Teriyaki Chicken Bowl Recipe - 💯 times better than
Next time try Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs!
Tender juicy teriyaki chicken, rice and bok choy make this bowl a full meal!
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Why you'll love this recipe
Hands down this teriyaki chicken bowl is an easy recipe and one of my favorites. We enjoy this recipe all summer long. The homemade sauce is sweet and salty and it's a complete meal in a bowl!
Make the sauce in the morning and add the chicken and by dinner time it's ready to go! It has such amazing flavor.
Serve with white, brown or cauliflower rice and packed with your favorite vegetables for a perfect dinner the whole family will love!
Ingredients
For the exact measurements, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Don't worry, this is a short shopping list!
- boneless/skinless white meat chicken or dark meat chicken - use your favorite or what you have on hand
- cooked white rice or brown rice if you'd prefer. You can even use cauliflower rice!
- low sodium soy sauce is my preference, but you can also use regular.
- brown sugar - light or dark - either will work, dark brown sugar will have a richer flavor from the molasses.
- fresh ginger - I've substituted ground ginger, but I really prefer fresh. The flavor for ground can be very overpowering, BUT it will work in a pinch.
- green onions or cilantro for just a hint of freshness.
- sesame oil - adds a nutty toasted flavor. There's no substitute for toasted sesame oil, it totally makes this dish!
- fresh minced garlic - you can use dried minced garlic, but I prefer fresh.
- optional garnish - sesame seeds or cilantro, just to make it pretty!
Instructions
Steps to make the bowl
- Combine soy sauce and marinade ingredients in a ziplock bag or airtight container. Soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, onion, garlic & sesame oil for the sauce ingredients.
- Add the boneless, skinless chicken thighs to the ziplock bag. Place it in a separate pan (just in case the bag springs a leak!) and refrigerate, you can even leave it overnight. (This is simple enough to put together before work in the morning and grill when you get home.) For best flavor, marinade raw chicken at least an hour, up to 12 hours.
- When it's time to grill, remove the chicken from the bag shaking off the excess liquid. Discard the liquid.
- Cook rice and grill the vegetables.
- Grill the chicken until the thighs are completely cooked thru - about 6-8 minutes per side depending on the size of the meat.
- Remove from the grill and place on a plate. Cover loosely with foil and allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes. Chop into small
bite sized pieces. - Serve the meat over cooked rice, drizzle with teriyaki sauce. If desired, grill or steam vegetables and serve alongside.
FAQ
Teriyaki is actually a Japanese method of cooking in which food is marinated and then broiled or grilled.
Measure the soy sauce and brown sugar and place in a large ziploc bag. Grate the ginger and garlic. Chop onions and add them to the bag. Add the sesame oil. Mix well and that's it!
The chicken thighs with the marinade have just over 400 calories each. Using chicken breast will lessen the calories but in my opinion, you lose a lot of flavor. I'm a big fan of thighs - but use your favorite cut.
Absolutely! Frozen broccoli or cauliflower would be delicious with this meal. Keep it simple.
No, discard the marinade after removing the chicken.
Tips
Assembling the sauce in a ziplock bag. That makes it easy to add the meat when it's time to marinade. Use a large measuring cup to hold the bag upright.
Place the ziplock bag with the chicken in a large bowl and refrigerate. That way in-case the bag springs a leak, the bowl will be there to catch it.
Use an instant read thermometer to check if it's completely cooked - poultry is done when it registers 165 degrees.
Variations
Just about any type of vegetables are good served with this Chicken Teriyaki Bowl Recipe!
- grilled bok choy
- steamed carrots
- steamed broccoli
- steamed green beans
- stir fried snow peas
- sautéed asparagus
- green salad
- steamed sugar snap peas
- bell peppers - red, orange or yellow are the sweetest
You can use white or brown rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa or really any grain.
Spice up your sauce with black pepper, Sriracha, red chili flakes or red chili paste for a kick of heat!
Of course! If you don't have an outdoor grill, baking the chicken is the next best thing!
If you don't want to make your own sauce, purchase traditional teriyaki sauce at the grocery store! That works just as well.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Start with a grill pan on the stovetop. Get it super hot, then add the chicken. Sear it well on side one, flip it and then pop it right into the oven. It will take 10-15 minutes depending upon the cut of chicken.
