Let me tell you about the night I discovered broiling. I was starving, it was 7 PM, and I had completely forgotten to start dinner. I needed food fast, but I also wanted it to actually taste good. That’s when I remembered the broiler—that mysterious setting I’d been ignoring for years.
Turns out, the broiler is basically an upside-down grill inside your oven. It uses intense direct heat from above to cook food incredibly fast while creating that gorgeous charred, caramelized exterior. I threw some chicken thighs under there with teriyaki sauce, and fifteen minutes later, I had dinner that looked and tasted like I’d spent an hour on it.
Now broiling is my secret weapon for when I need dinner done yesterday. The teriyaki glaze caramelizes so fast under that intense heat, creating these incredible charred edges that you just can’t get from regular baking. It’s become my go-to method when time is tight but standards are still high.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
It’s ridiculously fast. We’re talking 12-15 minutes of cooking time. That’s faster than most delivery, faster than defrosting something, faster than pretty much any other cooking method. The broiler’s intense heat cooks the chicken through while simultaneously caramelizing the glaze.
That char is unbeatable. The direct heat from the broiler creates these gorgeous charred spots on the teriyaki glaze that add incredible flavor. It’s like the best parts of grilling, but you’re doing it inside your oven. The slight bitterness from the char perfectly balances the sweet teriyaki.
Maximum caramelization, minimum time. The high heat concentrates and caramelizes the sugars in the teriyaki sauce almost instantly. You get that thick, sticky, deeply caramelized coating in a fraction of the time it takes to bake.
The chicken stays incredibly juicy. Because it cooks so fast, the chicken doesn’t have time to dry out. The outside gets caramelized and slightly crispy while the inside stays moist and tender. It’s the best of both worlds.
Perfect for weeknight emergencies. When you forgot to plan dinner, when you’re exhausted, when everyone’s hungry now—this is your recipe. It’s fast enough to save the day but tasty enough that nobody will know you were scrambling.
Minimal cleanup required. One baking sheet, one bowl for the sauce. That’s it. The speed of broiling means less time cooking and less time cleaning. Future you will appreciate this.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6-8 thighs)
- Key note: Make sure they’re similar in size for even cooking under the broiler.
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Key note: Helps prevent sticking and promotes browning.
For the Teriyaki Sauce:
- 1/3 cup soy sauce (low-sodium works great)
- Key note: Use tamari for gluten-free or coconut aminos for soy-free.
- 1/4 cup honey (or brown sugar)
- Key note: Honey caramelizes beautifully under the broiler’s intense heat.
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- Key note: Fresh is best for that bright, zingy flavor.
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
For Garnish:
- Sesame seeds
- Sliced green onions
- Fresh cilantro (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Position Your Rack and Preheat
Move your oven rack to the highest position—you want the chicken 4-6 inches from the broiler element. Too close and it’ll burn before cooking through; too far and it won’t get that gorgeous char.
Turn your broiler to high and let it preheat for 5 minutes. The broiler needs to be screaming hot to work its magic. While it’s heating, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
Step 2: Prep the Chicken
Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels. Moisture is the enemy of browning, and we want maximum browning here. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper, then brush lightly with oil.
Arrange the chicken on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer with space between each piece. Don’t crowd them—you want that intense heat hitting each piece directly.
Step 3: Make the Teriyaki Sauce
While the broiler preheats, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and sesame oil in a bowl until the honey dissolves completely.
In a small separate bowl, mix the cornstarch with water until smooth. Whisk this into the teriyaki mixture. The cornstarch helps the sauce thicken and cling to the chicken under the intense heat.
Step 4: First Broil
Place the chicken under the broiler and cook for 5-6 minutes. Don’t walk away—the broiler works fast and things can go from perfect to burnt quickly. The chicken should start developing color and the edges should begin to brown.
Step 5: Flip and Glaze
Carefully remove the pan from the oven (it’ll be hot!). Flip the chicken thighs over using tongs. Brush the cooked side generously with teriyaki sauce. The sauce will start caramelizing immediately from the residual heat.
Return to the broiler for 3-4 minutes. The sauce should bubble and caramelize, developing those gorgeous dark spots.
Step 6: Final Glaze
Remove the pan again and flip the chicken one more time. Brush the other side heavily with more teriyaki sauce. Make sure every piece is well coated—this is your final layer of flavor.
Broil for another 3-4 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature and the glaze is bubbling, sticky, and deeply caramelized with charred spots. The edges should look almost burnt—that’s perfect.
