Summer, even on a cooler day like today, feels like Marinade Season. After the tradition of Memorial Day hotdogs and hamburgers passes like the wildfire May always seems to inflict on my calendar, we need something! Oils, vinegars, seasonings, and other flavorful additions change meats from "usual" to extra mouth-watering. Simple. I can make them and tweak them as we like (usually, more garlic). Oh, yeah.
Teriyaki sauce has made my family happy ever since the kids could barely see above the edge of the kitchen counter top. Best of all, on-hand ingredients make it cheap and easy to mix on the fly without preservatives, and no MSG or high fructose corn syrup. Good news all around, I think.
I make the marinade recipe, which turns to sauce with one ingredient and some heat, if you like. Also, I want to jot down our three favorite ways to enjoy this teriyaki recipe, just because.
Small "if you want to extend the deliciousness" or "golden nugget recipes" appear highlighted in gold. You'll find the golden nugget for a small batch of sauce made from the marinade recipe below.
Teriyaki Marinade (sauce-making instructions following)
1/2 c. soy sauce (regular or low-sodium, as you wish)
1/2 c. water
6 T. sugar
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 T. rice vinegar (white works, too)
1-1/2 T. canola oil
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
Mix together and refrigerate if not using right away as marinade.
To use as marinade, hop down below the next 6 lines for three more ways to use this recipe.
To make sauce out of all of it:
Add unused marinade to a sauce pan and whisk in 2 tsp. cornstarch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Heat only until sauce begins to thicken, remove from heat and cool.
To make sauce from 3/4 cup of reserved marinade:Add 3/4 cup marinade to a small sauce pan and whisk in 1 tsp. cornstarch. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Heat only until beginning to thicken. Remove from heat and cool.
1. Chicken Kebobs with Teriyaki Marinade (4 servings)
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1-1/2-inch cubes
1 red onion, cut in sixths, then chop each 1/6th in 3-4 chunks
1 orange pepper cut into 1-1/2-inch chunks
4-5 skewers for grilling kebabs
Two hours before grilling, add cubed chicken to a resealable container or gallon-size baggie, and add all but 3/4 of marinade recipe. Mix well to coat chicken. Cover/seal and chill until ready to grill. Meanwhile, follow directions for making sauce from reserved marinade (in the golden highlight above).
Before grilling, remove chicken from refrigerator, drain and discard used marinade. Thread a piece of chicken on the first skewer, and follow with any pattern you like. Chicken-pepper-chicken-onion, or chicken-pepper-onion. Repeat until the skewer is full. Fill the next 3-4 skewers. Preheat your grill, or use a grill pan indoors on the stove top. Grill over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, until you see nicely caramelized edges and grill marks. Turn kebabs 1/3 turn and repeat, then turn a final time until done.
Serve with your choice of side items, and drizzle some of the teriyaki sauce you made earlier.
2. Summer Salad with Teriyaki Chicken (4 servings)
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 recipe Teriyaki Marinade (reserve 3/4 cup for making sauce)
4 large salads (your choice of greens)
1/2 c. chopped strawberries
1/2 c. blueberries
1 c. mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 c. chopped pecans
Teriyaki Sauce
Two hours or the night before grilling, add chicken and all but 3/4 cup marinade to a resealable container or gallon-size baggie. Mash it around well to distribute marinade. Seal and refrigerate until ready to grill. For making sauce from the reserved marinade, see gold highlighted section above. When finished thickening, remove from heat to cool, then refrigerate.
When ready to grill, remove chicken from refrigerator, drain and discard used marinade. Grill chicken breasts over medium-high heat (use outdoor grill or indoor grill pan), cooking for 4-5 minutes per side and no longer pink in the center. Remove from heat and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Set aside.
In four large salad bowls or plates, add salad greens, then divide grilled chicken among the servings. Top with strawberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges, and pecans. Drizzle Teriyaki Sauce (reserved) as dressing.
3. Chicken and Broccoli Teriyaki (4-6 servings)
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 recipe Teriyaki Marinade (reserve 1-1/2 c. for making sauce)
2 tsp. cornstarch
canola oil
1 small onion, diced
1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets (add as much as you like)
1/4 c. water
cooked rice (optional, in amount desired)
Two hours or the night before, add cut-up chicken and all but 1-1/2 cups marinade to a resealable container or gallon-size baggie. Mix well to distribute marinade. Seal and refrigerate until ready to cook.
In a large pan or wok, heat about 1/4 c. canola oil over medium-high heat. Turn up the heat to high, add drained chicken bites in small batches, so as not to crowd the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until chicken bites are almost completely cooked. Remove to a bowl and repeat small batches with all of the chicken. Add onion to the pan, stirring and cooking about 2 minutes.
Add water to the broccoli, and pour all into the pan, covering immediately to trap steam. Cook 5 - 7 minutes, covered, until broccoli is tender-crisp. Add cornstarch to remaining Teriyaki Marinade, whisking well, and add all to the cooking pan. Cook and stir until sauce thickens. Serve with rice, if desired.
Teriyaki flavor allows other ingredients in a dish, such as the fruit in the salad, or the vegetables in the other two recipes, to stand a chance of exhibiting their flavors without the sauce taking center stage.
Ahhh, teriyaki. You do your job well.
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