Teriyaki Chicken
No need to pop in the frozen dinner or spring for takeout when thereâs Teriyaki Chicken. Made with chicken thighs or breasts in a sticky, sweet teriyaki sauce, served with brown rice and frozen veggies (hello shortcut!), this is a dinner-in-a-hurry that doesnât sacrifice nutrition or taste.
When someone asks me how Iâm doing, I try to say something more meaningful than âbusy.â
We are all so busy, and cooking dinner can often be one of the first things to go as we try to prioritize life.
With teriyaki chicken, you can get a square meal on the table in only 20 minutes.
This teriyaki chicken is the stovetop rendition of my favorite Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken and Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken, so you can stir up a healthy dinner FAST.For an oven version, check out Teriyaki Chicken Casserole.
Homemade Teriyaki Chicken is Healthy and Easy
There will always be a need for fast, healthy, one-pan dinners.
Chock-full of vegetables, made without butter and with little oil, and served over healthy whole grain rice (or noodles), this teriyaki chicken is a healthy, wholesome meal.
And, most importantly, it is so scrumptious.
Veggies Galore
Bagged steamed vegetables serve as a secret shortcut, so no extra chopping is required.For a teriyaki chicken stir fry that is made with veggies sautĂŠed right in the dish, rather than opting for bagged, steamed veggies on the side, see Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry.
This Sauce is the Boss
Teriyaki chicken sauce is made of soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes.Youâd think you should use the bottled teriyaki sauce in keeping with the shortcuts, but it is truly so easy to whisk up your own. With making your own sauce, you can control the sugars and how sweet or spicy you prefer it.
How to Make Teriyaki Chicken
Whisk up your homemade teriyaki sauce while the chicken sizzles, 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 more juicy.Soy Sauce. Opt for low sodium so you can control the salt content.Honey. Bottled teriyaki sauce can be loaded with sugars. This from-scratch teriyaki sauce is naturally sweetened with honey. Itâs plenty sweet without any brown sugar.Rice Vinegar. Adds the acidity to the sauce.Garlic. Fresh, minced garlic is another essential ingredient to make this teriyaki.Ginger. 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.
Tip!
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
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, and then simmer until sauce thickens.
Stir in green onion. Serve hot with rice, steamed vegetables, and a garnish of green onions. ENJOY!
Storage Tips
To Store. Refrigerate teriyaki chicken in an airtight 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.
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 refrigerator with plastic wrap over the top.
Leftover Ideas
Leftover teriyaki chicken 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 Teriyaki Chicken
Over Instant Pot Brown Rice is a classic way to serve the teriyaki chicken, but it would also be fun with noodles, such as whole wheat spaghetti.Homemade Fried Rice would be extra flavorful, or you could make Cauliflower Fried Rice for low carbohydrates.Asian Cabbage Salad or Asian Cucumber Salad would make cool sides.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
Wok. With its high sides and round bottom, a wok is the perfect stir fry tool as you can more easily flip and turn ingredients without them spilling over the edge. Plus, it makes for even heat distribution.Glass Measuring Cups. Doubles as a mixing bowl.Whisk. I prefer the smaller-sized whisks as they are easy to maneuver.
Letâs nourish your family (and sanity) with quick and easy teriyaki chicken for dinner tonight.
Frequently Asked Questions
While Chinese cuisine also has dishes that use soy sauce, teriyaki chicken is a Japanese dish. Teriyaki chicken is Japanese, with âteriâ meaning gleam and âyakiâ meaning grilled or broiled.
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.
Yes! Salmon, beef, pork, and tofu are all delicious cooked with teriyaki sauce, simply adjust the cook time accordingly. For more stellar teriyaki recipes, see Teriyaki Salmon, Teriyaki Salmon Bowl, and Teriyaki Beef Stir Fry.
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Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
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.
