Simply Delicious Teriyaki Chicken

I would have to say my favorite restaurant to go to is our local Japanese restaurant. I just LOOOVE their teriyaki chicken! So yummy! It’s an expensive restaurant, so my hubby and I only go on a special occasion. Instead of waiting for our anniversary or Valentine’s Day, I decided to take matters into my own hands and try to reinvent this delicious meal. After numerous attempts, I got it as close as I could, and sometimes I almost can’t tell the difference. Although a good tell is that I am not getting dressed up, or getting my food served to me. :-)

What you will need:

¼ cup Italian Dressing

1.5-2 lbs boneless and skinless chicken cutlets

½ cup teriyaki sauce (I love to use Kikkoman Less Sodium Teriyaki Marinade & Sauce)

½ tsp. garlic powder

First, you need to heat the Italian dressing, on medium to high heat, in a large non-stick frying pan.

Then add your chicken and turn the cutlets over and over in the dressing until the chicken is fully cooked. This way the chicken will get cooked with an even amount of dressing on both sides. Depending on how high your temperature is set, be sure to check that your chicken heats up to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook 7-10 minutes, or until done.

Once the chicken is cooked, add the teriyaki sauce and garlic powder. I like to add the garlic powder to the ½ cup teriyaki sauce and mix it before pouring it into the pan. That way the garlic powder will be evenly dispersed over the chicken.

To me, what comes next is the most important part of the recipe! I think the teriyaki sauce is best when it caramelizes. To do this, turn up the heat on the stove so that the teriyaki sauce comes to a boil. Keep your chicken in the frying pan all throughout the process. It soaks into the chicken and makes it oh so tender! After the sauce comes to a boil, turn it down so that it is still boiling, just not running over the sides of the pan. Let the sauce caramelize till it comes to a nice thick consistency. Once it is the consistency you like, you are done!

Pairing the chicken with some rice and broccoli makes for a really delicious dinner at a fantastic price!