Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe 2025: Cook Your Bird in Under an Hour

Acclaimed local chef, Taichi Kitamura, makes a compelling case for elevating that humble poultry dish into a fancy Thanksgiving feast..

Ready IN

13 hrs

Servings

Save

By Tribune News Service

November 25, 2025Updated:June 19, 2026

By Tan Vinh The Seattle Times

SEATTLE—Teriyaki chicken is a quick and cheap lunch that’s synonymous with Seattle. One acclaimed local chef, Taichi Kitamura of Eastlake’s Sushi Kappo Tamura, makes a compelling case for elevating that humble poultry dish into a fancy Thanksgiving feast.

Teriyaki chicken is only made with dark meat. That rule also applies to turkey teriyaki, since the breast meat will dry out, the chef said. Kitamura offered us a pan-fried turkey breast recipe, too, with a sake-and-butter sauce. He typically fries the turkey breast while the rest of the meat roasts in the oven.

All told, the entire turkey was cooked and ready to be eaten in less than an hour.

We asked for both recipes and printed them below. Enjoy!

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Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe 2025: Cook Your Bird in Under an Hour

Tribune News Service

Time

13 hrs

(Prep 30 minsCook 45 mins)

Servings

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Total Time

13 hrs

Servings

ingredients

2 turkey thighs, deboned
2 turkey wings
2 cups soy sauce
2 cups sake
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 cups water
2 cups hot water
1/3 cup whiskey (optional)

Instructions

STEP 1

Break down the turkey by chopping it down the middle, cutting off the hindquarters (thighs and drumsticks), and separating the thighs from the drumsticks.

STEP 2

Turn the bird over and cut off the breast from the rib cage and then chop the wings that are attached to the breasts. (A turkey has the same anatomy as a chicken, so if you’re more of a visual learner, head to YouTube for step-by-step instructions on breaking down a bird.)

STEP 3

Then comes the deboning. Detach the bone by trimming the edge of the meat where it meets the bone. The rest is less labor-intensive. (No need to debone the wings, since they cook faster.)

STEP 4

Score the meat with the tip of the knife.

STEP 5

For the marinade: In a large mixing bowl, add the hot water and sugar; whisk until all the sugar is dissolved.

STEP 6

Add soy sauce, sake, whiskey, and water. Let the teriyaki sauce cool before marinating the meat.

STEP 7

Marinate the turkey for 12 to 16 hours in fridge.

STEP 8

On Thanksgiving Day, remove the turkey from the marinade. Towel it dry.

STEP 9

Lay the meat on a flat rack/grid over a pan, skin side up. A rack or grid over the pan helps keep the turkey from getting soggy from all the fat drippings. The rack helps crisp up the skin, too.

STEP 10

Roast the turkey in an oven (preferably a convection oven) preheated to 475 degrees F until the temperature of the thickest part of the meat reaches 165 degrees F. If using a conventional oven, heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Depending on the size of your turkey and your oven, you may need to use two trays or cook in batches.

STEP 11

Cut into 3/4-inch slices and serve.

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