Easy Chicken Teriyaki Recipe

Chicken Teriyaki is my go-to quick and easy dinner that features juicy chicken thigh meat, homemade Teriyaki sauce, veggies, and rice. It’s so fast and delicious, you can make it in less than 30 minutes. It tastes better than any take out and takes less time than delivery. 

I have a few recipes that I whip out when I can’t think what to make for dinner. Chicken Teriyaki is one of those recipes. It’s a fast and easy dinner and way better than takeout because:

• This chicken has all the best flavor components: a little salty, a little sweet, a little tangy, and a whole lot of delicious.
• I can make this dish in less than 30 minutes whether I have teriyaki sauce already prepared in the fridge or not.
• You are in control of each ingredient! So it’s not just the fact that you know what goes into your dinner, you can also adjust flavors and spice level.
• You can always choose your own vegetables and sides. 
• This chicken is fantastic cooked on it’s own OR you can choose to cook veggies with the chicken.
• Decide how to serve it, with rice or quinoa or even cauliflower rice with it. Or, maybe, you can toss in extra broccoli and leave it without an extra side.

How To Make Chicken Teriyaki

• Teriyaki Sauce: All you have to do is whisk all ingredients together in a bowl first.
• Prep the chicken: cut the chicken into small pieces, making sure to cut against the grain and cut off excess fat.
• Preheat the pan first then add some oil.

• Cooking chicken: Add the chicken and let it cook without disturbing until it starts to brown. Stir and keep cooking until almost done.
• (If you wish you add veggies with the chicken, add them when chicken is about half way done.)
• Add the sauce: Whisk the sauce again and pour it into the pan with the chicken. Finish cooking chicken in sauce as it thickens. 

Ingredient Tips and Substitutions

• Chicken – chicken thigh meat is wonderfully juicy, flavorful, and most commonly used in Asian recipes. If you wish, you can use chicken breast meat instead just note it much more lean so it won’t be and juicy and tender.
• Low Sodium Soy Sauce – use low sodium soy to the dish is not overwhelmingly salty. If you need to keep your chicken teriyaki gluten free, make sure to use gluten free soy sauce or tamari.
• Chicken broth- use chicken broth or chicken stock and you can use homemade or store-bought. If using store-bought, it’s best to use “low sodium” or “no salt added.”
• Ginger and Garlic – for the best flavor results, use fresh garlic and fresh ginger.

See the recipe card below for a complete ingredient list.

What Vegetables To Add

• Broccoli
• Bell peppers
• Onions
• Carrots
• Snow peas or snap peas
• Baby corn
• Water chestnuts
• Mushrooms

Do I Have to Use Rice?

Nope! You absolutely don’t have to use rice. If you want a lighter but still hearty side, you can go with quinoa. Cauliflower rice would make a healthy substitution for rice. You can even serve chicken teriyaki with noodles. Ramen noodles, lo mein noodles, or rice noodles would all go great here. 

Storing Leftovers

• Storing: Make sure to store the leftovers in an air-tight food storage container, in the refrigerator. Properly stored, it should last 3-4 days.
• Reheating: you can easily reheat individual portions in the microwave. If rice got a little dry, add a tablespoon or two of chicken stock to it before reheating, to refresh it.

More Recipes To Try

• Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs
• Chicken Teriyaki Rice Bowl
• Teriyaki Salmon
• Teriyaki Rice and Salmon Patties

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Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in February 2011.