Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
Posted Jan 21, 2026
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This baked or grilled teriyaki chicken recipe is tender and juicy thanks to a flavorful homemade teriyaki marinade. An easy, high-protein dinner everyone loves.
This teriyaki chicken recipe is one of my favorites! Chicken is marinated in a sweet-savory homemade teriyaki chicken marinade that soaks into every bite, creating juicy, flavorful chicken your whole family will love. Serve it with a side of homemade teriyaki sauce for the best chicken you’ve ever had (also try my crock pot teriyaki chicken).
One of the best things about this recipe is that this teriyaki chicken can be cooked on the grill or in the oven—which means it’s so versatile you can make it all year long!
Whether you bake it on a chilly evening or fire up the grill in the summer, this teriyaki chicken is a recipe you’ll find yourself making on repeat. It’s best served with rice (especially fried rice), stir-fried vegetables, Asian chicken salad or your favorite Asian-inspired recipes. It’s a hit with both kids and adults. If you’re looking for a reliable, high-protein dinner that delivers big flavor with minimal effort, this is it.
Teriyaki Chicken Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Brown sugar. honey, granulated sugar and organic cane sugar work well in this recipe.
- Minced garlic and ginger. You can substitute both with powdered garlic and ginger.
- Chicken Breasts. You can use this teriyaki marinade for any meat – flank steak, salmon, chicken thighs, etc.
- Note on mirin. I do not recommend substituting miring. You can purchase mirin in every major grocery store or order it on Amazon. It’s worth waiting until you have it to make this recipe.
How to Make Teriyaki Chicken
Let’s walk through this recipe together, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Great teriyaki chicken starts with a delicious teriyaki chicken marinade – of course. So, the first step is to whisk the marinade ingredients together.
I suggest making the marinade in the glass container (with a lid) in which you plan on marinating the chicken so you save yourself some dish washing.
Then add the chicken breasts (or your preferred chicken or meat of choice) and turn to coat.
Make sure to flip the chicken halfway through marinating so that every square inch is infused with flavor!
Then, when you’re ready to cook, you can either bake or grill the chicken. To bake, spray a 9×13″ glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking spray or grease it with olive oil.
Then, arrange the chicken in a single layer in the baking dish and bake. Baste with the marinade every 10 minutes.
I suggest using a meat thermometer so you can be sure the chicken is cooked, but doesn’t get over-cooked. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees celsius).
Or, you can grill the chicken over medium heat, brushing with sauce every 5 minutes, until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees celsius).
Make the Teriyaki Sauce
Could you thicken the unused marinade, cook it and use it as sauce – sure. But I don’t prefer to do that because meat has been soaking in it and I just can’t get over that in my head.
So, I suggest making my homemade teriyaki sauce to serve drizzled on top of your baked or grilled teriyaki chicken. It’s the best!
Serve
Serve drizzled with homemade teriyaki sauce and your favorite Asian-inspired recipes. Some suggestions include: vegetable lo mein, fried rice, spring rolls, Asian quinoa salad, or just plain white rice or noodles.
Store/Freeze
Store leftover teriyaki chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat in a steam oven, in the microwave or on the stovetop. Or, you can serve it cold over asian salad!
Teriyaki Chicken Recipe FAQS
You should marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. But for the best results marinate for 6-12 hours.
Boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs are my top two choices.
Yes, if you plan on using it as a sauce you need to boil it. But I recommend making my homemade teriyaki sauce instead.
Make sure you baste or brush it with sauce as it cooks. And use a thermometer so you don’t overcook the chicken.
Yes. You can marinate the chicken up to a day in advance or cook it fully and store it in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. It reheats well.
Serve it with white or brown rice, fried rice, stir-fried vegetables, Asian chicken salad, etc.
If you make and love my recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so I can see your creations!
Teriyaki Chicken Recipe and Marinade
Video
Equipment
- glass container with lid (large)
Ingredients
- ¾ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup brown sugar (or honey)
- ¼ cup mirin
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon fresh ginger (grated)
- 2 pounds chicken breasts (or thighs)
Instructions
- Whisk marinade ingredients together in a 8-10 cup (2 L) glass container with a lid.
- Place chicken breasts in the marinade and turn to coat, then secure the lid to the container.
- Marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours, and up to 24 hours, in the refrigerator.
- Flip the chicken in the marinade halfway through.
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before cooking at let it sit at room temperature in the marinade. You can also remove the chicken from the marinade and let it sit in the baking dish until it's close to room temperature. This is critical to avoid “rubbery” chicken, which is caused when the chicken changes temperature drastically in a short amount of time.
Make Teriyaki Sauce for Serving
- NOTE: Some people boil the marinade and use it as a sauce. I do not prefer to do this. So, I suggest making my homemade teriyaki sauce while the chicken is marinating to use to serve with this dish.
- Keep about ¼ cup in the saucepan (for basting) and transfer the rest to a pyrex measuring cup with a handle and spout for serving.
To Bake the Teriyaki Chicken
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius).
- Spray a 9×13" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or coat with oil.
- Place chicken breasts in the greased baking dish in a single layer.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes – or until the chicken is 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius). NOTE: Baking time depends greatly on the thickness of your chicken breasts.
- Baste the chicken with homemade teriyaki sauce every 10 minutes.
Grill the Teriyaki Chicken
- Grill the chicken breasts over medium heat until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees celsius). Flip the chicken once halfway through cooking. Cook time depends on the thickness of your breasts.
- Brush with homemade teriyaki sauce every 5 minutes.
Notes
- Brown sugar. honey, granulated sugar and organic cane sugar work well in this recipe.
- Minced garlic and ginger. You can substitute both with powdered garlic and ginger.
- Chicken Breasts. You can use this teriyaki marinade for any meat – flank steak, salmon, chicken thighs, etc.
- Note on mirin. I do not recommend substituting miring. You can purchase mirin in every major grocery store or order it on Amazon. It’s worth waiting until you have it to make this recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
