Teriyaki Chicken is made with just five ingredients in your own kitchen. It’s as delicious as your favorite takeout restaurant. Try it today!
If you like classic Chinese Chicken Recipes like General Tso’s Chicken and Sweet and Sour Chicken, then you’re going to love this easy to make takeout dish made right at home!
Sabrina’s Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
You can make the BEST homemade version with this recipe! Trust me, this marinade is magic! Kids, guests and family all love this Chinese chicken dish. And it’s so easy – I usually don’t even add the garlic and ginger unless I have some in the house already and it’s still so finger-licking good!
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs , boneless and skinless
- 1/4 cup sake , (or white wine)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup mirin
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger , optional
- 1 tablespoon grated garlic , optional
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients into a large Tupperware or resealable bag and marinate for at least 30 minutes but preferably 3-4 hours.
- In a large skillet add the chicken thighs on medium heat, cooking 4-5 minutes on each side before removing from the pan and adding in the marinade.
- Let the marinade come to a rolling boil and cook on medium heat until thickened (4-5 minutes) before adding the chicken back in to coat.
Nutrition
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Sabrina’s Tips
Depending on your choice of chicken cut, there are different techniques for each one. You’ll marinate the chicken pieces as usual. Drain the sauce into a separate bowl and pat the chicken down before using these Alternative Cooking Techniques that you will find below.
Table of contents
About this Recipe
Teriyaki Chicken is one of the classic Chinese takeout recipes we all love that most people don’t bother making at home, instead order it from a favorite restaurant. Or if they do make it, they just grab a pre-made sauce that is either expensive, already reduced or really salty. This homemade takeout dish is so easy with just a handful of ingredients.
Pairing Suggestions
Enjoy a night in with your favorite take out menu items made right in your own kitchen! Pair this chicken with Chinese Fried Rice (10 Minutes!) and Classic Chinese Chow Mein. Don’t forget about the Egg Rolls and Potstickers for a full meal!
How to Store
- Serve: Chicken is okay to leave at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
- Store: Keep leftovers for up to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container.
- Freeze: You can freeze your chicken for up to 2 months in an airtight container. To make ahead, mix the sauce ahead of time and freeze in airtight containers.
Alternative Cooking Techniques
- Chicken breast: Add a bit of canola oil to the pan and sear on medium-high heat until cooked through. Remove from the pan and rest. Cook and reduce the sauce as usual. Thinly slice the chicken and toss in the sauce to coat.
- Chicken wings: Add marinated wings to a cookie sheet lined with foil. Cook at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Flip wings and cook another 25-30 minutes, until cooked through. While the chicken is cooking reduce the marinade on the stovetop in a small pan then coat the cooked wings.
- Chicken legs: Add the legs to a baking pan and cook at 375 degrees for 45-60 minutes, until they reach 165 degrees internally. Reduce the marinade on the stovetop in a small pan then coat with the chicken. Pop under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp the skin.
Frequent Questions
Absolutely! You can use the same sauce but you will want to use bone-in chicken thighs. Check out my 5-Ingredient Baked Chicken Teriyaki recipe for the full instructions!
The chicken needs to marinate in the sauce for at least 30 minutes. But for the most flavorful, tender chicken you’ll want to marinate for about 3-4 hours.
No need to make a separate sauce for cooking with my recipe! You just need to bring it to a rapid boil to kill any salmonella or other bacteria to make it safe to eat. After boiling, it gets reduced and thickened to coat the chicken.
Related Recipes
More Delicious Asian Chicken Recipes
Photos used in previous versions of this post.
I tried this recipe after my Sam’s Club store stopped carrying my family’s favorite teriyaki chicken. My husband, who is super picky, loved this. I always triple the recipe and my family of 5 always have plenty of left overs. The youngest loved to pack it for school lunch the next day. I serve it with steamed rice and broccoli.
Made it as written with no changes. Wished the sauce had thickened up a bit more. It did as it sat. Was fantastic with broccoli on the side.
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
What size should we cut the chicken thighs into?
You can cut them into 1 1/2 inch pieces.
Do you cut the chicken thighs before or after cooking in the pan?
You can do it either way.
What’s a good sub for mirin? Would rice wine vinegar work?
Dry sherry or adding a couple tablespoons of sugar to white wine would be close enough changes.
Great recipe, but with what could I substitute Mirin since I can’t get any?
Dry Sherry or add a couple tablespoons of sugar to white wine as substitutes. 🙂
I love teriyaki anything, so I knew I would love this recipe! Delish!!
xo Michael
Thanks, Michael!
What can be used as a substitute if I can’t find cooking sake? Would regular sake work?
You can use white wine as a substitute too.
So delicious and easy to make! Love that it uses chicken thighs.
this has my mouth watering!! Can you tell me what mirin is? do most grocery stores carry it?
https://amzn.to/2QDEgcT Here’s the link to the mirin that I used in this recipe.
It’s a sweet tasting rice wine. You can find it in most grocery stores either in the oil aisle or if there’s an Asian section, it’ll be there.
This looks so yummy! Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Jessica!
This looks SO flavorful! Can’t wait to try it!