Teriyaki Chicken

My go-to Teriyaki Chicken is a weeknight favorite! Tender chicken in a glossy, flavorful sauce. Nobody will believe it took just minutes.

Teriyaki Chicken has a special place in my cooking journey. It was actually the very first dish I tried making after moving out of my university dorm into my own apartment.

I was so excited to finally have my own kitchen that I grabbed a bottle of teriyaki sauce and some chicken from the store. How hard could it be, right?

Well… I marinated the chicken in way too much sauce, and as the chicken was cooking in the searing hot pan, I drenched it with even more sauce and ended up burning most of it. My new apartment smelled like burnt teriyaki sauce for weeks!

Regardless of that incident, I was still obsessed with Teriyaki Chicken and eventually started making my own teriyaki sauce at home from scratch. Thankfully, my cooking skills have improved, and I no longer burn teriyaki sauce!

This is one of our favorite go-to meals in our home. It's the perfect dinner for busy weeknights. The chicken is so flavorful and tender, and the sauce is rich and thick. Nobody will guess that it took only a few minutes to put together!

How to Make Teriyaki Chicken

Prepare the sauce by combining 1 cup water, ½ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons mirin, 2 teaspoons of honey, ¼ cup brown sugar, ½ teaspoon of grated ginger and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.

Stir well to break up all of the clumps in the cornstarch.

Cut 1 lb of chicken thighs into strips or into bite-sized pieces. You could also use chicken breast, but I find chicken thighs a much better match for this recipe in terms of flavor and texture.

Pour 2 tablespoons of the teriyaki sauce mixture onto the chicken, then stir to coat the chicken in the sauce.

Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 15 minutes. If you will be marinating the chicken for longer than 30 minutes, keep it refrigerated.

While the chicken marinates, heat the remaining sauce in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring often.

It will thicken quickly as it boils, so keep stirring until smooth, then set aside.

TIP: If you’d prefer a one-pan method to save time and dishes, see the Pro Tips section for details. This shortcut is handy for quick weeknights, but for the richest, glossiest teriyaki sauce, the saucepan method is best.

When ready to cook, let the chicken sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes if it was in the fridge.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok over medium-high heat. When the wok just starts to smoke, add the chicken in a single layer. Leave it untouched for 30 seconds, then stir-fry until cooked through.

If liquid collects in the wok as the chicken cooks, that’s normal. Just pour a little out and keep stir-frying so the rest evaporates. This helps the chicken sear instead of steaming.

Remove the chicken from the wok, plate it, then drizzle with the sauce or serve the sauce on the side.

Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds, and don’t forget the steamed rice to soak it all up.

Looking for another twist on teriyaki? Check out my Pan-Fried Teriyaki Salmon recipe!

💡 Pro Tips for the Best Teriyaki Chicken

Use chicken thighs. They stay juicier and more flavorful than chicken breast.
Bring the chicken to room temperature just before cooking. Cold chicken cools down the wok, which can prevent a good sear.

Adjust the sweetness. If you prefer a less sweet sauce, reduce the brown sugar or honey slightly.

Skip the extra pan (optional). If you’d rather skip the saucepan and keep everything in the wok, you can add the sauce mixture directly after cooking the chicken. This saves time and cuts down on dishes, but keep these points in mind:

• Use about two-thirds of the sauce mixture so the chicken doesn’t get swamped.
• Chicken releases liquid as it cooks, which can thin out the sauce. Pour off some of that liquid, then let the rest evaporate before adding the sauce.
• The sauce will take longer to thicken and won’t be quite as glossy. The flavor may also be a bit lighter since it’s not caramelizing on its own.
• Stir constantly to keep the sauce smooth and prevent burning while it reduces.

This method is great when you’re short on time, but for the richest, most flavorful teriyaki sauce, I still recommend the separate saucepan approach.

Too much liquid? No problem. It’s normal for chicken to release moisture as it cooks. If the wok gets too watery, pour a little out and keep stir-frying so the rest evaporates. This helps the chicken sear properly instead of steaming. Don’t add the teriyaki sauce until after the liquid has cooked off, or the dish will be too watery.

What to Serve with Teriyaki Chicken

Steamed rice is the classic side, but here are some other dishes that round out the meal:

Egg Drop Soup – a light, comforting starter that pairs beautifully with saucy chicken.

Hot and Sour Soup – another takeout favorite that makes this meal feel like a full spread.

Wok Stir-Fried Brussels Sprouts – crisp, garlicky veggies to balance the sweet-savory teriyaki sauce.

Char Siu Fried Rice or Shrimp Fried Rice – heartier than plain rice and perfect for soaking up extra sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

Teriyaki Chicken

Char

This super easy Teriyaki Chicken will be your new favorite go-to weeknight meal. The chicken is so flavorful while the sauce is rich and thick. Nobody will believe it took just minutes to prepare!

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Marinate Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Cuisine Japanese

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 1 cup water
• ½ cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 2 teaspoons honey
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into thin strips
• Scallions
• Toasted sesame seeds

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

 

• Prepare the sauce by combining water, soy sauce, mirin, honey, brown sugar, grated ginger and cornstarch. Stir well to break up any cornstarch lumps.
• Pour 2 tablespoons of the teriyaki sauce mixture on to the chicken. Stir to coat the chicken in the sauce.
• Allow the chicken to marinade for at least 15 minutes.
• Heat the teriyaki sauce in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. As the sauce starts to boil, stir constantly as it thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Heat cooking oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the wok in a single layer.
• Leave the chicken untouched for about 30 seconds before flipping them over. Stir-fry the chicken until fully cooked.
• Transfer to a serving plate.
• Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped scallions
• Serve the chicken and sauce separately, or drizzle the sauce on to the chicken - whichever your family prefers.

Notes

For a one-pan option, you can thicken the sauce directly in the wok after cooking the chicken instead of using a separate saucepan. Use about two-thirds of the sauce mixture, pour off any excess liquid from the chicken first, and stir constantly until it thickens. See the Pro Tips section for more details.

Nutrition

Calories: 303kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 28gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 1747mgSugar: 18g

Keyword teriyaki chicken

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