Teriyaki Chicken made at home can be easy and ready in about 30 minutes! Love the chicken you can get in the food court at the mall?
This recipe is similar to my favorite dish there, and it’s now an easy dinner recipe that the kids love too.
When I made this teriyaki sauce recipe without ginger, to go on these air fryer teriyaki chicken wings, I knew it needed to go on other chicken recipes because it was so good. It’s also delicious on beef recipes like these Ahola burgers and even non-meat dishes like these mixed vegetables.
Why You’ll Love This Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
- Quick Recipe – This chicken is so quick and easy, even if you make the homemade teriyaki sauce to go with it. Even faster? Use a store-bought teriyaki sauce.
- Type of Chicken – Using chicken thighs in this recipe makes such a difference and makes it similar to the restaurant-style teriyaki chicken recipes.
- Sweet and Salty – The combination of sweet and salty flavors here is delicious. I’ve even carried the sweet and salty flavors in to this teriyaki sloppy joe recipe for a fun spin.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this simple teriyaki chicken:
Full list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Chicken Thighs – I use boneless, skinless, chicken thighs for best results. Chicken breasts can be used but the result will have a different texture.
- Teriyaki Sauce – I prefer using my own homemade teriyaki sauce but I’m not against a storebought brand and actually like the Sweet Baby Ray’s teriyaki brand.
- Corn Starch – This is used to thicken the sauce and help it cling to the chicken.
- Garlic – I like using garlic powder because this is what I usually have on hand but minced garlic is just fine to use instead!
- Brown Sugar – Feel free to use light or dark brown sugar. I use light, and this is used to make the sweet portion of the “sweet and salty” flavors of the sauce.
- Soy Sauce – Low sodium soy sauce is typically recommended in recipes so over-salting doesn’t take place. However I’ve found that regular soy sauce works in this recipe great, and it’s the perfect balance of “salty” for a sweet and salty flavor combination.
- Oil – I like to keep sesame oil on hand and feel it’s the absolute best for this recipe. However, I don’t expect anyone to go out and buy a whole bottle just for this, so using olive oil or avocado oil will work too.
How to Make This Easy Teriyaki Chicken
5. Allow chicken and sauce to cook until thickened and serve over rice if desired.
Teriyaki Chicken Tips
- Versatile Recipe – This chicken recipe is great with so many dishes. Serve it alone, with rice, pasta, quinoa, Instant Pot polenta, on a side salad recipe, or even as a pizza topping or in street tacos.
- Browning the Chicken – When cooking the chicken, spread the raw meat out so it doesn’t overlap, and then turn the heat on. Do not move or turn the chicken until the underside is golden brown.
I’ve found that if constantly moving the chicken often while trying to cook, it will take longer to get that golden brown color that’s desired, and it’s easily overcooked. Brown on one side, flip, and then brown on the other side until fully cooked.
Storing Tips
- Leftovers: Allow the teriyaki chicken to cool before storing in an airtight container. Place in the refrigerator and enjoy within 4-5 days.
- Freeze: You can freeze teriyaki chicken, once it has cooled off. Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
What to Serve with Teriyaki Chicken
This chicken and sauce recipe is delicious served with steamed rice, homemade fried rice and a roasted broccoli.
Recipe FAQs
Some prefer to cook the chicken in the teriyaki sauce so the flavor gets in to the chicken. However cooking chicken without the sauce allows the chicken to brown, instead of “steam,” giving the teriyaki chicken more flavor.
If the teriyaki sauce is too thin, (water content from chicken can cause this) you can thicken your sauce with a mixture of the corn starch and sauce. (1 teaspoon of sauce mixed with 1 teaspoon of corn starch and then added to the sauce over heat, will thicken.)
Do note: Teriyaki sauce will thicken a bit more when removed from the heat.
If you love a lot of teriyaki sauce with your chicken and rice, it’s best to double the sauce ingredients in this recipe.
Related Recipes
Do you love easy chicken recipes like this teriyaki chicken? You’ll also love these favorites:
I have a feeling this recipe will end up on your weekly meal plan like it is on ours! Make sure to pin this recipe for later!
Recipe
Teriyaki Chicken
Video
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken thighs 1-3 pounds should work as well.
- 2 tablespoons oil I prefer sesame oil but olive oil will work.
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder divided (½ teaspoon + ½ teaspoon)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons corn starch divided (1 tablespoon + 2 tablespoons)
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 5 tablespoons brown sugar
- green onions, sesame seeds or crushed red pepper optional as garnishes
Instructions
Make Teriyaki Sauce
- Mix teriyaki sauce together in a mixing bowl. Mix together the ¼ cup soy sauce, 1 cup water, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon honey, tablespoons brown sugar and 2 tablespoons corn starch. Set aside.
Cooking the Chicken
- Cut chicken thighs (and trim any fat) in to one-inch pieces.
- In a bowl, sprinkle the ¼ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch over the raw chicken pieces, and stir to coat.
- Pour the 2 tablespoons of oil in to a skillet, and add in the seasoned chicken pieces, spreading it out so each piece is touching the skillet, and isn't on top of other pieces.
- Turn the burner to medium-high heat and fry the chicken pieces for about 3-5 minutes or until the bottoms of the chicken pieces are a golden brown, and then flip to cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the chicken is cooked all the way through. (It should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.)Tip: It can be tempting to stir the chicken a lot while it's cooking but leaving the chicken in one spot for a few minutes, can help get the "browning" you're looking for.
- When the chicken is fully cooked, pour in the teriyaki sauce and cook over medium-high heat until warmed/thickened.
- Add red pepper flakes if desired, or add ginger to the teriyaki sauce, and sprinkle with green onion or sesame seeds for a garnish, if desired. Serve over rice for a delicous meal.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Tanya says
Wonderful chicken recipe! It looks incredibly appetizing with its juicy looking coat. Yummy!
Jessica says
I couldn’t agree more Tanya! Thank you for the sweet comment! XO
Paul Brown says
Hello Jessica:
Met you at Costco this week and was intrigued with your entrepreneurship and may need your assistance in marketing my books. Three are on the plate and I’ll share more later: 2 are historical books (novels) and the third is a help book. Need to work later today and I’m looking forward to your feed back. Have a successful day.
Paul
Jessica says
Hi Paul! Thanks for the comment, and the great conversation the other day at Costco! 🙂 It was a lot of fun! Let me know when your books are finished! Would love to take a look at them!