Teriyaki Chicken

Teriyaki chicken is an all-time favorite dish at Japanese restaurants, steakhouses and other family restaurants. Tender bites of chicken are coated in an aromatic, flavorful sauce boasting a blend of sweet and umami flavors. It tastes so complex that you might assume it’s complex to cook, too, but that’s not the case at all!

We’ll show you how to make teriyaki chicken from start to finish in less than 30 minutes. And don’t even think about reaching for that bottled teriyaki sauce—homemade teriyaki sauce is what makes this taste like your favorite takeout order!

Teriyaki Chicken Ingredients

• Canola oil: A neutral, high-smoke point oil is best for cooking small pieces of chicken quickly and thoroughly.
• Chicken: Try to cut your chicken into equal-sized pieces. That way they finish cooking at the same time, so none of the pieces are overcooked while others are undercooked.
• Soy sauce: Made from fermented soybeans, soy sauce gives this dish lots of salty and savory flavor, as well as a touch of sweetness. It also gives teriyaki sauce its dark color.
• Garlic: Go for fresh garlic cloves over the powdered stuff. Their pungent flavor is essential in teriyaki sauce. (Psst: Here are six ways to easily mince fresh garlic.)
• Brown sugar and honey: This dish has a balance of sweet and savory flavors, with honey and brown sugar representing the sweet ingredients. They also help thicken up the sauce.
• Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar is less harsh than other types of vinegar and has a sweeter flavor. It’s made from fermented rice wine and is a common ingredient in Chinese and Japanese cooking.
• Sesame oil: Keep a bottle in the the house to have on hand for dishes like this chicken teriyaki recipe. Sesame oil has a warm, nutty flavor that pairs well with the aromatics and seasonings of teriyaki chicken.
• Gingerroot: To mince fresh gingerroot, break off a 1-inch nub and peel the skin off with a spoon. Then finely mince it, measure the amount you need and add it to this teriyaki chicken for a zippy, refreshing flavor.
• Cornstarch: A little cornstarch added to the simmering sauce thickens it up so that the sauce coats the chicken and rice.
• Green onions: While chicken teriyaki is delicious, it’s also a bit beige. Green onions add a much-needed bright-green vibrancy to the dish and a wonderfully pungent aroma and flavor.
• Sesame seeds: For a nuttier flavor and more crunch, toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes until they’re fragrant and just beginning to turn golden.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the chicken

TASTE OF HOME

Heat the canola oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add in the chicken breast pieces and cook until they’re lightly browned, two to three minutes per side. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and set it aside.

Step 2: Make the sauce

TASTE OF HOME

To the skillet, add the soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, honey, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, grated ginger, black pepper and salt. Whisk everything together and increase the high to medium-high. Bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring often, and simmer for four to five minutes.

TASTE OF HOME

Whisk the cold water and cornstarch together in a small bowl or measuring cup, then pour it into the sauce. Whisk and cook until the sauce has thickened, one to two minutes.

Step 3: Combine the chicken and sauce

TASTE OF HOME

Add the chicken pieces back into the skillet. Toss them in the teriyaki sauce, and bring everything back to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly, and the chicken is cooked through to a temperature of 165°F, about four to five minutes. Move the pan off the burner.

Step 4: Serve the teriyaki chicken

TASTE OF HOME

Spoon the teriyaki chicken and sauce over white rice in shallow bowls. Top each bowl with diced scallions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and serve immediately.

TASTE OF HOME

Recipe Variations

• Use other cuts of chicken: You can make this recipe with cubed, boneless chicken thighs, or use the teriyaki sauce to flavor baked or grilled bone-in chicken pieces.
• Make it gluten-free: To make this chicken teriyaki recipe gluten-free, substitute tamari for soy sauce, and double-check the other packaged goods to ensure they’re certified gluten-free.
• Add nuts: For extra crunch and some nuttiness, add in chopped cashews or almonds when you toss the chicken and teriyaki sauce together.

How to Store Teriyaki Chicken

Allow any leftover chicken teriyaki to cool to room temperature. Transfer it to an airtight container and pop it in the fridge for up to four days.

Can you freeze teriyaki chicken?

The leftover cooked chicken and teriyaki sauce can also be frozen in an airtight freezer-proof container or resealable bag for up to three months.

Teriyaki Chicken Tips

TASTE OF HOME

How can you make sure your teriyaki chicken is juicy?

Since the small pieces cook quickly, it’s easy to inadvertently overcook chicken and turn it dry. To avoid this, cook the chicken for just a few minutes at first—just enough to sear the outside. The pieces will finish cooking in the sauce, giving you juicy bites of chicken.

What do you serve with teriyaki chicken?

White rice is a classic pairing here, but teriyaki chicken is also delicious with ramen or soba noodles. You can add veggies like snow peas, carrots, broccoli or baby corn to this chicken teriyaki recipe; add them to the pan and simmer them with the chicken and sauce. Or, serve the veggies steamed or roasted as a side dish.