30 Minute Turkey Teriyaki

Boneless skinless turkey thighs are seasoned in a basic marinade and pan fried until golden brown and tender. Tossed in a quick homemade sauce, 30 Minute Turkey Teriyaki is a fresh approach to preparing heart-healthy turkey. It’s so easy, so fast, and so delicious, so why serve turkey only at Thanksgiving!?

Maybe you will think that it’s a little too soon to be sharing another turkey recipe. After all, those of us who celebrate Christmas and prepare a large Christmas dinner, usually prepare turkey as the main. We had both a whole roasted turkey and a vegetarian-friendly tofurkey, but when it comes to this 30 Minute Turkey Teriyaki, I don’t think it’s too soon at all!

This particular recipe was one that was born out of a need to use up a bunch of boneless skinless turkey thighs. Back in the fall, John.e called me from one of our favourite grocery stores to tell me that turkey drumsticks were on sale. I had been telling him that I wanted to smoke some turkey legs, so he wanted to know if he should buy some. He did, but he also bought a bunch of turkey thighs and wings.

Now, I’m not totally against freezing meat of any kind, but I don’t like to have meat in my freezer for longer than three months. For me, that’s the cut off. I know there are some people who are comfortable with freezing meat for a longer period of time. In fact, I grew up in a home where various types of meat like moose, for example, were frozen from one hunting season to the next. The same rule applied to fish! I’m not saying it’s wrong, I’m just saying that it isn’t for me.

MORE TURKEY RECIPES

Needless to say, I put the drumsticks to use right away and made these absolutely delicious Smoked Turkey Legs. And, before I knew it, Christmas was right around the corner, so the thighs and wings sat at the bottom of our freezer until now. I prepared a Whole Roasted Turkey for Christmas, but luckily, we were able to find a smaller turkey so that we would not be left with too many leftovers.

However, not having turkey leftovers left me wishing I had opted for a larger turkey. There’s no way to make me happy, I know! Then, I remembered the frozen turkey thighs and dug them out of the freezer to thaw them out. I knew that I wanted to try something different rather than just roasting them like I did before in these Butter Basted Turkey Legs and Thighs.

The fact that the turkey was skinless and boneless made me think of the many chicken recipes that I have here at Lord Byron’s Kitchen that start with skinless and boneless chicken. So, I thought I would try to put the turkey thighs to use in a super fast and easy recipe, but I was craving something saucy. Teriyaki was the way to go, because this 30 Minute Turkey Teriyaki was phenomenal!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post. Since this recipe has three parts to it, I’ll break down the ingredients accordingly.

For the Marinade:

• Turkey – You will need boneless skinless turkey thighs. You can buy them whole, which is cheaper, and remove the skin and bone at home. Two pounds of meat is needed to prepare this recipe.
• Olive Oil – There’s not much needed, but it will lubricate the meat and help to distribute the marinade ingredients.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic is a staple in most marinades.
• Soy Sauce – Use low sodium soy sauce to keep the saltiness under control.
• Onion Powder – You can use real onion if you wish, but I opted for onion powder so that I could keep the prep quick and easy. If you use real onion, use 1/4 cup finely chopped.
• Dried Herbs – Thyme, sage, and oregano.
• Ground Black Pepper

For the Sauce:

• Garlic – Again, fresh garlic is needed here.
• Ginger – Use a box grater to grate the ginger. It’s faster than mincing with a knife.
• Soy Sauce – Again, use low sodium, otherwise the sauce will be too salty.
• Brown Sugar – This will sweeten the sauce and help with thickening too.
• Honey – For more sweetness, but will also add smoothness to the sauce.
• Cornstarch – To thicken.
• Water

For Finishing:

• Sesame Oil – This has a strong taste, so only a little bit is needed.
• Sesame Seeds – These add a nutty flavour and texture.
• Parsley – For freshness and garnish.

RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS

1. I made mention that you should use a low sodium soy sauce, otherwise the sauce may be too salty. If you only have regular soy sauce on hand, you can use half the amount of regular soy sauce and half water. This will dilute the salt. Yes, it will dilute the soy sauce flavour a bit too, but the dish will still be delicious!
2. This is a 30 minute meal, but if you have some extra time, try toasting the sesame seeds before adding them to the turkey when finishing up. Toasted sesame seeds are so much more flavourful!
3. When frying the turkey, it’s important to use a large skillet. Try not to pile the turkey pieces on top of each other. The large the skillet, the more frying surface you will have. Remember, you want to fully cook and brown the turkey quickly. Adding it all to a smaller skillet will create steam and prevent the turkey from browning fast, which will result in overcooked, dry turkey.

HOW TO TOAST SESAME SEEDS

If you are not familiar with toasted sesame seeds, then please try it just once. You will probably never revert to using untoasted sesame seeds again! I have tried using non-stick frying pans for toasting, but nothing works as well as a stainless steel pan. You could use a cast iron pan, but since they get very hot and retain heat so well, it’s easier to burn the seeds.

See the frying pan in this picture? That’s the exact one that I use all the time. I’m not suggesting you run out and buy this same cookware set, but I wanted you to see the pan – remember, do not use non-stick if possible. You’ll get better results with plain stainless steel.

So, unlike most cooking where you’re required to preheat first, you don’t want to apply that same rule to toasting seeds. Add the seeds to a cold pan. Place the pan on the burner and turn the heat on – no higher than medium and probably even less if using a gas burner.

Keep the seeds moving about. I use a rubber spatula. Once you start to smell that warm and toasty aromatic smell, pay close attention. The seeds will take on a slightly golden colour. Don’t let them get too dark. Once you’re satisfied, immediately remove them from the hot pan and transfer them to a dinner plate where they can be spread out to cool.

HOW TO PREPARE 30 MINUTE TERIYAKI TURKEY

Step One: Marinating the Turkey

The first thing you want to do is to get the turkey into the marinade. Cut the turkey thighs into one inch pieces. If there’s any bits of fat or skin left on the turkey you can leave it on or take a moment to trim it off. I trimmed it off, because skin from turkey or even chicken, will render down and leave behind grease when you fry it. I didn’t want that to be left in the pan, because it would make the sauce greasy and possibly thin out that delicious teriyaki sauce!

Once the turkey is cut, transfer the pieces to a large food-safe resealable bag. Next, add the olive oil, soy sauce, garlic, onion powder, dried thyme, dried sage, dried oregano, and ground black pepper to a small bowl. Whisk it to combine and pour it into the bag with the turkey. Close the bag and massage the marinade ingredients into the turkey, being sure to coat every piece. Set it aside and let it rest.

Step Two: Making the Sauce

This is super easy! Add the water to a sauce pan along with the cornstarch. Whisk until the cornstarch has dissolved. Next, measure in the soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, garlic, and ginger. Whisk to combine. Place the sauce pan onto a burner and turn the heat on to medium high. Keep whisking the sauce until it comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Step Three: Bringing it all Together

Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pour the marinated turkey into the skillet and move the turkey around so that the pieces are not piled onto the top of each other. A skillet with a large surface area is ideal! There’s no need to add oil to the pan, because the marinade already has enough oil in it. Fry the turkey pieces on all sides until browned and cooked through. This will take about 7-10 minutes in total. If unsure, cook the turkey until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F.

Once the turkey is done, turn the heat down to medium and pour the teriyaki sauce into the skillet. Stir the sauce into the turkey until everything is well combined. Once the sauce starts to bubble, add the sesame seeds and stir to distribute. Turn off the heat. Pour in the sesame oil and add the parsley. Toss to combine. Plate and serve immediately.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

There are two or three sides that I can think of that would work perfectly with this turkey. First, the most obvious is rice. Teriyaki and rice are a match made in food heaven. I would also consider serving 30 Minute Teriyaki Turkey with  mashed potatoes. I think either of those two would certainly please just about anyone. Another option would be noodles. A plainly seasoned chow mien would make a great bed for this turkey!

And, no matter what side you choose to pair the turkey with, be sure to serve something green and fresh with it. The sweetness and saltiness of teriyaki needs something fresh like green beans! You can serve broccoli with it too. And, finally, be sure to spoon over lots of that delicious sauce. It really is absolutely wonderful! Garnish according to your own tastes. I thought more toasted sesame seeds were perfect. Of course, you can’t go wrong with finely chopped fresh parsley too!