Easy Teriyaki Chicken {with Sticky Sauce}

Name: Easy Teriyaki Chicken {with Sticky Sauce}
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 650 g Chicken breasts (Skinless, boneless, cut into chunks); 1 tbsp Oil (Sesame, vegetable or sunflower); 2 Cloves of garlic (Peeled and crushed); 1 tsp Ginger puree; 2 tsp Cornflour; 100 ml Soy sauce; 50 ml Water; 3 tbsp Honey; 2 tbsp White wine vinegar; 0.5 tsp Garlic powder; 1 tsp Ginger purée; 0.5 tsp Dried chilli flakes (Optional); Sesame seeds

This Teriyaki Chicken recipe with a delicious sticky sauce makes a brilliant, quick, healthy, midweek meal. No need to marinate – just stir fry and serve.

Full meal of teriyaki chicken and rice and broccoli laid on a table.

Dinner in 30 minutes that still feels like a mega treat (eg. FAKEAWAY)… yes please! And this sauce is sticky, sweet, salty, savoury and just simply delicious.

This Teriyaki Chicken is one of my ancient recipes from when I first started blogging many moons ago. I’ve tweaked, tested and improved it over the years, and I am pleased to report it’s still as yummy as ever.

A firm favourite back on our meal plans for that quick, satisfying win, be it midweek or a weekend.

Why you’ll love this Teriyaki Chicken recipe

⭐️ Healthier and cheaper than a takeaway

⭐️ So quick and no need to marinate

⭐️ Perfect for leftovers or meal prepping ahead

An image to go alongside a recipe for teriyaki chicken.

About Teriyaki Chicken

Teriyaki is a Japanese style of cooking using a glaze. The glaze is cooked until thick and then used to marinate the meat before cooking.

You can buy it as a pre-made bottled sauce, but honestly? My recipe is made using relatively low cost supermarket ingredients and it is so quick and simple. No nasties and full of flavour.

If you would like to find out more about traditional Teriyaki sauce made using authentic Japanese methods, you can find out more at Just One Cookbook.

Teriyaki Chicken Ingredients

Ingredients for teriyaki chicken recipe laid on a counter.

Chicken breast or thighs
Sesame oil
Soy sauce – Buying the best quality you can will make a difference. I like Kikkoman (with less salt).
Honey – I use runny as it’s easier to handle and pour, but any is fine.
White wine vinegar
Garlic – As always, you can use fresh, frozen, a jar or paste
Ginger – Again, ready-prepared or fresh is fine
Cornflour – Always add a little liquid to make up a slurry first (see FAQs)
Garlic powder – You can use fresh instead if you don’t have this

How to make Chicken Teriyaki

How to make Teriyaki Chicken. Step 1. Mix the sauce in a bowl.

1. Mix the teriyaki sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Begin with the cornflour and gradually add the soy sauce, whisking so there are no lumps. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients.

A process image of how to make teriyaki chicken. Step 2. Add the sauce to the cooked chicken in the pan.

2. Heat the oil and add the chicken until cooked. Add garlic and ginger for a few minutes and add the teriyaki sauce. Cook for 5 minutes until coated and thickened.

Substitutions

Chicken – You can use breasts or thighs for this recipe as both work really well. Thighs are usually cheaper and slightly tastier and juicier in texture, but it’s down to personal preference.
Oil – Sesame oil will add flavour if you have it, but no need to buy especially if you don’t. Vegetable or sunflower oil would be fine.
Vinegar – I use white wine vinegar but you can also use red wine vinegar or Mirin (a Japanese rice wine).

Leftovers

In the fridge You can keep this recipe in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat fully by in the microwave or hob before serving. You might need splash of water.

In the freezer This recipe freezes well. Just wait until it’s totally cold and then put into a freezer proof container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating in the microwave or hob.

Top tips for making Teriyaki Chicken

What to serve with Teriyaki Chicken

This goes really well with rice and green vegetables on the side, such as broccoli. Mangetout, green beans or carrots also work. If you like your vegetables coated in sauce, when they’re cooked you can mix them into the teriyaki sauce just before serving.

Teriyaki Chicken FAQs

Is this a very salty dish?

I have thoroughly tested this recipe and my family loves it, and doesn’t find it too salty at all. However, I do appreciate that some people might find that it is as it’s made with a lot of soy sauce, so is by nature quite salty.

You can buy a soy sauce with less salt in, but if that’s not to your taste, you might be best with a different fakeaway chicken recipe instead, such as my Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken.

How do you make a cornflour ‘slurry’?

This is a trick to thicken the sauce without ending up with floury lumps.

First you add cornflour to a small bowl, mug or jug, then use a little liquid from the dish (a spoonful or two) to mix the cornflour into a paste consistency.

If you just sprinkle cornflour straight into the dish, it will form lumps that are almost impossible to get rid of. I promise this step is worth the extra dirty bowl!

Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.

Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).