Japanese Teriyaki Chicken Pizza

Method28 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Measure 200 g of the divided dough flour (200 g), all 1½ tsp instant dry yeast and 100 ml of the divided warm dough water (100 ml). The water must be no hotter than 40°C (104°F).

   Uses 200 g bread flour for Part A · 1½ tsp instant dry yeast · 100 ml warm water for Part A

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Mix the measured Part A ingredients together in a bowl until a shaggy dough forms.

   Uses Measured Part A flour, yeast and water

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Tip the shaggy dough onto a clean, dry surface and knead for 5 minutes. Avoid adding extra flour: this first dough is intentionally dry.

   Uses Shaggy Part A dough

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Return the kneaded dough to its bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. For this room-temperature route, leave for at least 3 hours, until doubled in size. Check at 3 hours and allow longer if needed.

   Proof Part A dough · 180 minUses Kneaded Part A dough

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Once the Part A dough has doubled after its proof, press out the air. Continue to Part B without another three-hour wait.

   Uses Proofed Part A dough

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Measure the remaining 200 g dough flour and 100 ml warm dough water, plus the 3 tsp sugar, 1 tsp dough salt and 2 tsp milk. Keep this second water addition no hotter than 40°C (104°F).

   Uses Remaining 200 g bread flour for Part B · Remaining 100 ml warm water for Part B · 3 tsp sugar · 1 tsp salt · 2 tsp milk

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Add all the measured Part B ingredients to the deflated Part A dough in a large bowl. Knead by hand until they are evenly incorporated.

   Uses Deflated Part A dough · All measured Part B flour, water, sugar, salt and milk

   
8. 8

   Step 8: Pour the ½ tbsp olive oil over the combined dough and knead in the bowl for 5 minutes to incorporate it.

   Uses Combined Part A and Part B dough · ½ tbsp olive oil

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Tip the dough onto a clean, dry surface and knead for another 10 minutes. Add a little of the separate extra bread flour only if absolutely necessary to prevent sticking.

   Uses Dough with incorporated olive oil · Extra bread flour, only if needed for kneading or rolling

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Divide the kneaded dough into two equal pieces. Cover both with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and leave covered while you prepare and cook the chicken.

    Uses Fully kneaded pizza dough

    
11. 11

    Step 11: Make horizontal cuts into the thickest parts of the 300 g skin-on boneless chicken thigh and open them out so the meat has an even thickness.

    Uses 300 g skin-on boneless chicken thigh

    
12. 12

    Step 12: Pierce the chicken skin with a fork and pat both sides dry with kitchen paper.

    Uses Evenly opened skin-on chicken thigh

    
13. 13

    Step 13: Lightly sprinkle both sides of the prepared chicken with the separate pinch of chicken salt (1 pinch) and all 2 tsp cornstarch. Rub to coat evenly; the 1 tsp dough salt has already been used.

    Uses Dried prepared chicken thigh · 1 pinch salt · 2 tsp cornstarch

    
14. 14

    Step 14: Add a drizzle of cooking oil to a cold pan. Place the seasoned chicken skin-side down and move it around to spread the oil. Put the pan over medium heat and fry for about 7 minutes, rotating occasionally to prevent uneven browning. Mix the sauce in step 15 during this watched cooking phase.

    Fry chicken skin side · 7 minUses A drizzle of cooking oil for the chicken, as needed · Seasoned, cornstarch-coated chicken

    
15. 15

    Step 15: While watching the first chicken side, mix all 4 tbsp soy sauce, 4 tbsp sake, 4 tbsp mirin, the separate 4 tbsp sauce water, 1 tbsp light brown sugar and 2 tsp honey in a small bowl.

    Uses 4 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) · 4 tbsp sake · 4 tbsp mirin · 4 tbsp water for the teriyaki sauce · 1 tbsp light brown sugar · 2 tsp honey

    
16. 16

    Step 16: After the first-side cooking, turn the chicken and fry the second side for 2 minutes. Temporarily lift the chicken onto a plate, carefully wipe excess oil from the pan with kitchen paper, then return the chicken to the pan for basting.

