Elevate your next gathering with a unique fusion dish: Japanese Potato Salad featuring Teriyaki Chicken. Traditional Japanese potato salad often incorporates thin slices of ham, but this version swaps it out for savory, sweet, and sticky teriyaki chicken thighs.
The chicken is integrated directly into the creamy, tangy potato mixture and also used as a flavor-packed garnish on top.
Recipe Overview
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Marinate Time: 8 hours
- Refrigerate Time: 1 hour
- Stand Time: 15 minutes
- Cool Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 10 hours 35 minutes
- Servings: 6
Ingredients
Teriyaki Chicken
- Soy sauce: 1/4 cup
- Sake: 1/4 cup
- Mirin: 2 tablespoons
- Brown sugar: 2 tablespoons packed
- Kosher salt: 1/2 teaspoon
- Smoked paprika: 1/2 teaspoon
- Chicken thighs: 2 skinless, boneless pieces
- Sesame oil: 1/2 teaspoon (for frying)
Japanese Potato Salad
- Yukon Gold potatoes: 1 3/4 pounds, peeled and rinsed
- Carrots: 3/4 cup quartered, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- Cucumbers: 1 rounded cup, sliced 1/8-inch thick
- Sweet onion: 1/4 cup diced
- Kosher salt: 3/4 teaspoon total (divided)
- Mayonnaise: 2/3 cup (or adjusted to taste)
- Seasoned rice vinegar: 2 tablespoons
- Toasted sesame seeds: 2 tablespoons (for garnish)
- Green onions: 2 tablespoons sliced (for garnish)
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Marinating the Chicken
- Whisk together the soy sauce, sake, mirin, brown sugar, kosher salt, and smoked paprika in a small container until the sugar dissolves.
- Submerge the boneless, skinless chicken thighs into the liquid, ensuring they are fully covered.
- Cover the container tightly and place it in the refrigerator to marinate overnight (at least 8 hours), flipping the chicken occasionally.
2. Cooking the Teriyaki Chicken
- Warm the sesame oil in a skillet set over medium-high heat.
- Take the chicken out of the marinade—keep the remaining liquid aside—and place the thighs smooth-side down in the hot skillet.
- Let them sear for roughly 3 minutes until any remaining moisture evaporates and the surface begins to caramelize.
- Flip the chicken over and pour the reserved marinade directly into the pan.
- Bring the liquid to a boil, then lower the heat to medium. Simmer for 5 to 6 minutes until the chicken is cooked completely through and the marinade reduces by half into a glossy glaze.
- Transfer the chicken and the reduced sauce into a clean container, let them cool down, and store them in the fridge until assembly.
3. Preparing the Potatoes and Vegetables
- Chop the peeled Yukon Gold potatoes into uniform 3/4-inch cubes.
- Place the potatoes in a saucepan, submerge them under 2 inches of cold water, and stir in 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
- Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then immediately add the sliced carrots. Lower the heat to medium and cook for another 6 to 7 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Drain the potatoes and carrots thoroughly, transfer them to a mixing bowl, and let them cool until they are just barely warm (about 20 minutes).
- In a separate bowl, toss the sliced cucumbers with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. In a smaller bowl, mix the diced sweet onion with 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
- Allow the cucumbers to draw out moisture for 15 minutes, tossing them every 5 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, press the cucumbers firmly with your hands or a clean kitchen towel to extract all excess liquid.
- Place the salted onions into a mesh strainer, rinse them thoroughly with cold water, and drain completely.
4. Assembling and Chilling
- Dice the chilled teriyaki chicken into small cubes.
- Add the drained cucumbers, rinsed onions, mayonnaise, and seasoned rice vinegar into the bowl with the warm potatoes and carrots.
- Fold in half of the cubed teriyaki chicken, saving the remaining half for the final garnish.
- Gently mix all components together using a spatula or large spoon until creamy and uniform.
- Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 hours to let the flavors meld.
5. Serving
- Remove the salad from the fridge, stir gently, and sample a bite to check the seasoning. Add a touch more salt, vinegar, or mayonnaise if needed.
- Spoon the salad onto a presentation-ready serving platter.
- Toss the reserved chicken cubes in any remaining pan glaze, then scatter them evenly across the top of the potato salad.
- Finish by garnishing with toasted sesame seeds and fresh sliced green onions.
Cooking Tips
Potato Choice
Yukon Golds are ideal because they hold their shape well while providing a naturally buttery texture and rich yellow color.
Remove Moisture Completely
Squeezing out the cucumbers thoroughly prevents the potato salad from becoming watery as it sits.
Customizing Creaminess
Japanese mayonnaise (such as Kewpie) is traditionally used for its rich, egg-yolk-forward flavor, but standard mayonnaise works wonderfully if seasoned with a tiny pinch of sugar and MSG or dashi powder.
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
| Nutrient | Amount | % Daily Value |
| Calories | 490 | — |
| Total Fat | 28g | 36% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 27% |
| Total Carbohydrates | 39g | 14% |
| Dietary Fiber | 4g | 15% |
| Total Sugars | 9g | — |
| Protein | 20g | 40% |
| Sodium | 1138mg | 49% |
| Cholesterol | 89mg | 30% |
| Potassium | 1029mg | 22% |
| Calcium | 74mg | 6% |
| Iron | 3mg | 16% |
| Vitamin C | 15mg | 16% |
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Nutritional values are calculated estimates based on available ingredient data.
