Teriyaki chicken made from scratch in no time! This super speedy Japanese dish is made with a sweet yet tangy sauce and fresh pineapple, so delicious!
The tropical flavors of teriyaki chicken make me feel like I’m on vacation every time I eat it. Sweet and vibrantly yellow, fresh pineapple is the secret weapon in this dish. It has a mild acidity, which is just enough to balance the thick and sweet hoisin sauce.
Serve this sweet and tangy chicken over rice, or over greens with chopped peanuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Teriyaki Chicken Japanese?
Teriyaki refers to a cooking technique in Japanese: Teri means “luster” given by the sweet and savory marinade and yaki means to cook or grill.
How do you Make Teriyaki Sauce?
The sauce is a delicious balance of sweet and tangy and is made with just a few simple ingredients! Here’s what you need to make it;
- Soy sauce – choose low sodium soy sauce to reduce salt
- Rice wine vinegar – helps balance the sweetness
- Ginger – fresh minced ginger (I don’t recommend substituting ground ginger)
- Chinese 5 spice – an essential spice mix for an authentic flavor
- Hoisin sauce – you can substitute brown sugar or honey.
- Cornstarch – to thicken the sauce
What’s the Best Chicken to Use?
I use boneless and skinless chicken breasts for this recipe but chicken thighs would also work really well, just make sure they are skinless and boneless!
Can I Prep this in Advance?
The best way to prep ahead is to make the sauce and marinate the chicken. I recommend marinating the chicken for 30 minutes to 1 hour but you can leave it overnight if you prefer.
Pro Tip: Make sure to leave out the vinegar if you are marinading the chicken for longer than 1 hour or it’ll turn the chicken rubbery.
Then when you’re ready to eat you’ll be able to cook this dish from start to finish in under 15 minutes! The perfect way to get dinner on the table during busy weeknights!
What Can I Serve with Teriyaki Chicken?
I love to serve this teriyaki chicken with long-grain white rice such as basmati and garnish it with chopped green onion or cilantro which gives a really nice flavor to the dish.
Chinese egg noodles or steamed or stir-fried vegetables would also be a delicious side. Why not try broccoli, bell peppers or mushrooms!
How to Store Leftovers
You can freeze leftover teriyaki chicken in suitable containers or bags. Thaw completely before reheating.
You can also store leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days and reheat as needed or eat cold.
How to Make Teriyaki Chicken
1. In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, and 5 spice.
2. Add half of soy sauce mixture to the chicken, refrigerate.
3. Using a slotted spoon, add chicken to a hot skillet.
4. Whisk remaining sauce ingredients into remaining soy sauce mixture; set aside.
5. Cook chicken until browned and cooked through.
6. Add pineapple and sauce to skillet; cook until thickened. Garnish as desired with cilantro or green onions. Serve over rice, if desired
Tips and Ideas for Making Speedy Teriyaki Chicken
- Fresh pineapple works best for this recipe, but you don’t have to peel it yourself. Save time by picking up a cored pineapple at the grocery store. You can sub canned pineapple in a pinch, but it won’t have the same level of tartness.
- This recipe uses about half of a fresh pineapple.
- This teriyaki marinade is also great with chicken wings or drumsticks; simply adjust the cook time accordingly.
- If you want to marinate the chicken overnight for even bigger flavor, leave the vinegar out of the marinade, so it won’t make the chicken rubbery.
- If you forget to pick up hoisin sauce at the grocery, substitute 2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey.
- You can also use turkey, pork or beef instead of chicken.
More Delicious Homemade Takeout Recipes You Might Like
If you’ve tried this Teriyaki Chicken Recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. minced ginger
- ½ tsp. Chinese 5 spice
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
- 1 tsp. cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
- 2 cups 1-inch pineapple chunks
- Fresh cilantro or chopped green onions for garnish
- Hot cooked rice to serve
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, and 5 spice.
- Place chicken in a medium bowl or Ziploc bag.
- Add half of soy sauce mixture to chicken. Refrigerate 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Whisk hoisin sauce and cornstarch into remaining soy sauce mixture; set aside.
- Heat oils in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Using a slotted spoon, add chicken to pan; discard marinade.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is browned and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add pineapple and sauce to skillet; cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- Garnish as desired with cilantro or green onions. Serve over rice, if desired
Notes
- Fresh pineapple works best for this recipe, but you don’t have to peel it yourself. Save time by picking up a cored pineapple at the grocery store. You can sub canned pineapple in a pinch, but it won’t have the same level of tartness.
- This recipe uses about half of a fresh pineapple.
- This teriyaki marinade is also great with chicken wings or drumsticks; simply adjust the cook time accordingly.
- If you want to marinate the chicken overnight for even bigger flavor, leave the vinegar out of the marinade, so it won’t make the chicken rubbery.
- If you forget to pick up hoisin sauce at the grocery, substitute 2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey.
Easy peasy another great recipe, thanks John