    Fry the second chicken side · 2 minUses First-side-fried chicken and remaining pan oil

    
17. 17

    Step 17: Increase the heat to medium-high and pour all the mixed teriyaki sauce into the pan with the chicken. Baste continuously until the sauce is thick and glossy and the chicken reaches at least 74°C (165°F) in its thickest part. Tilt the pan as needed to prevent burning; continue cooking if the chicken is not yet done.

    Uses Chicken returned to the wiped pan · Mixed soy, sake, mirin, water, sugar and honey sauce

    
18. 18

    Step 18: Take the pan off the heat. Transfer only the cooked chicken to a clean chopping board, keeping the thickened sauce in the pan for the pizzas. Rest the chicken for 10 minutes, then slice it. Let the reserved sauce cool to the touch before spreading.

    Rest cooked teriyaki chicken · 10 minUses Cooked teriyaki chicken lifted from its sauce

    
19. 19

    Step 19: Choose baking paper explicitly rated for 230°C (446°F) or higher and permitted in your oven type. Follow the paper’s safety instructions, keeping it away from heating elements. Preheat the oven and a suitable baking tray or pizza stone to 230°C (446°F), the lower setting in the author’s home-oven range.

20. 20

    Step 20: Roll each covered dough ball on its own sheet of the baking paper selected in the previous step. Use a rolling pin to make two thin rounds about 25 cm (10 inches) across without holes. Dust the rolling pin lightly with the separate extra flour only if needed.

    Uses Both rested pizza dough balls · Extra bread flour, only if needed for kneading or rolling

    
21. 21

    Step 21: Once the reserved teriyaki sauce is cool to the touch, divide all the sauce remaining in the chicken pan equally between the two pizza rounds and spread it over them.

    Uses Both rolled pizza rounds · Reserved thickened teriyaki sauce without the chicken

    
22. 22

    Step 22: Divide all 150 g grated mozzarella and 50 g thinly sliced onion equally between the two sauced pizza rounds.

    Uses Both teriyaki-sauced pizza rounds · 150 g mozzarella cheese (grated) · 50 g onion (thinly sliced)

    
23. 23

    Step 23: Divide all the rested, sliced teriyaki chicken equally between the two pizzas.

    Uses Both cheese-and-onion-topped pizzas · All rested, sliced teriyaki chicken

    
24. 24

    Step 24: Divide the 2 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise and 2 tbsp canned sweetcorn equally between the two pizzas. Keep each on its selected oven-rated paper. Carefully transfer as many pizzas as fit without crowding to the preheated tray or stone; keep any waiting pizza ready for the next load.

    Uses Both chicken-topped pizzas · 2 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise · 2 tbsp canned sweet corn

    
25. 25

    Step 25: Bake the current oven load on the middle shelf for about 10–12 minutes, checking from 10 minutes, until the crust is cooked through, browned and crisp. At the selected 230°C (446°F), continue if needed rather than relying only on the clock. Check for excessive browning and move to a lower shelf if needed. Repeat for any remaining pizza until both are baked, using a separate reminder for each oven load.

    Bake the current pizza load · 10 minUses Both fully assembled pizzas, baked in the actual oven loads

26. 26

    Step 26: Remove each fully baked pizza from the oven and divide the 2 tbsp shredded nori between them.

    Uses Both fully baked pizzas · 2 tbsp kizami nori (shredded nori)

    
27. 27

    Step 27: Cut and serve the two 25 cm (10-inch) pizzas. The author suggests they serve 2–3 people; the published nutrition reference is for one whole pizza, not one slice or one of three portions.

    Uses Both finished teriyaki chicken pizzas

28. 28

    Step 28: If keeping leftovers, refrigerate the uneaten pizza promptly, then wrap individual portions and freeze in a covered container. Thaw in the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F) and reheat thawed portions for about 10 minutes, until hot throughout and at least 74°C (165°F). Use only suitable oven-safe materials for reheating.

    Reheat thawed pizza portions · 10 minUses Uneaten cooked pizza portions, only if storing