Ingredients
Scale
- 1½ pounds (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 4 equal pieces)
- ⅓ cup (80 mL) bottled yakiniku sauce or Japanese-style barbecue sauce
- ½ cup (120 mL) water
Instructions
- Pat the chicken thighs dry. Open each thigh flat and lightly butterfly any especially thick section. Fold loose edges in, roll tightly into a cylinder, and secure each roll with two toothpicks or food-safe kitchen twine.
- Place the rolled thighs seam-side down in a wide nonstick skillet over medium heat. Brown for about 3 minutes, then turn and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until a few lightly golden patches appear; do not add oil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour in the water first, then the yakiniku sauce. Gently stir the liquid around the chicken. Bring to a low simmer, cover, and cook 12 to 18 minutes, turning the rolls halfway through.
- Check the thickest center of each roll with an instant-read thermometer, avoiding twine or toothpicks. Remove each roll to a clean plate when it reaches 165°F (74°C). If a piece is not done, keep it in the covered skillet and check again.
- Bring the remaining skillet liquid to a steady boil and reduce for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until it lightly coats a spoon. Return the cooked chicken to the pan and turn briefly to glaze.
- Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and rest 5 minutes. Carefully remove all toothpicks or twine, slice into ½-inch rounds, and spoon over the fully cooked sauce. Serve warm. Optional rice, eggs or garnishes are not part of the three ingredients or nutrition estimate.
Notes
- Yield: four servings, each roughly one rolled thigh plus one-quarter of the cooked sauce. Rice, eggs, green onions, and sesame seeds shown as serving ideas are optional and not counted.
- This version intentionally counts ½ cup water as the third ingredient; chicken and bottled sauce are the only purchased food items.
- Use medium or medium-low heat. Many bottled sauces contain sugar, so do not allow the liquid to reduce to a sticky glaze before the chicken reaches 165°F.
- All chicken must reach 165°F in the thickest center according to FoodSafety.gov; a thermometer is required. The sauce that contacts raw chicken must be boiled thoroughly before serving.
- Nutrition is an ingredient-based estimate for 680 g raw boneless skinless thigh meat plus ⅓ cup sauce, modeled using an example U.S. Japanese barbecue sauce label (35 kcal, 8 g carbohydrate, 520 mg sodium per tablespoon). Brand labels and the amount of sauce ultimately eaten change the result.
- Bottled yakiniku and Japanese barbecue sauces commonly contain wheat, soy, and/or sesame. Read actual product labels and check for relevant allergens.
- Cool promptly and refrigerate at 40°F or below for up to 3 to 4 days; reheat leftovers thoroughly to 165°F.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Resting: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Japanese-Inspired
- Diet: High Protein