Teriyaki Chicken is made with juicy chicken thighs marinated in a homemade sweet and savory teriyaki sauce, then quickly seared on the stovetop. The same easy sauce works as both the marinade and glaze for a flavorful dinner that’s even better than takeout.
In this delicious grilled teriyaki chicken recipe, we are using it both as a marinade and as a sauce. The result is a delicious dinner that you could easily prep the night before for an easier dinnertime when you get home from work. While the chicken needs 30 minutes to marinate, after that it cooks on the stovetop in just 10 minutes. Not only that, but it will be better than any takeout dish, making it something that works for your family or serving guests.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Extra flavorful: The chicken marinates directly in the homemade teriyaki sauce.
- Juicy chicken thighs: Boneless skinless thighs stay tender and flavorful on the stovetop.
- Great for busy nights: Marinate the chicken ahead of time, then it only needs about 10 minutes to cook.
Key Ingredients for Teriyaki Chicken
- Chicken thighs: I prefer boneless skinless chicken thighs because they stay juicy while cooking and absorb the marinade beautifully.
- Soy sauce: The savory base of the homemade teriyaki sauce.
- Brown sugar + honey: Give the sauce its signature sweetness.
- Fresh ginger + garlic: These bring more layers of flavor to the homemade sauce.
- Rice wine vinegar: Adds acidity which helps balance the sweetness.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce so it coats the chicken.
- Broccoli: Makes this an easy complete meal when served with rice.
How to Make Teriyaki Chicken
- Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring regularly. Allow to simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Pour half of the teriyaki sauce over the chicken in a reusable container. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, but no more than 24 hours.
- Once it has marinated, discard the marinade (keeping in mind that you still have half of the sauce reserved) and heat a skillet on the stovetop. When the oil begins to smoke, very carefully add the chicken and cook until the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- While the chicken is cooking, cook the broccoli in a saucepan with water. If you want to make frozen broccoli, I recommend cooking your frozen broccoli according to its package directions and serving it with the cooked chicken and sauce as directed in the recipe.
- Add the reserved sauce over the cooked chicken. Serve the teriyaki chicken thighs with the broccoli over rice and enjoy.
Chicken Thighs vs. Chicken Breasts
I prefer chicken thighs in this recipe because their natural flavor pairs so well with teriyaki sauce. Additionally, they remain juicy and tender during grilling where breasts can sometimes dry out.
You can use chicken breasts in this recipe, but keep in mind you will likely need to cut them into cutlets to maintain the same cooking time that you find here.
Marinating Teriyaki Chicken
The key to the teriyaki chicken thighs being juicy and flavorful is marinating them in teriyaki sauce. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, but no longer than 24 hours. (Marinating meat longer than 24 hours will break it down too much and lead to an unpleasant texture.) This is a great recipe to marinate overnight and then throw on the stovetop when you get home for a quick 10 minute cook time.
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
My teriyaki sauce is what ties this whole recipe together. We use it as both the marinade for the chicken and the sauce for the dish. It is the perfect blend of tangy, sweet, and savory. The bonus is that we can control things like gluten and sodium because we are making it from scratch. I also love it in my beef teriyaki and teriyaki meatballs.
Tips and Tricks
- Combining teriyaki chicken and oil: Be careful when you place the marinated chicken on the hot grill or skillet. Since the marinade is water-based and the skillet has oil on it, carefully adding the chicken to the hot pan while holding the splatter screen and then covering with the splatter screen will reduce any risk of hot bits coming out of the pan and hitting you.
- Cooking Temperature for Chicken: All chicken should be cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Using an instant read thermometer allows you to remove the chicken from the skillet when it hits the right temperature, preventing the chicken from drying out.
- Need a faster option? My teriyaki chicken bowl uses bite-sized chicken breast pieces, is done in 25 minutes, and is great for meal prep.
Storing and Reheating
Store the chicken and broccoli in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. I recommend storing the chicken and broccoli in a separate container from the rice. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. Serve over fresh or reheated rice.
What to Serve With Teriyaki Chicken
Serve this chicken and broccoli recipe over white or brown rice. For a lower-carb option, serve over cauliflower rice. Round out the dish by serving it with an Asian cucumber salad or my 15 minute egg drop soup.
If you make this easy chicken teriyaki recipe or any of my other recipes, please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts.
Recipe Video
Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients
Teriyaki Sauce
- 1 cup water (237 g/ml)
- 1/3 cup soy sauce see note (90 g/79 ml)
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Teriyaki Chicken
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (453 grams)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 cups broccoli florets (284 grams)
Instructions
Teriyaki Sauce
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat.1 cup water, 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Stir regularly while bringing to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
Teriyaki Chicken
- After allowing the sauce to cool for a few minutes, pour half of it (reserve the remaining sauce) over the chicken in a reusable container. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 24 hours.1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- After marinating, remove the chicken from the marinade, discarding what's left.
- Heat a grill pan or heavy-bottomed skillet with the oil over medium heat.2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- When the oil begins to smoke, very carefully add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes on each side or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. It will sizzle quite a bit, and it is very helpful to use a splatter screen.
- While the chicken is cooking, bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add broccoli to the water and cook until it is bright green and slightly tender, about 5 minutes.4 cups broccoli florets
- Add the reserved sauce over the cooked chicken. Serve the chicken with the broccoli over rice and enjoy.
Notes
Deanna says
Hi,
Loved this recipe, easy to make and very tasty.
We dont like things to sweet so the only change I made was 2 tbs of brown sugar instead of 3. It was perfect.
this is a keeper.
thanks
Deanna
I’m so glad you liked this as much as I do!