This easy Chicken Teriyaki recipe is here to save the day! Made with chicken thighs or breasts in a sticky, sweet teriyaki sauce, then served with brown rice and frozen veggies (hello shortcut!), this is a dinner-in-a-hurry that doesn’t sacrifice flavor. Who needs takeout?!
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Why You’ll Love This Easy Chicken Teriyaki Recipe
- Quick, Easy One-Pan Dinner. With chicken teriyaki, you can get a square meal on the table in only 20 minutes. This recipe is the stovetop rendition of my Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken and Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken. (For an oven version, check out Teriyaki Chicken Casserole.)
- A Delicious and Satisfying Dinner. Chock-full of vegetables, made without butter and with little oil, and served over whole grain rice, this stir fry is a wholesome meal that’s also scrumptious!
- A Store-Bought Shortcut. Bagged steamed vegetables serve as a secret shortcut, so no extra chopping is required. For a recipe that is made with veggies sautéed right in the dish, see my Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry.
- This Sauce is the Boss. Chicken teriyaki sauce is made of soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Making your own sauce gives you control over the sugar content and how sweet or spicy you prefer it.
5 Star Review
“This is a ‘to die for’ recipe! Made it for dinner for the first time tonight. We ate the whole thing!”
— Pam —
How to Make Chicken Teriyaki
The Ingredients
- Chicken. You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Thighs are my preference, as they are more juicy.
- Soy Sauce. Opt for low sodium so you can control the salt content. Use gluten-free tamari in place of the soy sauce and this recipe is gluten-free.
- Honey. This from-scratch teriyaki sauce is naturally sweetened with honey. It’s plenty sweet without any brown sugar.
- Rice Vinegar. Adds the acidity to the sauce.
- Ginger and Garlic. Get about a 1-inch piece of ginger, peel and mince it. The flavor difference is worth it! Or, look for fresh ginger in a tube in the refrigerated section, or frozen ginger cubes.
- Cornstarch. Coating the chicken, plus whisked into the sauce to make a cornstarch slurry, cornstarch makes the sauce thick and glossy.
- Red Pepper Flakes. If you want to add a kick of heat.
- Oil. Use a neutrally flavored oil with a high smoke point, such as canola oil or grapeseed oil. Do not use olive oil for stir fries; when it is heated hot enough to sear the chicken, the oil will burn.
- Green Onions. Adds a bite.
The Directions
- Season. Coat chicken with soy sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Coat. Stir in cornstarch.
- Make the Sauce. Whisk together the water, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, and cornstarch.
- Brown Chicken. The cornstarch will give it a nice crust.
- Make It Saucy. Pour in the sauce and stir, and then simmer until sauce thickens.
- Finish. Stir in green onion. Serve chicken teriyaki with rice, steamed vegetables, and a garnish of green onions. ENJOY!
Meal Prep Tip
You can prep the chicken and sauce in advance to make for extra-speedy dinner time cooking. Chop the chicken into bite-size pieces and store in a ziptop bag in the refrigerator. Whisk together sauce ingredients right in your measuring cup and store in the refrigerator with plastic wrap over the top.
Leftover Ideas
Leftover chicken teriyaki is an easy protein to revive with lunch the next day. Add it to Asian Noodle Salad, or make a wrap such as these Asian Chicken Wraps.
What to Serve with Chicken Teriyaki
- Grains or Noodles. Over Instant Pot Brown Rice is a classic way to serve chicken teriyaki, but it would also be fun to make chicken teriyaki with noodles, such as whole wheat spaghetti or udon.
- Fried Rice. Homemade Fried Rice would be extra flavorful, or you could make Cauliflower Fried Rice and pile the chicken on top for teriyaki bowls.
- Salad. Asian Cabbage Salad or Asian Cucumber Salad would make cool sides.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Cut the Chicken Into Even Pieces. This will help ensure that it’s all cooked through at the same time—and that smaller pieces don’t over-cook while you’re waiting for the larger pieces to be finished.
- Double Up on the Sauce for a Bigger Meal. If you want to load up on veggies and grains, or if you just like your chicken teriyaki on the saucy side, you can double the sauce to make some extra.
