Easy Teriyaki Chicken

This Easy Teriyaki Chicken recipe will be your new go-to family favorite! This is a one pan recipe, with delectable bite-size chicken breasts coated with an authentically flavorful sauce.

This tastes just like your favorite Asian take-out but you can have this ready faster than the time it would take to go pick up take-out! No marinade required.

I’ve shared other chicken recipes like my Honey Sriracha Grilled Chicken but this hands down beats the prep and cook time of any other chicken recipe I've tried. It is quick, simple and easy to clean up, yet it tastes just as good as those more complicated recipes!

Chicken and Teriyaki Sauce Ingredients and Substitutes

• Chicken breasts: use boneless skinless. Chicken thighs will work great too, just cook a little longer.
• Olive oil: Vegetable oil can also be used.
• Soy Sauce or Tamari: To reduce sodium, you can swap with Low-Sodium Soy Sauce or use 2 ½ tablespoon standard soy sauce with 1 ½ tablespoon water.

• Honey: If you don’t have this you can use more brown sugar.
• Brown sugar: I use light brown sugar, dark would be fine or even granulated sugar.
• Rice vinegar: Apple cider vinegar will work well too. Even lemon juice can be used in a pinch.
• Sesame oil: This has a bold flavor, so a little goes a long way. Unrefined peanut oil can be used as well, add extra.
• Ginger: Fresh is best, but if you must ½ teaspoon dried ginger could be used.
• Garlic: Again fresh is better, but 1 teaspoon dried granulated will work.
• Cornstarch: This helps thicken the sauce so it is critical to the recipe. Arrowroot starch could be substituted.
• Sesame seeds and green onions: Optional garnishes. Add them if preferred.

How To Make Teriyaki Chicken

1. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet or wok.
2. Add chicken and let cook (giving space between pieces) until slightly browned on bottom then flip chicken pieces over and cook through.
3. While the chicken is cooking whisk together the teriyaki sauce mixture.
4. Pour sauce into the skillet once the chicken is just nearly finished cooking through and let the sauce cook and simmer until thickened.
5. Easy as that! Serve it warm over brown or white rice with steamed veggies.

Helpful Tips

• Season sauce as desired. If you like mild salt flavor you could replace some soy sauce with water, if you want it saltier just add some salt.
• The sesame oil can be omitted, I’ve also made this without and it’s still delicious. Or add more if you love that flavor.
• Work to cut chicken into evenly sized pieces so they cook evenly.
• Be careful not to over-cook the chicken or it will start to dry out.

Teriyaki Chicken

This is one of my all-time favorite go-to's for busy weeknights. It’s something everyone in my family loves and when I serve it with brown rice and steamed broccoli it’s something I feel great about feeding them.

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 15 mins

Course Main Course

Ingredients

  

• 1 ¼ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts diced into 1-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• ¼ cup water
• *2 tablespoon honey
• 1 ½ tablespoon packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh garlic 2 cloves
• 2 teaspoon cornstarch
• Sesame seeds and chopped green onions for serving (optional)

Instructions

 

• Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Brown chicken (should take about 4-5 minutes on each side) until cooked through and at 165 deg F
• While chicken is cooking, in a small bowl (or liquid measuring cup) whisk together soy sauce, water, honey, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic and cornstarch.
• Add the slurry / sauce to the pan and toss until sauce is warm throughout and has thickened, about 30 - 60 seconds longer. 
• Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds if desired.

Keyword easy dinner recipe, teriyaki chicken

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