Teriyaki Chicken (Most Delicious Recipe) - Downshiftology (2024)

Teriyaki chicken is a quick and hearty dish that wins every time. Quickly stir fry chicken pieces and mix with a sticky sweet teriyaki sauce. Serve it on top of a bed of rice alongside freshly steamed veggies. Best of all? You’ll have a healthy and satisfying meal on your dinner table in just 20 minutes.

You know that deliciously sweet and sticky teriyaki chicken you get at a Japanese restaurant? Well, it’s pretty simple to make right at home – so add this to your list of easy dinner ideas.

This is a quick stir-fry recipe that will switch up your typical chicken routine. Instead of using a blend of herbs like in my chicken fajitas or slow cooker chicken, we’re turning towards basic Japanese pantry items. Ingredients like soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sake work together to create the most delicious homemade teriyaki sauce. Just pour this over the chicken towards the end, let it simmer, and you’re done.

Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

Forget about the store-bought stuff. It’s full of fillers and colorings. All you need for the most delicious teriyaki sauce is four simple ingredients:

• Soy Sauce: I’m using Tamari for gluten-free soy sauce. But, you can also use coconut aminos for a soy-free version.
• Sake: A Japanese alcohol made from fermented rice that can be enjoyed as a drink and give flavor to cooking.
• Mirin: It’s similar to sake but has a lower alcohol content and more sugar. It also gives our sauce that lovely glaze.
• Honey: Traditional teriyaki sauce uses granulated sugar, but honey works just as well.

This teriyaki sauce will taste just like your Japanese restaurant favorite! But if you don’t have sake or mirin, check out the substitutions I’ve listed on my teriyaki sauce post. I’ll give you options with pantry staples as well.

How To Make Teriyaki Chicken

This recipe is best made with boneless skinless chicken thighs. While you can also use boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken thighs are generally more tender, flavorful and juicy.

1. Prep the sauce. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sake, mirin and honey until everything is well combined. Set this aside.
2. Prep and cook the chicken. Dice the chicken thighs into bite size pieces. Then, heat the oil in a large saute pan or wok over medium high heat. Add in the chicken and stir fry for 3-4 minutes, until it becomes a golden brown.
3. Add the sauce. Give the sauce a quick whisk then stir it in with the chicken. Continue cooking and let it simmer for about 4-5 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
4. Serve. Serve on top a fresh bed of rice and steamed broccoli. Garnish with optional diced green onions and sesame seeds.

What To Serve With Teriyaki Chicken

Since teriyaki chicken is already rich in flavor, rice and freshly steamed veggies make for the perfect pairing. Below are a few easy ideas to whip up while your chicken is cooking in the pan.

• Steamed Broccoli
• Garlic Sauteed Spinach
• Sauteed Cabbage
• Green Beans With Shallots And Lemon
• Garlic Ginger Bok Choy
• Cauliflower Rice

More Easy Dinner Ideas

On a time crunch? Here’s a few tasty and easy dinner recipes to keep up your sleeves come dinner hour.

• Chicken Fajitas
• Garlic Butter Shrimp
• Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl
• Coconut Curry Chicken
• Scallops With Citrus Ginger Sauce
• Stuffed Peppers
• Chicken Lettuce Wraps