- Make Sure the Wok Is Hot. To keep the chicken from over-cooking, you want to stir-fry it quickly over high heat. The pan should be blazing hot before you add the chicken pieces—especially if you use chicken breast, which is more prone to getting tough when cooked too long.
Chicken Teriyaki
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Busy weeknights are no match for this chicken teriyaki recipe! A quick, easy 20-minute dinner with the best sticky, sweet, and savory sauce.
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Ingredients
- 1 ¼ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce, divided
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 teaspoons cornstarch divided
- ¼ cup water
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic about 3 cloves
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger from about 1, 1-inch piece
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes plus additional to taste (optional)
- 1 tablespoon canola oil or similar neutral cooking oil such as grapeseed oil
- 3 chopped green onions 1/2 cup, divided
- Steam-in bag stir fry vegetables for serving (if desired)
- Cooked brown rice for serving (see Instant Pot Brown Rice)
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch over the top and stir once more. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl or large liquid measuring cup with a spout, whisk together the water, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and the remaining 1/4 cup soy sauce and 2 teaspoons cornstarch until smoothly combined. Set near the stove.
- In a large nonstick skillet or wok, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the chicken in a single layer. Let cook undisturbed on the first side until deeply golden, about 2 to 3 minutes, then turn the chicken pieces and continue cooking until the chicken is browned all over and cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes more.
- Towards the end of the cooking time, steam the vegetables (if using).
- Pour in the sauce and stir to coat the chicken. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and looks sticky and glossy, about 1 to 2 minute. Stir in about two-thirds of the green onions. Serve hot with rice, steamed vegetables, and a sprinkle of the remaining green onions.
Video
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate chicken teriyaki in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze teriyaki chicken in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1of 4 (chicken only)Calories: 271kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 29gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 135mgPotassium: 456mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 162IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 2mg
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This is a “to die for” recipe!!! Made it for dinner for the first time tonight. We ate the whole thing!!! Loved the little bit of heat! Prepared it with sauteed sugar snap peas and brown rice. It was perfect!!! Definitely a keeper and we will make it again and again!!! Thank you!!!
Hi Pam! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Very simple ingredients and very delicious. I have tried over 10 of your recipes and all are winners!
Hi Natalie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Love this sauce! I used pork bc I had on hand. The red pepper flakes and scallions added so much flavor. I also chopped up some fresh pineapple and put it in w the meat at the end. I put over angel hair past and did the California blend veggies but honestly, fresh corn off the cob would go well esp since it’s in season. I saved the recipe in my go-to collection. Thank you. Love your recipes and your book.
Hi Christine! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
The sauce was extremely flavorful and so much better than the bottled stuff! The chicken was wonderfully tender and moist. I served it with rice and a cabbage slaw with the Japanese mayo over the top. My parents and I devoured the meal.
So glad to hear! Thank you Ellen!
Excellent! My kids do not like teriyaki at restaurants but they will eat this any day of the week. I like how it is a one pot meal that includes the veggies. Easy to make and packed with flavor. I am so glad my Google search led me to this site as I already have a list of other recipes I can’t wait to try!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it Chyntia!
This recipe is perfection!! So glad I made the homemade sauce and didn’t go the easy route by purchasing jarred sauce.
Great with a nice red wine!
Glad to hear you enjoyed it Maria!
So quick and easy to make. I used chicken breasts but I think next time I will use thighs. I feel like I overcooked the breast and it came out a little dry and firm, even though they tasted delicious in the sauce. I can also see using this sauce as a marinade for other dishes!
Great to hear, thank you Julie!
Can i make this in the slow cooker?
Hi Nabila, here is my crockpot version: https://www.wellplated.com/crock-pot-teriyaki-chicken/ ENJOY!
Delicious. Just made it for my family and they all raved (even my 2 and 5 year olds). I love that it is simple ingredients that are staples in my house. I made a few substitutions for my gluten free household and preferred no corn. Instead of cornstarch I used equal parts arrowroot starch. For the soy sauce I used half the amount with gluten free tamari and half with coconut aminos. Perfect. Will definitely make again!
So glad you enjoyed it, Kelly.