Baked teriyaki chicken is easy to make, tender and juicy, and marinated in a sweet and savory homemade teriyaki sauce for chicken thighs or breasts that cooks in under 30 minutes.
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White meat chicken may win the popularity award, but chicken thighs are highly underrated and deserve more love. With their dark meat, chicken thighs are super flavorful and rarely taste dry. But when you’re leaning toward a leaner protein, you can’t beat chicken breasts. Luckily, this teriyaki chicken recipe delivers to both camps of chicken dinner lovers. Like my Crock Pot teriyaki chicken, this recipe is ideal for meal prep or pulling off as a fast weeknight dinner with perfectly cooked white rice and sesame broccoli or used in a Asian chicken salad.tfoo. After time to marinate in an easy homemade teriyaki sauce to infuse flavor, the chicken bakes in under 30 minutes to make a beyond flavorful and delicious dinner you’ll call on time and time again.
Why You’ll Love It
- This easy teriyaki chicken recipe is baked in the oven and cooks in just 30 minutes, making it a stellar candidate for a quick weeknight dinner
- You can use skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs, or both!
- The homemade teriyaki sauce calls for just a few ingredients, and many of them are staples you likely already have in your pantry.
What’s In Teriyaki Chicken
- Sugar—the sugar adds just the right level of sweetness in the sauce and promotes caramelization when cooking
- Soy sauce—the central ingredient of teriyaki sauce and what gives it most of its awesome salty umami flavor
- Rice vinegar—for mellow acidity and tang (you could also use mirin)
- Garlic—mash or smash it extra smooth so it melts into the sauce for savory flavor and a bit of heat
- Cornstarch—for thickening the sauce
- Freshly ground black pepper—always, for flavor
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or boneless chicken breasts—chicken thighs will be more savory and won’t dry out as quickly, but chicken breasts are a leaner cut of meat
How to Make Baked Teriyaki Chicken
- Make the teriyaki sauce. Whisk the sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, cornstarch, and pepper in a small saucepan over low heat. Bring to a rolling simmer, stirring frequently, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat then transfer to a small bowl and cool for 10-20 minutes so the sauce thickens.
- Prep the chicken breasts and thighs. Using scissors, remove any pieces of fat from each chicken breast or thigh.
How Long to Marinate Chicken Teriyaki
- Marinate the teriyaki chicken. Trim any extra fat or tendrils from the chicken and place in a medium bowl or gallon freezer bag. Add half of the cooled teriyaki sauce to the chicken, reserving the rest of the teriyaki sauce for basting. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes up to overnight. I find 2 hours adds a good depth of flavor but you could start marinating in the morning and let it steep all day while at work.
Bake the Chicken
- Place chicken pieces in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish or individual baking dishes sprayed with cooking spray.
- Bake and sauce. Bake in a 425°F oven for 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F and juices run clear. The temp will rise to 165°F as it rests. Pour the remaining sauce over the chicken when serving.
Storage Tips
The teriyaki sauce will keep stored in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for about one week. The cooked chicken will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
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Easy Recipe for Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or boneless skinlees chicken breasts , slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make a thinner cutlet
Instructions
- Whisk the sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, cornstarch, and pepper in a small saucepan over low heat. Bring to a rolling simmer, stirring frequently, and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat to cool.
- Place the chicken in freezer bags or shallow bowls with half to ¾ of the teriyaki sauce. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight. I find 2 hours gives great flavor.
- Bake in a 425°F oven for 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F and juices run clear. The temp will rise to 165°F as it rests. Pour the remaining sauce over the chicken when serving.
Notes
You can marinate the chicken for as little as 30 minutes up to overnight. I find 2 hours gives plenty of flavor.
Choose chicken breasts cut lengthwise into cutlets to absorb plenty of flavor and cook quickly. Or, use chicken thighs for an extra moist, dark meat flavor. Or cook a combination of both!