Step 7: Rest and Serve
Let the chicken rest on the pan for 3-5 minutes. The glaze will thicken as it cools, and the juices will redistribute through the meat. Drizzle with any remaining sauce, garnish with sesame seeds and green onions, and serve immediately while everything is hot and that glaze is at peak stickiness.
Serving Suggestions
These Broiled Teriyaki Chicken Thighs are versatile and delicious:
Steamed rice is essential. The rice catches all that sticky teriyaki glaze and makes the meal complete. White rice, brown rice, or jasmine rice all work beautifully. This pairing is non-negotiable in my house.
Teriyaki chicken and broccoli combo. During the last 5 minutes of broiling, add broccoli florets to the pan around the chicken. They’ll get slightly charred and absorb the teriyaki flavors. Classic takeout combo, but way better and healthier.
Make it a rice bowl. Layer rice in a bowl, top with sliced chicken, add edamame, cucumber, avocado, and extra teriyaki sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and you’ve got a restaurant-quality bowl at home.
Serve over noodles. Cook some udon, soba, or ramen, toss with sesame oil, and top with the broiled chicken. Add stir-fried vegetables and you’ve got a complete noodle bowl that rivals any restaurant.
Cauliflower rice for low-carb. The intensely flavored chicken doesn’t need regular rice. Cauliflower rice keeps things lighter while still giving you something to catch that delicious sauce.
Pile it on a salad. Slice the chicken and serve it warm over mixed greens with mandarin oranges, crispy wontons, and sesame-ginger dressing. The charred chicken adds amazing flavor to the fresh salad. 🙂
Storage Tips
Refrigerator: Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The charred edges soften as it sits, but the flavor is still incredible. Some people say it tastes even better the next day.
Reheating: The best way to reheat broiled chicken is under the broiler for 2-3 minutes to recrisp those edges. You can also microwave for 1-2 minutes (though you’ll lose some of the char), or reheat in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.
Freezing: These freeze well! Let the chicken cool completely, then store in freezer-safe containers with any extra sauce for up to 3 months.
Thawing and Reheating from Frozen: Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat using the methods above. The broiler method works even from frozen—just add a few extra minutes and watch it carefully.
Meal Prep Tip: Broiling is so fast that I actually prefer making this fresh rather than meal prepping it. But if you do want to prep ahead, make a batch on Sunday and the quick broiler reheat brings back most of that charred texture.
Final Thoughts
Here’s what I appreciate most about broiling—it’s fast, it’s intense, and it delivers results that taste like you put in way more effort than you actually did. The char, the caramelization, the speed—it’s all working in your favor.
These Broiled Teriyaki Chicken Thighs prove that you don’t need hours in the kitchen to make something delicious. Sometimes the fastest method is also the best one. The broiler concentrates flavor, creates texture, and gets dinner on the table before anyone has time to complain about being hungry.
So next time you’re in a time crunch but still want real food, remember your broiler. It’s been sitting there waiting to save your dinner. Let’s put it to work.
Fire up that broiler!
— Kip
Broiled Teriyaki Chicken Thighs (Quick & Caramelized!)
Description
These Broiled Teriyaki Chicken Thighs harness the intense direct heat of your broiler to create incredible caramelization and char in record time. The high heat concentrates the teriyaki glaze into a thick, sticky coating with slightly crispy, charred edges while keeping the chicken incredibly juicy inside. It's the fastest way to restaurant-quality teriyaki chicken at home.
Ingredients
Chicken:
Teriyaki Sauce:
Garnish:
Instructions
-
Position oven rack 4-6 inches from broiler element. Preheat broiler to high for 5 minutes. Line baking sheet with foil.
-
Pat chicken dry, season with salt and pepper, brush with oil. Arrange on prepared sheet in single layer.
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Whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. Mix cornstarch with water, then whisk into sauce.
-
Broil chicken 5-6 minutes until beginning to brown.
-
Flip chicken, brush cooked side with sauce. Broil 3-4 minutes.
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Flip again, brush other side with sauce. Broil 3-4 minutes more until chicken reaches 165°F and glaze is caramelized with char marks.
-
Let rest 3-5 minutes. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve hot.
Note
- Watch constantly—broiler works fast and can burn quickly
- Use tamari for gluten-free version
- Don't skip preheating broiler—needs to be very hot
- Some char is good—adds flavor
- Can add broccoli to pan last 5 minutes
- Works with bone-in thighs—add 5-7 minutes cooking time
- Pat chicken very dry for maximum browning
- Rack position is crucial—too close burns, too far doesn't char
