Sheet Pan Teriyaki Chicken Thighs with Sesame Vegetables

 

We wanted a fresh take on teriyaki that would yield crispy chicken in a sweet, sticky sauce. Sheet-pan roasting proved ideal: We could crisp the chicken before applying a glaze while simultaneously preparing a vegetable “stir-fry” in the same pan. We browned chicken thighs in the oven, slashing the skin and placing them on a wire rack to allow the rendered fat to drain away. We tossed sliced bell pepper and mushrooms with garlic and ginger and spread them alongside the chicken to roast. Snap peas went in 10 minutes later so they wouldn’t overcook. Briefly broiling everything crisped the thighs’ skin further. As for the teriyaki sauce, a few pantry items did the trick, and we thickened it in the microwave before brushing it on our chicken. Depending on your wire rack, you may need to place parchment paper underneath the vegetables to prevent them from falling through.

 

8 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed

2 T. vegetable oil, divided

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch-wide strips

8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced thin

3 garlic cloves, minced, divided

1 T. grated fresh ginger, divided

8 ounces snap peas, strings removed

5 T. mirin

5 T. soy sauce

¼ cup water

3 T. sugar

2 tsp. cornstarch

â…› tsp. red pepper flakes

1 T. toasted sesame oil

1 T. toasted sesame seeds

½ tsp. table salt

 

Adjust 1 oven rack to lower-middle position and second rack 8 inches from broiler element. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Make 3 diagonal slashes through skin of each thigh with sharp knife (do not cut into meat). Brush chicken with 1 T. vegetable oil. Lay chicken skin side up on half of prepared rack and roast for 20 minutes.  Toss bell pepper and mushrooms with remaining 1 T. vegetable oil, half of garlic, and 1½ tsp. ginger. Spread vegetables over empty side of rack. Rotate rack and continue to roast for 10 minutes. Sprinkle snap peas over vegetables and continue to roast until chicken registers 165 degrees and vegetables start to brown, about 10 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and heat broiler. Place sheet on upper rack and broil until chicken and vegetables are well browned and chicken registers 175 degrees, 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine mirin, soy sauce, water, sugar, cornstarch, pepper flakes, remaining garlic, and remaining 1½ tsp. ginger in bowl and microwave, whisking occasionally, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove sheet from oven, brush chicken with 3 T. sauce, and let rest for 5 minutes. Transfer vegetables to clean bowl, toss with sesame oil, sesame seeds, and salt. Serve vegetables and chicken with remaining sauce.