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Chicken teriyaki glazed with sauce with steamed rice.
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5 from 395 votes

Easy Chicken Teriyaki with Marinade

This easy chicken teriyaki is marinated then grilled, baked, or stir fried until perfectly cooked and juicy! Glaze with teriyaki sauce for the best chicken teriyaki that's even better than takeout! Works great with chicken breast or chicken thighs! 
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Total Time23 minutes
Course: dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Japanese
Servings: 2
Calories: 412kcal

Ingredients

Chicken Teriyaki Marinade & Sauce

  • cup low sodium soy sauce
  • cup mirin see Note 2 for substitutions
  • cup sugar see Note 3 for substitutions
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic or ginger (optional)

Instructions

  • Prep chicken: Flatten the chicken so it's about ¾ inch thick for even cooking. Place in a zipper bag or large bowl to marinate.
  • Marinade: Combine the ingredients for the marinade and mix together until the sugar dissolves. Reserve half for later use and marinate the chicken with the remaining half for at least 15 minutes to overnight in the fridge.
    ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce, ⅓ cup mirin, ⅓ cup sugar

Cook Chicken (Grill, Pan fry, or Bake)

  • Grill or Pan fry: Heat your grill or pan over medium high heat and add the oil. Remove chicken from the marinade, wiping off the excess. Cook skin-side down if using skin-on chicken and flip when golden brown.
    During the last 3 minutes, add your desired amount of the reserved teriyaki marinade. It will reduce and thicken into a glaze as the chicken cooks. Internal temperature should register 165°F and juices should run clear.
  • (Optional) Bake: Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking pan. Bake chicken for about 20 until fully cooked, brushing on the reserved sauce a few times during the last 5 to 7 minutes. The reserved sauce will thicken into a glaze. Reduce the heat if it starts to burn.

Serve

  • Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and serve over steamed rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and spoon any remaining glaze over the chicken. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. You can use both skinless or skin-on chicken thighs or chicken breast. 
  2. Mirin - substitute with sake or any white wine. Non-alcoholic substitute: use stock or water with a few drops of vinegar or lemon juice.
  3. Sugar - substitute with honey, agave, or brown sugar
  4. When baking, keep an eye on the chicken as the sugar in the marinade can easily burn if your oven is too hot.
Note: Recipe photos used grill pan method. 

Variations:

Teriyaki marinade - Though not traditional, feel free to add garlic, ginger, or green onions.
Stir fry chicken teriyaki - Cut the chicken into bite size pieces, no need to marinate. Stir fry with half of the marinade until chicken is fully cooked and sauce is thickened. Add any vegetables you'd like during the last 5 minutes.
Spicy chicken teriyaki - Add red pepper flakes, sriracha, or chopped jalapeno or serrano peppers.

Nutrition

Calories: 412kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 162mg | Sodium: 1869mg | Potassium: 494mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 41IU | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 2mg