Teriyaki Chicken

Teriyaki chicken is a recipe I find myself making often, especially since I created my own homemade teriyaki sauce recipe. I’ve been disappointed one too many times by the overly sweet bottled sauces. Turns out that making your own teriyaki sauce is super simple and uses pantry ingredients you likely already have.

This teriyaki chicken recipe is perfect for weeknights because you’ll be sitting down to eat it in 30 minutes or less. You can even prep it ahead of time and it’ll be ready in 15 minutes!

Along with being quick and easy to make, my teriyaki chicken is a healthy dinner option. The teriyaki sauce uses a fraction of the sweetener compared to bottled teriyaki sauce and I like to use a natural sweetener, maple syrup, instead of sugar. Turn it into a balanced and wholesome dinner and serve it with a side of rice and steamed broccoli.

Chicken – Chicken breasts or chicken thighs can be used. I usually make it with chicken breasts because they’re a little leaner and I like the bigger juicy chunks of meat.

Soy sauce – Use low sodium soy sauce for the teriyaki sauce so it isn’t too salty. Tamari should be used to make the teriyaki sauce gluten-free.

Maple syrup – The sweetener for the teriyaki sauce. Honey can be used as an alternative.

Rice Vinegar – Rice vinegar is a mild vinegar with a slightly sweet flavor. It adds acidity to the sauce without making it too tangy.

Ginger and garlic powder – To keep the prep work minimal I use dried spices. If you want to use fresh ginger and garlic, use 1 clove of fresh garlic and 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger in place of ground ginger and garlic powder.

Sriracha – I like to make my teriyaki sauce a little spicy. You can adjust the amount of sriracha to your spice level or omit it if you’re sensitive to spicy food.

Cornstarch – Cornstarch is what thickens the teriyaki sauce and gives it that sticky glossy consistency. It’s also gluten-free.

Sesame seeds and green onions – Optional garnishes, but I highly recommend adding them for texture and freshness.

If the teriyaki sauce is too thin, let it simmer a little longer. The cornstarch may not be fully activated. If it still doesn’t thicken, make additional cornstarch slurry with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and 1 teaspoon of cold water. Whisk and stir it into the sauce until it thickens.

If the teriyaki sauce is too thick there’s too much cornstarch in the sauce. Stir in a splash of water or broth until the sauce loosens and is smooth again.

• Use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts!
• Add veggies. Red bell pepper, broccoli, carrots, brussels sprouts or edamame would all be delicious vegetables to add in.
• Make the sauce sweeter. If you like a sweeter teriyaki sauce, I recommend adding an additional tablespoon of maple syrup.
• If you want all in one dinner that uses the same teriyaki sauce, make my one pan teriyaki chicken and rice!

• Rice. My go-to side dish for teriyaki chicken is rice. White or brown steamed rice rice and if you’re low carb try cauliflower rice. You can also use the chicken and make these teriyaki chicken and rice bowls.
• Noodles. Rice noodles or ramen noodles are both delicious. Sometimes I use the teriyaki sauce to make this ground beef and ramen noodles.
• Salad. A few of my favorite salads to serve with teriyaki chicken are cucumber avocado salad, Asian edamame salad, and Asian cucumber sesame salad.

Storage – Teriyaki chicken will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It’s holds up well and is a great option for meal prep. I don’t recommend freezing because the texture of the sauce will change.

Reheating – Reheat leftovers in the microwave or on the stove in a skillet over medium-low heat until warm.

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• Sesame Chicken
• Honey Garlic Chicken
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