2boneless skinless chicken thighsor your choice of chicken meat
Teriyaki Sauce(recipe to follow)
4Buns
Recommended Toppings
mayonnaise
lettuceromaine works best
tomatosliced
red onionthinly sliced
grilled pineapple slices(optional)
Teriyaki Sauce
¼cuplow sodium soy sauce
2tablespoonsrice vinegar
⅛cupsugar
2clovesminced garlic
1 ½teaspoonsgingerfreshly grated
black pepperfreshly cracked
Slurry To Thicken Teriyaki Sauce
2teaspoonswater
1teaspoonscorn starch
Instructions
Make the Teriyaki Sauce
In a small saucepan whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger and season with freshly cracked black pepper.
In a small measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the cornstarch slurry of water and cornstarch. Whisk it into the saucepan with the other ingredients over medium-high heat. Bring the teriyaki sauce to a rapid boil. Allow the sauce to boil for one minute.Stir the teriyaki sauce with a spoon. Run your finger across the sauce on the back of the spoon. If the line remains visible, the sauce is thick enough; if it doesn't, it needs to cook a little longer. Turn off the heat when the sauce is done.
Grill the Chicken Thighs
Light a chimney full of charcoal. When the coals are lit and gray with ash, pour the coals into the grill and set up the coals for a two-zone fire for indirect heat. —Preheat the grill to 350 degrees F.
Place the chicken thighs over direct heat on a clean and oiled grate. Grill until golden brown with a slight char on them, about 3 to 5 minutes (depending on size), then flip the chicken thighs and char the other side for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. You may need to put the lid on the grill and adjust the vents of the grill to maintain temperature and stall out flare ups.
When both sides of the thighs are seared, move them to the cooler (indirect) side. Baste with warm teriyaki sauce and allow the sauce to caramelize on the chicken. It's important to pay close attention not to let the chicken get too charred and black. Flip the chicken and baste until all of the teriyaki sauce is gone.
The chicken thighs are done when the internal temperature of the chicken reads 165 degrees with an instant-read thermometer. Continue to baste with sauce until all of the teriyaki sauce is gone.Remove the chicken from the grill and allow the chicken to rest for at least 5 minutes while toasting the buns.
Assemble the Sandwiches
Split buns and lay them cut side down on top of the grill over direct heat for about a minute or until crisp and golden brown. Then make the sandwiches.
Assemble each sandwich. Start by spreading mayonnaise (optional); add lettuce on top of the bottom bun. Next, add two to three teriyaki chicken thighs; top with a little more lettuce, tomato, and red onion, and place the bun on top.
Notes
The Chicken: Every piece of the chicken needs to be thickly uniform. Therefore, it may be necessary to pound the chicken with a mallet. Especially chicken breasts. Pounding the breasts with a mallet to make them thinner will reduce cooking time.
Charcoal Grilling: Set up the grill for a two-zone fire with direct and indirect heat. The chicken will sear on the hot side and then transfer to the indirect (cool) side to finish cooking and basting with teriyaki sauce.
Grill Temperature: Grill the chicken thighs between 350 and 400 degrees F.
Digital Instant-Read Thermometer: As always, pay more attention to temperature than the amount of time it takes to cook the meat. Chicken is done at 165 degrees F. Use a digital instant-read thermometer to help determine when the chicken is ready to eat.
Sugar burns! Teriyaki can over-caramelize and burn quickly! Ensure you add the sauce to the chicken over indirect heat to avoid unwanted flare-ups. Keep a close eye on it, and don't let the heat get out of control.
Rest The Meat: Like any other meat, chicken needs to rest after cooking. So allow the chicken to rest for at least 5 to 10 minutes while toasting your buns.
Grilled Pineapple Slices: If you opt for the grilled pineapple slices, grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side until heated through.
Baking Instructions: Place the chicken on a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven until the internal temp reads 155 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Baste with sauce every 5 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Nutrition Disclaimer: Note that calories are an approximate estimation calculated based on the teriyaki chicken and bun. For more nutrition information, visit our Policies and Disclaimers Page.
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