North Coast Seattle-style Teriyaki
This Pacific Northwest classic pairs tender chicken thighs with an unmistakable lacquer born from a sweet, soy-heavy glaze. A brief run through clean alder smoke followed by a ripping-hot grill finish locks in juice while producing lacy, blackened edges. Sliced thin and laid over a bed of sticky rice, it delivers that iconic strip-mall comfort with a serious smokehouse upgrade.
Ingredients
The Base Sauce
The Aromatic Hit
The Smokehouse Riff Salad
The Foundation
Instructions
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In a heavy-bottomed pot, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, rice vinegar, and the cinnamon stick.
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Simmer over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the sauce is glossy.
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Remove and discard the cinnamon stick immediately.
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Pull 1/3 of the base into a squeeze bottle for the Clear Dipping Sauce reserve. Put into a squeeze bottle once cool, set aside.
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Add the sliced ginger and smashed garlic head to the remaining 2/3 of the sauce in the pot.
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Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes to extract aromatic oils, then remove from heat and cool completely.
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While itโs cooling, fillet and butterfly the chicken thighs to a uniform thickness.
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Pour half of the cooled base sauce with the garlic and ginger chunks into a ziploc bag along with the prepared chicken thighs, marinate in the refrigerator for 1.5 hours (2 hours max).
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Strain the remaining half through a fine-mesh sieve into squeeze bottle for the chicken grill baste.
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Whisk the mayonnaise, rice vinegar, white sugar, toasted sesame oil, and Smokehouse AP seasoning together, then let sit for 10 minutes.
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Fire up the smoker using Alder wood and set it to low heat.
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Remove the chicken from the marinade and smoke lightly until the protein takes on color and absorbs the wood flavor.
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Transfer the smoked thighs directly to a preheated hot Weber grill.
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Grill over high heat to establish the signature dark, restaurant-style char.
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Brush the chicken with the reserved glaze during the final 2 minutes of cooking to lacquer the exterior.
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Slice the chicken into 1/2-inch strips and serve over a bed of cooked Calrose rice.
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Combine the ice-cold iceberg lettuce, torn Napa cabbage, and carrots, then toss with the dressing immediately before serving.
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Zigzag the Clear Dipping Sauce over the chicken and rice, and serve the salad on the side.
Note
Spicy Teriyaki Variant: To turn this into classic Seattle Spicy Teriyaki, add 1 to 2 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes into the pot during Step 5. The heat will infuse directly into the marinade and baste while leaving your Clear Dipping Sauce sweet and mild.
Finish the plated salad with a light final dusting of Smokehouse AP seasoning for color.
Save any remaining Clear Dipping Sauce as a base for morning potato hash or stir-fry.