No time to grill chicken? Don't fret. Use rotisserie chicken. Remove the meat from the chicken and toss in homemade teriyaki sauce. It's the next best thing!
Storage
Refrigerate - allow cooked chicken to cool to room temperature. Place in airtight containers, refrigerate for 3-4 days.
Freezer - This dish will freeze well. Place leftover chicken in sealed container. Top with a tablespoon soy sauce mixture to keep the chicken moist.
Reheat - allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven at 300 degrees until chicken is warmed through. About 20 minutes.
Related Recipes
It works for just about any type of protein and I have a ton of great teriyaki dishes on the blog.
- This recipe for Lemon Pepper Chicken is just as easy and flavorful as the Teriyaki Chicken Bowl Recipe. The yogurt tenderizes the meat too - YUM!T
- Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs - these are really my favorite, I'm such a fan of skewers! They are a real crowd pleaser too.
- You know that sweet sticky Bourbon Chicken you get at the food courts? Mmmm! Well here's the recipe so now you can make it at home, delicious!
- Teriyaki Noodles that are better than take-out! - super easy and packed with flavor.
- Grilled Chili Lime Chicken - the BEST chili lime chicken ever! It's not spicy, just super flavorful!
- Teriyaki Marinade - great for beef - sirloin, steaks or tri-tip, Pork - tenderloin or chops would be terrific with this sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Since the grill was already heated rather than making a salad I grilled some baby
Keep it simple! Sushi rice, brown or white rice is the perfect compliment to this meal, delicious!
If you use my recipe for Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe, the only change to it I make is to use jasmine rice. Don't worry you won't need a rice cooker, this recipe is super easy to make!
Broccoli, snow peas, carrots - really any vegetable (even frozen!) would be a great addition to this meal.
Serve this with Egg Roll in a Bowl - it's a great combination!
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If you love this recipe please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating!
Teriyaki Chicken Bowl Recipe
Ingredients
- 6-8 boneless skinless chicken
- 2 cups soy sauce
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 inch piece ginger root grated
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- ¼ cup sesame seed oil
- 1 bunch green onions chopped (green and white parts)
- cooked rice
- grilled or steamed vegetables
Instructions
- Measure the soy sauce and brown sugar, grate the ginger root and garlic. Place in a large ziploc bag.
- Chop the onions and add them to the bag, add the sesame oil. Mix well. Scoop out about half a cup and set aside to reserve.
- Next place chicken in the ziplock bag. Refrigerate for at least two hours. You can even leave it overnight. (This is simple enough to put together before work in the morning and grill when you get home.)
- When it's time to grill, remove the chicken from the bag shaking off the excess liquid. Discard the liquid. Grill the chicken until the thighs are completely cooked thru - about 6-8 minutes per side depending on the size of the meat.
- Remove from the grill and place on a plate. Cover loosely with foil and allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes . Chop into small bite sized pieces.
- While the meat is resting put the reserved sauce in a small pan on the stove. Bring it to a boil, then turn the burner on low and allow to simmer and reduce for ten minutes.
- Serve the meat over cooked rice, drizzle with reduced teriyaki sauce. If desired, grill or steam vegetables and serve alongside.
Video
Notes
- Start with a grill pan or large skillet on the stovetop. Get it super hot, then add the chicken.
- Sear it well on side one, flip it and then pop it right into the oven.
- It will take 10-15 minutes depending upon the cut and thickness of the chicken.
Nutrition
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Don't worry, we'll never share your email.Recipe backstory
While Dan and I were dating, one of our favorite restaurant was I ❤️ Teriyaki, a small spot in Mather. They grill mounds of chicken and it's served over rice with a small side salad. I created the Teriyaki Chicken Bowl Recipe after we got married and moved to Fresno so we could continue to enjoy that meal!
We stop and dine here whenever we have the chance. I've even been known to toss a cooler in the car. That way we can enjoy a meal from this restaurant, even when we're on the road!
What is your favorite restaurant meal you make at home?
What I've learned
You can't go wrong with this easy meal. Whether you prefer dark meat or boneless skinless chicken breasts, either are delicious. A quick sear over medium-high heat will seal in the juices and then just make sure the chicken is completely cooked.
