Chicken Teriyaki
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This chicken teriyaki recipe is quick, saucy, and packed with flavor—so much better than takeout and perfect for busy weeknights.
Finding a meal that gets unanimous thumbs-up from everyone at the table can feel like a small victory. At my house, chicken teriyaki—a Japanese dish with marinated chicken and a sweet, savory glaze—is always a win. It’s super flexible, too. Throw it on the grill in the summer or pop it under the broiler when it’s cold outside.
Pair this chicken teriyaki recipe with steamed broccoli and jasmine rice for an easy, tasty meal. And if you love teriyaki, don’t miss my teriyaki salmon—it’s another quick favorite around here!
“My boyfriend and I made this last night and we loved it…Easy, quick, and delish!”
What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Teriyaki
- Soy Sauce: The base of the marinade and sauce—salty, savory, and packed with umami.
- Sugar: Balances the soy sauce with sweetness and gives the sauce its classic teriyaki flavor. I usually use white sugar, but brown sugar works too.
- Mirin: A sweet Japanese rice wine that adds depth and just a hint of acidity.
- Sesame Oil: Adds a nutty, aromatic flavor to the dish. Look for toasted (Asian) sesame oil, which is dark in color and nutty in flavor, not the light, untoasted variety.
- Ginger and Garlic: These aromatics contribute a spicy, pungent flavor, adding depth to the sauce.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs: My go-to for this recipe—they stay juicy and soak up the sauce beautifully. You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts if you’re in a pinch or prefer white meat, but thighs are definitely the best choice for teriyaki.
- Cornstarch: Used to thicken the sauce, giving it a glossy texture that clings to the chicken.
- Scallions: These mild green onions add a fresh crunch and a pop of color to the finished dish.
- Sesame Seeds: A light sprinkle at the end adds subtle crunch and makes the dish look finished.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the marinade. In a blender, combine the soy sauce, sugar, mirin, oil, ginger, garlic, and ½ cup water. Blend until smooth and foamy, about 1 minute. Set aside 1 cup of marinade and refrigerate (you’ll use it for the sauce).
Step 2: Marinate the chicken. Place the chicken in a bowl or zipper-lock bag, pour in the remaining marinade, and refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours (don’t go longer or it’ll get too salty).
Step 3: Cook the chicken. Grill over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or broil on a foil-lined baking sheet about 6 inches from the heat for 8 minutes per side, until cooked through and charred in spots. Keep an eye on it, as the sugar in the marinade can cause some charring on the foil.
Step 4: Make the teriyaki sauce. Whisk the reserved marinade with the remaining ¼ cup water and cornstarch until smooth. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until thickened.
Step 5: Serve. Serve the chicken whole or sliced, topped with the teriyaki sauce (a little goes a long way), scallions, and sesame seeds. Goes great over rice. The chicken keeps well for up to 3 days in the fridge or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Video Tutorial
More Asian-Inspired Chicken dishes You’ll Love
Chicken Teriyaki
Ingredients
- 1 cup soy sauce
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh ginger from a 2-inch knob
- 4 cloves garlic coarsely chopped
- ¾ cup water divided
- 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 scallions dark green parts only, for serving
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds for serving
Instructions
- Make the teriyaki sauce: Combine the soy sauce, sugar, mirin, oil, ginger, garlic, and ½ cup (120 ml) of the water in a blender and process until smooth, about 1 minute. It will be foamy; that's okay. Set aside 1 cup (240 ml) of sauce and refrigerate until ready to cook (you'll use it for serving).
- Place the chicken in a 1-gallon (1L) zipper-lock bag and add remaining blended teriyaki sauce. Press out the air, seal the bag, and turn to coat the chicken with marinade. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours (no longer or the dish will be too salty).
- To Grill: Place the chicken on a medium-high grill and cook, covered, until chicken is lightly charred and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes per side, rearranging as needed to ensure even browning.
- To Broil: Position an oven rack about 6 inches (15 cm) from the broiler and preheat the broiler to high. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with heavy-duty aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Before placing the chicken on the baking sheet, let any excess marinade drip off to reduce charring and smoke during broiling. Arrange the chicken on the prepared baking sheet. Broil for about 8 minutes on each side, or until it's well-browned and fully cooked. Keep an eye on the broiler while cooking, as the sugar in the marinade can cause some charring on the foil.
- Thicken the sauce: In a small saucepan, whisk the reserved sauce (be sure it’s cold or room temperature), the remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) water, and cornstarch until completely smooth. Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Slice the chicken crosswise about ½-inch (12-mm) thick, if desired, and serve with the teriyaki sauce, scallions, and sesame seeds. Be judicious with the sauce — a little goes a long way.
Notes
Pair with
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Made it tonight, exactly as written, and I loved it. Perfect balance of sweet and savory notes. My husband enjoyed it as well but wondered about using beef next time. What cut would you recommend? & would the cooking method be similar? Much appreciated!
Glad you enjoyed it! Yes, you could make this with beef; I’d suggest either a flat iron or flank steak. Broil or grilling would work well and the cook time will be similar to that of the chicken. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
This recipe was a big hit, and I was surprised at how easy it was! I added shiitake mushrooms because had them in the refrigerator, it was an excellent addition. I also made the asparagus salad as a side. It was delicious as well. Only change I made was to blanch the asparagus, then quickly cool in an ice bath. I then strained and added to the dressing. Excellent Asian themed dinner
Hi Jenn,
Big fan! Is there a substitute for mirin I can use?
Hi Jill, you can just omit it.
Can this be cooked in the airfryer? If so what temp and how long?
Hi Amy, I don’t own an air fryer so unfortunately, I can’t tell you confidently whether or not this would work in one. If you want to do a little digging, there are a number of articles online about how to convert many recipes to air fryer versions. I know both Taste of Home and Food Network have them. Sorry I can’t be more helpful!
OMG! OMG! OMG! DELICIOUS! I’m really trying to stop eating restaurant and processed foods. I made this on Sunday to have in the fridge for the week, and I CANNOT stop eating it. Minor tweak: cut the sugar down to 1/2 cup of brown sugar, doubled the ginger, doubled the garlic. It tastes great! My kids LOVE IT! This is truly a winner! Jen, you never fail to amaze me! Restaurant good food, easily made more healthy in my own home – thank you!
Hi Jenn. Do you think portabella mushrooms would work instead of chicken? Looking at a Vegan option as well.
Yes and I’d love to know how it turns out!
Would this work with chicken breasts/tenderloins? Trying to keep my cholesterol lower. Thank you!
Sure, I’d go with either tenderloins or pounded breasts. The broiling time will definitely be shorter; I’d give them 2 to 3 minutes per side. I’d love to hear how they turn out white meat!
I made this last night. It was fantastic. Both my husband and son said to keep in the rotation!
My boyfriend and I made this last night and we loved it! We only marinated it for an hour and it still had plenty of flavor! It makes a lot (especially b/c it was just the 2 of us), so I can’t wait to have leftovers tonight. Easy, quick, and delish!
It was fantastic!! I followed your recipe precisely, broiled the chicken and have no suggestions for improvement!! I paid attention to your warning and used just a touch of the boiled sauce. It was rich and delicious, quick and easy!!! Added to our rota for sure!!
Delicious! This will be a regular on the dinner table.
Will low sodium soy sauce work with this recipe?
Hi Stefanie, Yes, it will work. That said, I did test the recipe with low-sodium soy sauce, and I definitely preferred it with regular.