Looking to dial things up for your regular chicken recipes? This Butter Shoyu Chicken (バター醤油チキン) is going to be a win. It’s the tastiest, most foolproof chicken dinner I know, and my children can attest to that.
It will remind you of Teriyaki Sauce, but with the addition of butter, the sauce is creamier with a tinge of sweetness and depth of flavor.
What is Butter Shoyu Chicken?
Shoyu (醤油) is soy sauce in Japanese, so butter shoyu means butter-flavored soy sauce. If you have never combined these two ingredients together, you will be pleasantly surprised by how delicious the duo brings to a dish.
In Japan, you will see many dishes flavored with this combination and we call it ‘butter shoyu aji‘ (醤油バター味). Whether it’s for a sauteed dish, grilled corn, or wafu pasta (Japanese-styled pasta), butter adds a rich creaminess and sweetness to the salty, savory soy sauce. It makes the most sumptuous sauce when glaze over meats, vegetables, or even noodle dishes. Not to mention, soy sauce gives us a familiar taste to the dish.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The ingredients for the butter shoyu sauce is fairly basic and short, but it has all that it takes to enrich a dish.
- Skin-on chicken thigh (see why in the cooking tips section)
- Sake
- Mirin
- Soy sauce
- Sugar
- Butter
How to Make Butter Shoyu Chicken
- Pan sear the chicken on the skin side until golden brown.
- Flip to cook the other side and add sake to steam the chicken until cooked through.
- Season the chicken with the sauce.
Cooking Tips
- Use skin-on chicken thighs – Instead of using chicken breasts, I prefer to use chicken thighs. Fattier than lean meat, they are less likely to turn dry on the heat. The skin from the thigh gives extra flavor and keeps the meat moist and juicy. I recommend removing the bone first so it’s faster to cook.
- Sear until golden brown – The moment the oil gets hot, it’s time to give the chicken a deep, nice sear for presentation and crispness. You’d want to go for a bit darker brown (not burnt) since we’ll be giving the meat a quick steam later that will take away some of the colors.
- Use sake for steaming – Sake not only masks unwanted gamey flavor but also adds nice umami. If you don’t have sake, you can use white wine (dry sherry would be a good sub). Alternatively you can use water, but no additional layer of flavor to the chicken.
- Spoon the sauce over the chicken – After adding the sauce to the pan, repeatedly spoon the sauce over the chicken while the sauce is being reduced. It’s an extra step, but I think it’s really worth it in the end.
What to Serve with Butter Shoyu Chicken
If you are thinking of cooking chicken tonight, definitely give this recipe a try. There is no need to marinate, and you can finish cooking in 20-30 minutes!
Serve the Butter Shoyu Chicken with steamed rice and miso soup alongside a vegetable side dish and you’ve got a delicious meal for the family.
Other Delicious Recipes
Butter Shoyu Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 thighs; find them at a Japanese grocery store or ask your butcher to debone bone-in, skin-on thighs)
- ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil
- 4 Tbsp sake (or water; for steaming)
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- From 1 lb boneless, skin-on chicken thighs, cut each chicken thigh into 2 pieces (as you see, this chicken thigh is large). Cut off any excess fat. Prick the skin with the tip of the knife to help distribute the flavors and heat faster.
- Lightly sprinkle both sides with ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper.
- Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl: 2½ Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp sake, 1 Tbsp mirin, and 1 Tbsp sugar. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
To Cook the Chicken
- Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. When it‘s hot, add 1 Tbsp neutral oil and distribute it evenly. Add the chicken, skin side down, to the hot pan. (If you‘re doubling the recipe, fry the chicken in batches and return it to the pan before continuing to the next section.)
- Cook the chicken until golden brown, roughly 4–5 minutes.
- When the bottom side is nicely brown and crisp, flip over and cook the other side for 3 minutes.
To Steam and Add the Sauce
- Add 4 Tbsp sake and cook, covered, until cooking liquid is gone.
- Remove the lid and wipe off any excess oil from the frying pan with a paper towel.
- Add the sauce ingredients and 1 Tbsp unsalted butter.
- Coat the chicken well with the sauce. Spoon it over the chicken a few times.
- Serve the chicken onto a plate and drizzle it with some sauce. I usually serve simple veggies like blanched broccoli and tomatoes (serve with homemade Wafu Dressing or Sesame Dressing).
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for a month.
Nutrition
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Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on February 14, 2011. It was updated with new images and more helpful content on May 14, 2021, and republished on August 19, 2024.