Tender, juicy chicken bites are tossed in a sticky, glossy sauce that's bursting with umami deliciousness to make this Teriyaki chicken. This 20 minute dinner is ridiculously easy to make, and comes together with just some Asian pantry staples.
The scratch-made Teriyaki sauce (which I used for my Teriyaki cauliflower too) is such a winner, and once you make this, you'll find yourself using it for so many other recipes too! I know I did!
Quick stir-fries are my go-to on days when I'm looking to make a healthy meal but don't want to spend too long in the kitchen.
It started off a couple of years back when I made my Teriyaki veggie stir fry for the first time, and everyone just devoured it. Since then, I've been experimenting with a lot of Asian recipes like Schezwan potatoes, Teriyaki tofu and even a nice scallion oil chicken. But I really wanted to replicate the classic Teriyaki flavors in chicken, and so I did!
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
Making Teriyaki chicken is actually SO easy- you don't even need to marinate the chicken. Plus, you can meal-prep it too.
Every time I find myself craving for some Chinese takeout, I always end up making this with some of my spicy Asian cucumber salad and some steamed rice.
Recipe Ingredients
Chicken: Start with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I like to chop them up into bite-sized chunks, but you can slice them into strips too.
Ginger + garlic: The flavor bombs- I used fresh ginger and garlic here for the maximum flavor. I like to finely mince them to get that slight chunkiness, but if you're a classic Indian household, and have some homemade ginger garlic paste in your refrigerator, feel free to use it instead.
Soy sauce: For that umami depth. Use dark soy sauce for the best flavor.
Vinegar: For that tanginess. White vinegar is the best choice here, unless you really like that fruity undertone of apple cider vinegar. Sometimes, for that spicy kick, I like to use my hot pepper vinegar.
Seasonings: I used salt, pepper and some hot honey with red pepper flakes for that heat. I also added some brown sugar to balance out the other flavors.
Cornstarch: To thicken the sauce. Use arrowroot powder if you don't have this at hand.
Garnishes: I used a mix of toasted sesame seeds and some chopped green onions to garnish. Sometimes, I also sprinkle some Gomasio seasoning for extra nom!
Oil: Any regular cooking oil will do, but if you have sesame oil, use it for that authentic Asian flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
Use these sesame seeds as a topping on healthy snacks like yogurt, smoothies and salads. Try them in baked goods for extra crunch and flavor.
Substitutions & Variations
- To make the dish gluten-free, swap the soy sauce in the recipe for some Tamari or coconut aminos.
- I used my classic hot honey here, but you can use date sugar or any other natural sweetener of your choice too. Sometimes, I also like to use my habanero hot honey for that fiery kick.
How to Make Teriyaki Chicken
Step 1: In a small bowl, combine minced garlic and ginger, seasonings, soy sauce and vinegar.
Step 2: Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté the chicken for a few minutes.
Step 3: Turn down the heat and pour in the prepared Teriyaki sauce.
Step 4: Cook for a minute or two, stirring continuously.
Step 5: Prepare a simple cornstarch and water mixture and pour it into the pan while stirring it.
Step 6: Once the sauce thickens up nicely, take the pan off heat. Garnish and serve.
💭Top Tip
Once you add the cornflour slurry to the pan, move fast. If you don't stir it quickly, the sauce will clump up.
How to Store Leftover Teriyaki Chicken
Got some leftovers? You can refrigerate them for up to 4 days in an airtight container, and then reheat them in the microwave or in a pan over medium heat. Refrigeration will cause the sauce to thicken up, so you'll need to add a splash of water to get it to the right consistency.
Naturally brewed for six months with a precise 5-step process, Sempio 701 enhances the umami profile of sashimi, stews, stir-fries, and more, bringing out the best in every dish.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- To bulk up the dish, you can add diced veggies too. Green beans, baby corn, carrots, zucchini, bell peppers, Bok choy and broccoli are all excellent choice. Add them in at the right stage of the cooking process, depending on how tough they are.
- For some extra heat, add a dash of Siracha or season with Sriracha infused salt. That's actually what I did when I made my honey Sriracha shrimp rice bowl.
- Make sure you chop the chicken into even sized pieces for uniform cooking. Avoid overcooking- add the sauce in once the chicken looks like it's about 50% cooked through.
- You can also spoon some scallion ginger oil or Sichuan chili oil over the top, right before you serve, for some extra flavor.
How to Serve Teriyaki Chicken
The easiest way to enjoy Teriyaki chicken is to pair it with some fluffy rice or stir-fried noodles and a veggie side like steamed broccoli or stir fried edamame.
When I'm hosting a get-together, I end up making some of my Air Fryer Bang Bang cauliflower, Napa cabbage soup and some steamed eggs to go with it.
Recipe FAQs
You absolutely can! Chicken thighs are a great option, and you can actually use chicken drumsticks too, if you really like their format.
Of course! I like using tofu and chicken in specific, but I think shrimp would work incredibly well too.
More Asian Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this Teriyaki chicken or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients
- 300 g chicken
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon garlic
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon hot honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoon green onions chopped
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine minced garlic and ginger, seasonings, soy sauce and vinegar.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté the chicken for a few minutes.
- Turn down the heat and pour in the prepared Teriyaki sauce.
- Cook for a minute or two, stirring continuously.
- Prepare a simple cornstarch and water mixture and pour it into the pan while stirring it.
- Once the sauce thickens up nicely, take the pan off heat. Garnish and serve.
Notes
- Once you add the cornflour slurry to the pan, move fast. If you don't stir it quickly, the sauce will clump up.
- To bulk up the dish, you can add diced veggies too. Green beans, baby corn, carrots, zucchini, bell peppers, Bok choy and broccoli are all excellent choice. Add them in at the right stage of the cooking process, depending on how tough they are.
- For some extra heat, add a dash of Siracha or season with Sriracha infused salt. That's actually what I did when I made my honey Sriracha shrimp rice bowl.
- Make sure you chop the chicken into even sized pieces for uniform cooking. Avoid overcooking- add the sauce in once the chicken looks like it's about 50% cooked through.
- You can also spoon some scallion ginger oil or Sichuan chili oil over the top, right before you serve, for some extra flavor.
