Easy Teriyaki Chicken Recipe

If you're looking for a quick, kid-friendly weeknight dinner recipe, this easy teriyaki chicken from recipe developer and writer Ting Dalton is just what you need! According to The Spruce Eats, teriyaki is a cooking method that comes from Japan, but in the United States and elsewhere, teriyaki specifically refers to the sauce. The most common use for teriyaki sauce is as a glaze or marinade for meat and fish, and teriyaki chicken is a staple menu item in many Japanese restaurants.

If you've only bought teriyaki sauce before, it might seem a bit intimidating to make your own, but this recipe should put those fears to rest. You only need a total of 25 minutes and minimal kitchen equipment and ingredients to get this easy chicken teriyaki on the table. No sauce from a jar or takeout required! "We love this easy teriyaki chicken because it's an easy and quick dinner that can be whipped up in no time," Dalton says. "The kids like it, too, which is a winner." Whether you have picky palates to please or you just want to make an easy dinner, you can't go wrong with this easy recipe.

For this recipe, you'll need 2 pounds of chicken thigh fillets, cut into cubes. You'll also need vegetable oil, two cloves of minced garlic, green onions, soy sauce, brown sugar, and lazy ginger. "Lazy ginger is ginger purée you get in a tube or jar, but you can use fresh [grated] ginger," Dalton says.

You'll also need mirin, which is a type of cooking wine. If you can't find mirin, Dalton says that you can substitute sherry or rice wine vinegar, or leave it out altogether.

Combine the sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and mirin together in a bowl. You're well on your way to making your own teriyaki sauce — no need for a store-bought sauce here!

Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan and add the chicken. Stir fry for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken is seared on all sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Add the sauce mixture to the skillet and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir until the sauce thickens and becomes sticky, or around 5 to 6 minutes. Dalton urges patience here: "If you don't think that sauce is thickening, be patient and keep cooking on a high heat."

Once the sauce is has reached the right consistency, return the chicken to the pan and add the green onions. Stir everything together until the sauce coats the chicken, and keep cooking until the sauce is reduced.

Once the sauce has cooked down enough, your easy teriyaki chicken is ready to eat. Dalton suggests serving it with rice and a green vegetable. "The sauce is sticky and sweet," Dalton says. "[It] goes really well with rice and green vegetables including broccoli, steamed bok choy or snow peas." This teriyaki chicken should last in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and in the freezer for 3 months.