Chicken Teriyaki

Takeout is great, but there is something special about making those same dishes at home. This chicken teriyaki recipe will make everyone feel like they’re being rewarded with a restaurant meal, from the comfort of your kitchen. Instead of hemming and hawing over what to order, whip up this crowd-pleasing stir-fry chicken dinner that is sure to satisfy people of all ages. Marinade recipes can take a little extra planning, but the flavor of this savory-sweet sauce makes it all worthwhile, especially since the chicken takes less than 10 minutes to fry up. 

Can I use store-bought teriyaki sauce?

Mixing up your own sauce instead of using a store-bought bottle may seem like an extra step, but it's all worth it for the sweet, savory sauce this recipe creates. It lets you control the consistency and flavor as bottled teriyaki sauce can vary so much from one brand to the next. Bottled sauces can also be too thin, too sweet, or contain lots of extra ingredients. The ingredients in this recipe are excellent pantry staples; you’ll use them for meals again and again!

What ingredients are in teriyaki sauce?

Soy sauce is one of the main ingredients in most teriyaki recipes. It is salty, slightly sweet, and deeply savory. Low-sodium soy sauce, coconut aminos, or tamari are good lower salt or gluten-free alternatives, just be sure to adjust the amount of sugar and salt in the recipe, to taste. Dark brown sugar contains more molasses than light brown, imparting its rich flavor on the sauce. This recipe contains honey not only for its sweetness but also for the sticky shine it lends to the chicken. Rice wine vinegar is delicate, bright, and helps tenderize the chicken. If you don’t have it on hand, apple cider vinegar works very well. Sesame oil has an intensely nutty and toasty flavor, worthy of a place next to vegetable oil. Fresh garlic and ground ginger round out the sauce with a bit of heat. If you’re a fan of spice, a few drops of hot sauce or a spoonful of chili sauce would kick this stir-fry up a notch. 

How long should you marinate chicken?

Because the chicken is chopped into bite-sized pieces, just 30 minutes is enough time to infuse it with flavor. With such a quick cook time, marinating the chicken is the best way to get tender, juicy meat. Be sure not to exceed 4 hours, though, as the chicken may become too salty.

What do I serve with chicken teriyaki?

While this recipe calls for steamed rice and steamed broccoli, don’t let that suggestion limit your imagination! This recipe makes extra sauce that would be very nice on noodles, and any leftover roasted vegetable would make an excellent (and quick!) side dish. The beauty of a stir-fry is that you can throw anything from snow peas to bell peppers to those adorable miniature canned corn cobs into the pan. A bag of frozen mixed vegetables can also go a very long way.