Name: Chicken Teriyaki
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups brown rice (cooked); 1 package boneless skinless chicken breast (cubed); 1/2 white onion (long strips); 2 zucchini (julienned); 1 cup shredded carrot; 2 cups frozen broccoli; 1/4 cup soy sauce; 1 tbs corn starch; 2 tbs white wine; 2 tbs rice vinegar; 1 clove garlic; 1/4 tsp sesame oil; 1/8 tsp ground ginger; 1 tbs mayonaisse; 1 splash paprika; 1/4 tsp lemon juice; 1 dash cayenne pepper

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A quick and simple chicken teriyaki. The recipe includes homemade teriyaki sauce, vegetables, and chicken. Plus, a homemade YumYum sauce.

A quick stirfry is my go-to meal on busy weeknights. They only require one pan and I can load it full of vegetables. My family loves stirfry served over rice, so I typically use soy sauce as the base.

My favorite stirfry is quick chicken teriyaki. I fell in love with teriyaki chicken in college. We had a quick service hibachi place near campus. I used to go almost weekly. Now, my homemade version is the closest I can get.

What is Chicken Teriyaki?

Typically, when we think of teriyaki we think of the sauce. However, the term teriyaki actually refers to a Japanese cooking technique. It’s when meat is marinaded in a soy sauce mixture and then grilled or broiled. It creates a dark glaze over the cooked meat.

A teriyaki sauce is made with soy sauce, mirin, ginger, and other ingredients. It’s sweet compared to plain soy sauce. And the sweet components give the meat a dark glaze.

Looking for more simple, fast dinners? Try the Lemon Dill Salmon sheet pan meal! Or One-Pot Chicken Stew!

Chicken Teriyaki Recipe

Ingredients

Soy sauce
Cornstarch
White wine
Rice vinegar
Garlic
Sesame oil
Ginger
Chicken
Vegetables (Typically onion, zucchini, broccoli, and carrot)

Prepare the Teriyaki Sauce/Marinade

Combine soy sauce, cornstarch, white wine, rice vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, and ginger in a large bowl. Each component of the sauce is important.

Cornstarch

Cornstarch acts as a tenderizer, protector, and thickening agent in teriyaki sauce. It helps protect the meat from the heat of the hot pan. This ensures it won’t overcook or be too tough. It also thickens the sauce. This helps prevent it from being too thin or runny.

White Wine

For this recipe, the wine acts as a sweetener. The alcohol cooks off, leaving behind the sugars of the wine. This sweetens the sauce. It also helps brown the outside of the meat. Leaving behind a flavorful, crisp outer layer.

Teriyaki Vegetables

Julienne cut half a white onion and two zucchini. Julienne is a cutting technique that essentially means cutting into thin strips. I love long, thin vegetables in stirfry. They require less time to cook thoroughly. And ensures there are big bites of each vegetable.

I typically take a shortcut and use pre-shredded carrot in stirfry. It keeps it quick and easy. I also use small frozen broccoli florets.

Allow the vegetables to soak in the teriyaki marinade for about 5 minutes before adding them to a hot pan. Use tongs or a fork to transfer the vegetables into the pan. Save the teriyaki sauce to marinate the chicken.

Cook the vegetables until they wilt, then add the chicken.

Choosing the Right Pan

Traditionally, stir-fries are cooked in a hot wok. But that’s not a pan everyone owns. I use a cast-iron frying pan that is about 2 inches deep. It’s perfect for holding a lot of ingredients when cooking.

Any frying pan with high sides will work for this recipe!

Marinate the Chicken Teriyaki

Cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts into small cubes. Soak the chicken in the teriyaki sauce for about 5-10 minutes. Then pour the chicken and the sauce into the hot pan with the vegetables.

For my family, a pack of chicken breasts (usually around 2 lbs.) is perfect for dinner and leftovers the next day.

Cook the chicken with the sauce and vegetables on medium to medium-high heat until chicken is cooked through. Stir the chicken and sauce consistently to keep the sauce from burning.

Serve Over Rice

Serve chicken teriyaki over white or brown rice. Rice pairs so well with the flavors of the dish. Plus, it makes this dinner incredibly filling.

Yum Yum Sauce

Yum Yum sauce is the perfect compliment for chicken teriyaki. It’s delicious! Just like the name suggests. Yum Yum sauce is a Japanese steakhouse mayonaisse-based dipping sauce. You can buy Yum Yum sauce at the grocery store, or you can make it.

Combine a tbs. of mayo, a splash of lemon juice, a tiny bit of cayenne, and a dash of paprika in a small bowl. Drizzle the sauce over the teriyaki or dip the meat directly in the sauce.

We eat chicken teriyaki almost every week because it’s quick and easy. Switch the vegetables for things that your family likes. And leave out the meat if you’re vegetarian.

To make this dish gluten-free, use a gluten-free soy sauce. Also, check the ingredients for rice vinegar and cornstarch!