Hibachi Chicken

This Benihana-style hibachi chicken is juicy, buttery, and full of flavor—an easy one-skillet dinner the whole family devours.

Course Chicken Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Keyword asian chicken recipes, one skillet meal

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 27

Total Time 37

Servings servings

Calories 449kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

Chicken

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons neutral oil plus more if needed (canola/vegetable), divided +

Hibachi Glaze

6 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic yes—amount is correct
1 tablespoon freshly peeled + grated ginger
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil added at the end only

Hibachi Finish

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Hibachi Vegetables (tender-crisp timing)

1 tablespoon neutral oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 carrot thinly sliced
1 medium yellow onion chopped
1 red bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces mushrooms halved/sliced
2 zucchini sliced into half-moons
1 tablespoon soy sauce
salt + pepper to taste

Benihana-Style Mustard Sauce

1/2 cup light mayo
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
For serving: Rice or fried rice, sliced green onions

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make sauces first. Stir together all Hibachi Glaze ingredients except the sesame oil. Mix the mustard sauce and refrigerate until serving.
Cook veggies first (they stay in the skillet).
Heat a large skillet over medium-high until very hot. Add 1 Tbsp oil. Cook in this order for crisp-tender:
Heat a large skillet over medium-high until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Add the vegetables in this order, stir-frying and keeping everything in the pan as you go: add carrots and cook 2 minutes, add onion and cook 2 minutes, add bell pepper and cook 2 minutes, add mushrooms and cook 2 minutes, then add zucchini and cook 2–3 minutes more.
During the last minute, stir in soy sauce and season with salt and pepper; finish with butter, then transfer to a plate.
Sear the chicken (Cook in 2-3 batches, as needed don’t crowd).
NOTE: {The number of batches you need to cook will depend on the amount of flat surface in your pan. For good hibachi chicken, it's very important to sear, and not steam the chicken}
Add 1 tablespoon oil to the hot skillet. Add chicken in a single layer (cook in 2 batches). Let it sit 2–3 minutes undisturbed to brown, then stir and cook until mostly done. Removed cooked chicken to a separate plate while searing the next batch
Glaze. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add all the seared chicken back to the skillet. Pour in the hibachi glaze and toss. Let it bubble 1–3 minutes until glossy and coating the chicken.
Pro safety move: if it starts looking too thick, add 1–2 Tbsp water and toss—this keeps it saucy, not sticky.
Hibachi finish (butter + soy gloss). Lower heat to medium. Add butter + soy sauce and toss until it melts into a shiny glaze. Turn off heat and stir in ½ tsp toasted sesame oil.
Add veggies back + serve. Add vegetables back to the skillet just to warm through. Serve over rice with mustard sauce on the side and green onions.

Notes

Don’t crowd the pan. If the chicken overlaps, it will steam instead of sear. Cooking in smaller batches creates that signature hibachi flavor.
Sesame oil is a finisher. Adding sesame oil off heat keeps it fragrant and nutty instead of bitter.
Keep the glaze silky. If the sauce tightens too much, a splash of water brings it right back to glossy.
Tested for batch cooking. This method has been tested to keep the chicken juicy even when cooking multiple batches.

Nutrition