Crispy Teriyaki Chicken (Paleo, Whole30, Keto)
Try this Crispy Teriyaki Chicken recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Crispy Teriyaki Chicken recipe, or contribute your own.
- sea salt to taste
- chopped scallions (optional)
- toasted white sesame seeds (optional)
- 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
- 1 tsp fresh grated garlic
- 1 1/2 lbs (about 4 pieces) chicken thigh skin on (alt. chicken breast with skin on)
- 1/2 tbsp ghee (to pan fry the chicken)
- 3 1/2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 3/4 to 1 tbsp red boat fish sauce
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (i use a brand called spectrum
- Carbohydrate 0.0888499998197374 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.00374999999239184 g
- Fiber 0.00999999997971159 g
- Protein 0.00909999998153754 g
- Saturated Fat 0.00101499999794073 g
- Serving Size 1 1 piece (171g)
- Sodium 38.8229999998681 mg
- Sugar 0.0788499998400259 g
- Trans Fat 0.00119499999757553 g
- Calories 0 calories
Step-by-step
- Pat dry the chicken and remove the bone (see the video on how to de-bone). Lightly season the chicken with a bit salt on the skin.
- Heat ½ tbsp ghee over a medium-large saute pan over medium/high heat. When hot, add chicken. Skin side down. Pan fry about 10 mins until the skin is crispy. *be careful about the splatter. Use a lid to cover the pan and prevent from splattering.
- Flip and pan fry the other side until the chicken is completely cooked through. Drain the oil from the saute pan and set chicken aside.
- Combine ingredients under "Teriyaki sauce". Heat the sauce over medium to medium-low heat. When it starts to get thickened, add chicken pieces back to the pan. Coat the sauce over the chicken.
- Wait for 5 mins before slicing the chicken. Sprinkle toasted white sesame seeds and chopped scallion (optional). Serve with steamed broccoli, mashed potato, or cauliflower rice.
Coconut aminos forms the savory baseline of this glaze, delivering the dark, umami depth of traditional soy sauce without the soy or gluten. Because coconut aminos naturally contain more residual sweetness and less sodium than standard soy sauce, adding fish sauce supplies the necessary savory backbone and salinity. Fresh grated garlic and ginger must be microplaned rather than minced to prevent chunks from burning in the pan during reduction. Bone removal ensures even contact with the sauté pan, translating to uniform browning across every square inch of skin.
Selecting Accompaniments for High-Fat Sauces
Steamed broccoli florets absorb pan drippings efficiently while providing structural resistance against rich protein. Mashed potatoes create a starchy contrast, though riced cauliflower offers a lighter alternative that absorbs the reduced coconut aminos glaze without becoming soggy. Maintain high heat when searing the chicken skin-on, using a splatter guard over a 10-inch heavy-bottomed skillet to contain grease while allowing steam to escape. Allow cooked protein to rest for exactly five minutes before slicing; this thermal pause lets internal muscle fibers reabsorb moisture so juices stay inside the meat rather than pooling on the cutting board.
- If substituting chicken breast for thighs, reduce total searing time by three to four minutes to prevent severe drying out.
- Drain excess rendered fat thoroughly before adding the sauce components, or the liquids will spatter violently upon contact with hot oil.
- Keep heat at medium-low once the liquid mixture is introduced, because high sugar content causes rapid scorching.
