As a lover of Asian fare, teriyaki-in-general is one of my favorite ways to cook. Teriyaki is as well known outside of Japan as sushi or ramen is, so, most American people, kids included, will give "teriyaki anything" a try. A bottle of teriyaki sauce has been a staple condiment in my pantry for as long as I've had a pantry, standing right next to the elites: Heinz ketchup, French's mustard, Hellman's mayonnaise, K.C. Masterpiece barbecue sauce, and, Lee & Perrin's worcestershire sauce. That said, teriyaki sauce is seriously simple to make, and, it can be customized to suit your family's taste. I typically prepare a double- or triple-sized batch, then keep what I don’t use in the refrigerator (stored in there it keeps almost forever), so it's ready to reheat the next time a "teriyaki anything" craving hits me or mine -- sometimes as often as once a week.
Teriyaki sauce was invented by Japanese settlers to Hawaii.
Teriyaki (tehr-uh-yah-kee): Teriyaki is a Japanese term referring to a method of cooking beef, chicken, ribs, or seafood that has been marinated (in a mixture of soy sauce, mirin, sugar, garlic and/or ginger) prior to being grilled, broiled or stir-fried. "Teri" is the Japanese word for "luster", and it is the sugar that gives the food its "teri" or shiny glaze. It's interesting to note that in Japan, there is no official teriyaki sauce. Teriyaki sauce was invented by the early Japanese settlers to the islands of Hawaii. They created:
A slightly-sweet nicely-thickened marinade/basting sauce using local, readily-available, easy-to-acquire Hawaiian products. For example: pineapple juice (in place of the mirin or sake of their homeland) and wild garlic (in conjuction with ginger they brought with them), mixed with soy sauce and thickened with cornstarch. The subject at hand (beef, chicken, pork, fish or seafood) is marinated for a minimum of 30 minutes, longer for a more pronounced flavor, then cooked.
Homemade teriyaki sauce is thick and drizzly. At its thinnest, it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, and, at the discretion of the cook, in many cases thicker than that. That said, many store-brought brands are watery (similar in consistency to soy sauce), and, they will not work in this recipe. Ideally, the teriyaki sauce should be similar in consistency to a hearty barbecue sauce. What I keep on-hand and recommend is: Panda Express Mandarin brand teriyaki sauce.
Paillard is a fancy French word, a verb, meaning "to pound":
A bit about paillard (PI-yahrd): This fancy French word means "to pound", and, references a lightly-pounded portion-sized slice or medallion of meat, poultry or seafood that gets quickly sautéed. A paillard is not madly smashed to smithereens. Pounding should make it wider and thinner, with the point being to pound it in a manner that makes it even in thickness -- to break down the fibers, to tenderize it, and, to make it cook evenly. It's done with a flat-sided meat mallet, not a sharp, pyramid-toothed gadget guaranteed to pulverize. To those who smack away using the back of a heavy skillet, while the bravado is amusing, it's less than affective, as you can't concentrate the necessary force directly on the places that need it to do a truly expert job.
The taste and texture of lightly-pounded paillards is an extra step well worth the effort. I find it to be a time-saver too. The time it takes to pound six boneless skinless chicken thighs, including the time to get out a cutting board, the plastic wrap and a flat-sided meat mallet is about five minutes. Once done, cooking the paillards is considerably faster and easier, had I not taken the time.
Teriyaki chicken-thigh paillards are one of my favorite things.
1 1/4-1 1/2 cups Panda Express Mandarin teriyaki sauce, plus, additional teriyaki sauce for dipping or drizzling at tableside
6-8 tablespoons water (3-4-ounces)
6 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs (Note: This is approximately the equivalent of 3, boneless, skinless chicken breast halves that have been butterflied to form 6 pieces/portions.)
~ Step 1. Place the thighs between two large layers of plastic wrap and lightly pound with the flat side of a meat mallet to a thickness of more than a 1/4" and less than 1/2".
~ Step 2. Remove and discard the top layer of plastic wrap and season the tops of paillards with:
nothing -- add no seasoning
In a 16" electric skillet on low heat, heat:
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, and, 2 tablespoons sesame oil
Increase heat to medium- medium-high (240°-250°).
~Recap: Cover a large cutting board with plastic wrap. Unravel/unroll the chicken thighs and place them, flat and slightly apart, atop the plastic. Cover with a second sheet of plastic. Using a flat-sided meat mallet, pound to a thickness of 1/4"-1/2". Remove and discard top layer of plastic.
~Step 3. Add the paillards to the (now fragrant) hot oil in the skillet. Sauté gently until light-golden in color on both sides, turning only once, about 8-9 minutes per side. Add the teriyaki sauce to the chicken in the skillet, followed by the water. Quickly heat the teriyaki sauce to bubbling, stirring in and around and under the paillards constantly for a moment or two to incorporate the sauce into the flavorful pan drippings. Adjust the heat to a very gentle simmer (steady yet very gentle), and continue to simmer very gently, uncovered, about 20 more minutes.
This recipe is so good it put take-out teriyaki in my past:
Try my Barbecue-Sauced Chicken-Thigh Paillard Salad too:
Easy One-Skillet Teriyaki Chicken-Thigh Paillards: Recipe yields 6 main-dish servings.
Special Equipment List: large cutting board; plastic wrap; flat-sized meat mallet; 16" electric skillet w/lid; 1-cup measuring container; fork and/or spatula; large spoon
Cook's Note: A Paillard, a noun, is a thin, lightly-pounded cut, large or small, of any type of meat -- most commonly beef, chicken, lamb, pork or veal. That said, occasionally, in certain culinary applications, firm seafood, like lobster, shrimp or scallops, can, for the right reason, become a paillard. It's also possible to use some vegetables to make a paillard. Paillard, the verb, generally speaking, means to lightly-pound. I'm using a boneless chicken thighs as an example: ~ To Paillard or Not to Paillard -- & Define a Paillard ~.
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2021)
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