Salty and sweet works just as well at dinner as it does at dessert. Chicken teriyaki is one of those dishes that can be deceptively sweet, especially when you order it at a restaurant. In this homemade version, which is from "Pure Delicious: More Than 150 Delectable Allergen-Free Recipes Without Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, Soy, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Shellfish or Cane Sugar" by Heather Christo (Avery Books, $30), the homemade teriyaki sauce is sweetened with honey and coconut amino acids.
Most traditional soy sauce has both gluten and soy, so coconut aminos are a good substitute in just about any recipe, and you can buy the product in health food or upscale grocery stores. Conversely, if you do eat gluten and soy, you could use soy sauce here.
Chicken Teriyaki
For the teriyaki sauce:
1/4 cup coconut amino acids (or soy sauce)
1/4 cup honey
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
For the chicken:
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skin-on chicken thighs
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Thinly sliced green onions and sesame seeds, for garnish
Steamed white rice and broccoli, for serving
To make the teriyaki sauce: In a saute pan, combine the amino acids, honey, garlic, ginger, vinegar, sesame oil and 1/2 cup hot water. Whisk and simmer over low heat until smooth.
In a small jar, combine the cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water and shake until smooth. Add the cornstarch slurry to the saucepan and whisk while cooking over medium heat until the teriyaki sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a heavy pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook for about 6 minutes, until the fat has rendered and the chicken skin is golden and crisp.
Turn the chicken pieces over and add 1/4 cup water to the pan and cover with a lid so that the chicken steams and cooks through, about 5 minutes more. Add any liquid that has accumulated in the pan to the teriyaki sauce. (If the sauce has gotten too thick, just add 1/4 cup water and whisk over low heat until smooth.)
Add desired amount of sauce to chicken and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, turning the chicken to coat it in the sauce. Serve hot with steamed white rice and vegetables and garnished with green onions and sesame seeds. Serves 4.
— From "Pure Delicious: More Than 150 Delectable Allergen-Free Recipes Without Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, Soy, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Shellfish or Cane Sugar" by Heather Christo (Avery Books, $30)
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