This Teriyaki Chicken has tender bites of chicken coated in a sweet and savory homemade teriyaki sauce. It’s incredibly easy to make and sure to become a fast favorite!

Teriyaki chicken plated with white rice, broccoli, sesame seeds and chopped green onions.

I’m always looking for more quick and easy dinner ideas, especially those that are ready in 30 minutes or less, like this teriyaki chicken. In this recipe, bite-size pieces of chicken are browned in a skillet and then tossed with an easy and flavorful homemade Teriyaki Sauce. The sauce thickens up in the pan, coating every bite of chicken. It’s sweet and tangy with a punch of flavor thanks to fresh ginger and garlic.

I like to serve this teriyaki chicken with rice and broccoli for a complete meal. This recipe immediately became one of my family’s favorite dinners and I think it will be one of yours, too!

Close up of teriyaki chicken in a skillet garnished with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.

Teriyaki Chicken Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this chicken teriyaki.

Ingredients for teriyaki chicken recipe.
  • Soy Sauce: Use a low sodium soy sauce so that the dish doesn’t turn out too salty.
  • Water: To thin out the sauce.
  • Brown Sugar and Honey: For sweetness.
  • Rice Vinegar: Brings sour flavor to balance out the sweetness.
  • Sesame Oil: Adds a touch of sesame flavor.
  • Fresh Ginger and Garlic: Using fresh ginger and fresh garlic will give you the most flavorful sauce.
  • Cornstarch: Thickens the teriyaki sauce when it hits the hot pan.
  • Oil: For browning the chicken.
  • Chicken: I’ve made this dish both with boneless, skinless chicken breasts and with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Both work well! Chicken thighs are a bit more flavorful; use whichever you prefer.
  • Pepper: To season the chicken.

How to Make Teriyaki Chicken

Making this teriyaki chicken recipe is as simple as combining the teriyaki sauce ingredients, browning the chicken and then adding the sauce to the pan. Find the full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below.

  1. First, whisk together the teriyaki sauce ingredients in a small bowl: soy sauce, water, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, minced garlic and cornstarch.
Teriyaki sauce ingredients combined in a bowl with dish of oil and bowl of chopped chicken next to it.
  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken pieces, season with pepper, and cook until cooked through, flipping the pieces of chicken so that they cook evenly on all sides.
Browned chicken pieces in a skillet with a wooden spoon.
  1. Pour in the sauce and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and chopped green onions.
Teriyaki chicken in a skillet with a wooden spoon.

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Recipe Variations

  • Add Veggies: Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it to a clean plate. Then add your chopped vegetables of choice to the pan. (Try broccoli florets, snow peas, onions, bell peppers or mushrooms.) Stir-fry the veggies until crisp tender, then return the chicken to the pan and add the sauce.
  • Add Pineapple: Stir in chopped fresh pineapple or canned pineapple chunks (drain off the juice) after adding the sauce. You can replace the water in this recipe with pineapple juice from the can.
  • No Fresh Ginger? While using fresh ginger will give you the best flavor, you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger if you don’t have fresh.
  • Add Spice: Add a pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce.
  • Gluten-Free: Replace the soy sauce with gluten-free tamari, gluten-free coconut aminos or gluten-free soy sauce.
Teriyaki chicken served with white rice, broccoli, sesame seeds and green onions.

What to Serve with Teriyaki Chicken

Serve teriyaki chicken over white rice, Instant Pot rice, brown rice or quinoa. Or, serve fried rice on the side. Pair this dish with a simple vegetable, such as broccoli.

More Easy Chicken Recipes

If you like this recipe, you might also enjoy this Teriyaki Salmon and Sesame Chicken. Or, try one of these easy chicken recipes next:

Saucy, sticky teriyaki chicken is the perfect addition to your meal plan this week!

Teriyaki chicken plated with white rice, broccoli, sesame seeds and chopped green onions.
5 from 4 ratings

Teriyaki Chicken

Servings: 4 servings
Prep Time: 18 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
This quick and easy Teriyaki Chicken recipe is ready in 30 minutes (or less!). Tender bites of chicken are coated in a sweet and tangy homemade teriyaki sauce.
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Ingredients

  • ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
  • ¼ cup water
  • 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons honey, or pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, avocado oil or canola oil
  • 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch bite-sized pieces
  • black pepper, to taste
  • cooked rice, for serving
  • chopped green onions and/or sesame seeds, optional, for serving

Instructions
 

  • Combine the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic and cornstarch in a small bowl. Whisk until well combined.
  • In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and season with pepper. Let the chicken brown on the first side for a few minutes and then flip, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until cooked through. (This will take about 7-10 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken pieces. Thighs take a bit longer to cook through than chicken breasts.) If the pan gets too hot, reduce the heat to medium.
  • Whisk the sauce again to make sure everything is well combined and then pour the sauce into the pan with the chicken. Cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
  • Serve chicken and sauce over rice, topped with green onions and sesame seeds if desired.

Notes

  • While using fresh ginger will give you the best flavor, you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger if you don’t have fresh available.
  • Nutrition information estimate calculated for recipe made with boneless, skinless chicken breast and does not include rice.
Serving: 1/4 recipe, Calories: 330kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 39g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 109mg, Sodium: 1349mg, Potassium: 772mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 51IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 31mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: Japanese
Course: Main Course
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