Broiled miso chicken thighs are a juicy, sweet, and savory Japanese chicken recipe with a caramelized glaze. Ready in 20 minutes for an easy dinner you’ll love.

A plate of juicy miso chicken thighs served with chopsticks

Last winter, I had the chance to visit Kyoto, Japan, and fell for miso chicken. It was sweet, savory, and a little smoky — the kind of dish that sticks with you.

I brought home packs of miso and tested until I landed on this easy method: no long marinating, just pound the chicken, brush on a punchy miso glaze, and broil.

Bowl of rice topped with juicy miso chicken thighs and green onion

Having developed dozens of Korean and Japanese recipes over the years, I’ve found broiling is the best way to get that high heat char, just like at Japanese izakaya grills. It gives you juicy, caramelized chicken without firing up a grill.

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“Outstanding..maybe my new favorite over kushiyaki chicken. And about as healthy as Japanese food can get.”

PJ Joji Dozier
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If you’re after an easy Japanese chicken recipe, this one’s hard to beat — especially if you’re tired of the same old teriyaki with rice. I also have a fabulous chicken teriyaki drumstick recipe that’s nothing like the usual.

And try this technique with my popular chicken bulgogi. It uses a similar quick broil to give you that glossy finish and a hint of char. Just add rice, and you’ve got a meal that feels a little special.

Miso chicken thighs plated with rice on the side

Inside This Easy Japanese Miso Chicken

Ingredients laid out for making miso chicken thighs

These simple ingredients come together for a classic Japanese chicken recipe you can make anytime.

  • Chicken Thighs: I recommend boneless, skin-on chicken thighs. This dark meat stays moist and get a lovely crisp during broiling.
  • Miso: I like white miso. It’s sweet and mild. Red miso works too — it gives a deeper, earthy taste.
  • Other Marinade Ingredients: Common Asian condiments are used, including soy sauce, ginger, honey, vinegar (rice or white), and sesame oil. Honey helps the miso caramelize under the broiler.

My Quick Method for Juicy Broiled Miso Chicken Thighs

Pounding chicken thighs with a meat mallet to flatten
Coating chicken thighs evenly with miso marinade

1. Pound and coat:
Pound the chicken thighs with a meat hammer so they cook evenly. Mix up the miso, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, ginger, and sesame oil in a bowl. Toss the chicken until every piece is coated.

Miso-marinated chicken thighs on a rack over a sheet pan
Flipping broiled miso chicken thighs for even cooking

2. Broil:
Place the chicken on a greased rack over a sheet pan. Set your oven to broil, rack about 5–6 inches from the heat. Broil for 3–5 minutes. Watch closely, miso can burn in a flash. Take it out, flip the pieces, and broil another 3–4 minutes until done and a little charred.

Broiled miso chicken thighs with a caramelized, charred look
Slicing miso chicken into bite-sized pieces

3. Slice and serve:
Cut the chicken into bite-size strips. Sprinkle with chopped green onion and toasted sesame seeds. Serve over hot rice. That’s it!

More Easy Japanese Dishes to Try

    Bowl of rice topped with sliced miso chicken thighs

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    A plate of miso chicken thighs with chopsticks.

    Easy Broiled Miso Chicken Thighs

    Servings: 3
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Juicy miso chicken thighs broiled with a sweet-savory glaze. A quick Japanese chicken recipe, full of umami, ready in under 20 minutes.
    4.67 from 3 ratings
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    Recipe Video

    Ingredients

    • 6 boneless chicken thighs
    • 3 tbsp (45 g) miso
    • 2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce
    • 1-1/2 tbsp (22 ml) rice vinegar
    • 1 tsp (5 g) ginger paste
    • 1-1/2 tbsp (30 g) honey
    • 1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil

    To garnish (optional)

    Instructions 

    • Pound the chicken thighs with a meat hammer to even out the thickness and tenderize them.
    • In a large mixing bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients until well blended. Add the chicken to the marinade and toss well to coat evenly.
    • Preheat the oven to broil. Adjust the oven rack to about 5-6 inches below the heat source. Place the miso-marinated chicken on a greased rack over a baking sheet. Broil for 3-5 minutes or until the edges are slightly charred, watching carefully to avoid burning the chicken as miso can burn easily.
    • Take the baking sheet out, flip the chicken thighs, and broil for another 3-5 minutes or until fully cooked.
    • Cut the chicken into 1/2-inch bite-sized strips for easy serving with chopsticks. Garnish with chopped green onion and toasted sesame seeds. Serve over steamed rice.
    Cuisine: Japanese
    Course: Dinner, Main Course
    Author: Hyegyoung K. Ford
    Calories: 597kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 40g, Fat: 43g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g, Monounsaturated Fat: 18g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 221mg, Sodium: 1144mg, Potassium: 515mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 191IU, Vitamin C: 0.03mg, Calcium: 30mg, Iron: 2mg
    Did you make this recipe?Tag @beyondkimchee on Instagram. I love to see your masterpiece.