needed to coat the pieces nicely. You can also cook the recipe with homemade teriyaki sauce.