No need to visit the frozen dinner or spring takeout when it’s there Teriyaki Chicken. Made with chicken thighs or breasts in a sticky, sweet teriyaki sauce, served with brown rice and frozen veggies (hello acronym!), this is a dinner in a hurry that doesn’t sacrifice nutrition or taste.
When someone asks me how I’m doing, I try to say something more meaningful than “busy.”
We’re all so busy, and cooking dinner can often be one of the first things we do when trying to prioritize life.
With teriyaki chicken, you can have a square meal on the table in just 20 minutes.
Homemade Teriyaki Chicken is healthy and easy
There will always be a need for quick, healthy one-pan dinners.
Stuffed with veggies, made no butter and low in oil, and served over healthy brown rice (or pasta), this teriyaki chicken is a healthy, wholesome meal.
And most importantly, it’s so delicious.
Vegetables galore
- Steamed vegetables in bags serve as a secret shortcut, eliminating the need for extra chopping.
- For a teriyaki chicken stir-fry made with vegetables that are sautéed directly in the bowl rather than opting for steamed bagged vegetables as a side, see Teriyaki Chicken Skillet.
This sauce is the boss
- Teriyaki Chicken Sauce is made with soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
- You’d think you should use the bottled teriyaki sauce consistent with the shortcuts, but it really is that easy to whip up your own.
- When you make your own sauce, you can control the sugar and sweetness or spiciness you prefer.
How to Make Teriyaki Chicken
Stir up your homemade teriyaki sauce while the chicken is sizzling, steam some veggies, stir it all together and POOF, dinner is served.
The ingredients
- Chicken. You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs; both are healthy, lean proteins. Thighs are my preference as they are juicier.
- soy sauce. Opt for low sodium so you can control salt levels.
- Honey. Bottled teriyaki sauce can be loaded with sugar. This teriyaki sauce from scratch is naturally sweetened with honey. It’s richly sweet with no brown sugar.
- rice vinegar. Adds the acid to the sauce.
- Garlic. Fresh, chopped garlic is another key ingredient in this teriyaki.
- Ginger. Get about a 1 inch piece of ginger, peel and chop it. The difference in taste is worth it! Or look for fresh ginger in a tube in the refrigerated section or frozen ginger cubes.
- cornstarch. Coat the chicken and toss in the sauce to create a cornstarch slurry. Cornstarch makes the sauce thick and shiny.
- Red pepper flakes. If you want to add a heat kick.
- oil. Use an unflavored oil with a high smoke point, such as canola or grapeseed oil.
Top!
Do not use olive oil for stir-fries. If heated hot enough to sear the chicken, the oil will burn.
- Green Onions. Adds a bite.
The directions
- Coat chicken with soy sauce, salt and pepper.
- Stir in cornstarch.
- Whisk together the water, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, and cornstarch.
- Brown Chicken.
- Pour in the sauce and stir, then simmer until the sauce thickens.
- Stir in spring onion. Serve hot with rice, steamed vegetables and a garnish of spring onions. ENJOY!
storage tips
- To store. Refrigerate teriyaki chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- To warm up. Reheat leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
- Freeze. Freeze teriyaki chicken in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Meal prep tip
You can make the chicken and sauce ahead of time for an extra quick dinner time. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and store in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator. Whisk the sauce ingredients together right in your measuring cup and store in the fridge with plastic wrap over it.
What to serve with teriyaki chicken
- wok With its high sides and rounded bottom, a wok is the perfect pan tool, making it easier for you to turn and flip ingredients without them sloshing over the edge. It also ensures even heat distribution.
- Glass measuring cup. Doubles as a mixing bowl.
- whisk. I prefer the smaller whisks as they are easy to maneuver.
Let’s feed your family (and your sanity) with quick and easy teriyaki chicken for dinner tonight.
frequently asked Questions
While Chinese cuisine also features dishes made with soy sauce, teriyaki chicken is a Japanese dish. Teriyaki chicken is Japanese, where “teri” means shine and “yaki” means grilled or fried.
You can think of soy sauce as a condiment and teriyaki sauce as a glaze or marinade. Teriyaki sauce is sweet and savory, made with soy sauce, sugar, and flavored with sake or mirin.
- 1 1/4 Pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/4 Cup plus 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 teaspoon cornstarch divided
- 1/4 Cup Water
- 3 tablespoon Honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic about 3 cloves
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger of about 1.1 inch piece
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes plus additional to taste (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Rapeseed oil or similar neutral cooking oil like grapeseed oil
- 3 chopped green onions 1/2 cup, divided
- Fry the vegetables in the steamer bag for serving (if desired)
- Cooked Brown Rice for serving (see Instant Pot Brown Rice)
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Place the chicken in a bowl with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, salt and pepper. Stir to coat. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of cornstarch on top and stir again. Put aside.
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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 combined. Place near the oven.
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In a large non-stick skillet or wok, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot and simmering, add the chicken in a single layer. Cook undisturbed on first side until deep golden, about 2 to 3 minutes, then turn chicken pieces and continue cooking until chicken is browned all over and cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes more.
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Towards the end of cooking, steam the vegetables (if using).
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Pour in the sauce and stir to coat the chicken. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the sauce has thickened and looks sticky and shiny, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in about two-thirds of the spring onions. Sprinkle hot with rice, steamed vegetables and the remaining green onions.
- TO STORE: Store teriyaki chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- TO WARM UP: Reheat leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
- FREEZE: Freeze teriyaki chicken in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Portion: 1of 4 (chicken only)Calories: 271kcalCarbohydrates: 17GProtein: 29GFat: 9GSaturated Fatty Acids: 2GPolyunsaturated fat: 2GMonounsaturated fatty acids: 4GTrans fats: 0.04GCholesterol: 135mgPotassium: 456mgFiber: 1GSugar: 13GVitamin A: 162ieVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 2mg
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