Teriyaki Chicken and Rice
Teriyaki has to be of the most addictive flavours to come out of the kitchen. Salty, sweet and sticky, it’s the perfect quick and tasty sauce for stir-fried meats. My easy recipe for Teriyaki Chicken and Rice is so quick, you can have it ready to go in the time it takes the rice to cook.
Teriyaki has to be of the most addictive flavours to come out of the kitchen. Salty, sweet and sticky, it’s the perfect quick and tasty sauce for stir-fried meats like chicken and pork.
What most people don’t realise is how simple it is to make at home, even with regular store cupboard ingredients. My easy recipe for Teriyaki Chicken and Rice is so speedy, you can have it all ready to go in the time it takes the rice to cook.
Isn’t it easier to just buy a jar from the supermarket?
While it might seem less effort to simply grab a jar of teriyaki sauce from the supermarket, I promise the flavour is so much better when you make it yourself.
What’s in homemade teriyaki sauce?
The sauce in this recipe has 6 ingredients, and you can easily substitute the more exotic ones for those that you have around the house. The more unusual ones are:
- Mirin: Mirin is a type of rice wine, similar to sake, but for cooking, purposes can easily be substituted with dry white wine or sherry.
- Sesame oil: If you can’t get any sesame oil, just use a tablespoon of neutral oil instead and scatter some extra sesame seeds at the end.
A perfect meal for two
This recipe makes enough for 2-3 portions. If you’d like to double it, you will need to fry the chicken in batches, so that the chicken browns and caramelises beautifully. Bear in mind the sauce will also take longer to reduce when you make bigger batches.
What should I serve with Teriyaki chicken?
I like to keep things simple and serve this easy Teriyaki Chicken with basmati rice and sliced cucumber, but you could easily make this part of a larger Japanese style feast with Pork and Spinach Gyoza or Homemade Sushi! I give instructions in the recipe below for my perfect, fluffy Basmati rice.
Chicken Thighs vs Chicken Breast
I always like to use chicken thighs for stir-frying as the flavour is better and they are nearly impossible to overcook. If you, or somebody that you are cooking for prefers breast meat, you can substitute it in this recipe, though I would thin the sauce with a tiny bit of water to help keep the meat moist.
more easy stir fry recipes
How about my easz Beef and Sesame stir fry? Or a tasty Chicken Cashew Nut? Like Spice? Go for my Restaurant Style Dragon Chicken or Thai Beef Salad.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I’ve tried making teriyaki chicken before and it’s very salty! Why is it so salty and can I fix that?
Teriyaki is supposed to be fairly salty, with a sweet/savoury flavour profile. Make sure you are using light soy sauce as dark soy sauce gives this dish too much punch. If you can find a sodium-reduced soy sauce you can use that too.
Why do you give the measurements for rice in cups in the recipe? Isn’t it more accurate to use grams?
I grew up in New Zealand where it is still very common to use cup measurements when cooking.
While some recipes require ultra accuracy, long-grain rice is a simple ratio of 1 part rice to 2 parts water. If you find the rice cooks up a little soft, simply reduce the water by 50ml next time.
Can I make teriyaki chicken in advance?
This is a great meal to make in advance and will keep for at least 3 days in the fridge after cooking. You can also make the sauce up well in advance and have it ready to go when you are.
Cooked chicken can be a bit dry when it is defrosted if you are planning to freeze the cooked teriyaki chicken, loosen the sauce with 1-2 Tbsp water before freezing.
This easy teriyaki sauce comes together so quickly, and all with easy to find ingredients – it’s great with meats as well as tofu or vegetables.
TERIYAKI CHICKEN AND RICE RECIPE
Teriyaki Chicken and Rice
Teriyaki has to be of the most addictive flavours to come out of the kitchen. Salty, sweet and sticky, it’s the perfect quick and tasty sauce for stir-fried meats. My easy recipe for Teriyaki Chicken and Rice is so quick, you can have it ready to go in the time it takes the rice to cook.
Ingredients
for the rice:
- 200 g basmati rice
- small knob of butter
- 1 tsp sea salt
for the sauce:
- 75 ml light soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp white sugar
- 3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp Mirin, or dry white wine
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 3 cm ginger, peeled and finely grated
for the chicken
- 500 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
- 1 spring onion, scallion, finely sliced on the diagonal
- 1 tsp sesame seeds, white or black
Instructions
- COOK RICE: To cook the rice combine 1 cup (250ml / 200g) rice with 2 cups (500ml) water in a medium saucepan with the butter and salt. Cover and bring to the boil then reduce the heat to the minimum and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and rest for 5 minutes before removing the lid and fluffing the rice with a fork.
- MAKE SAUCE: Meanwhile, whisk together all ingredients for the sauce and set aside.
- COOK CHICKEN: When you have taken the rice off the heat, heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan. Cook the chicken over high heat until browned and beginning to crisp. Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic to the pan, stirring for 30 seconds.
- ADD SAUCE: Pour the sauce into the pan, stir through the chicken to coat, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until thickened.
- SERVE: Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 2 minutes, then serve over the rice. Scatter with sliced spring onion and sesame seeds.
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Nutrition
Serving: 1 bowl | Calories: 973kcal | Carbohydrates: 109g | Protein: 60g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 253mg | Sodium: 3641mg | Potassium: 848mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 298IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?I’d love to hear how it went! Please leave a review or a star rating and let me know how it was! Use the hashtag #daysofjay on Instagram so I can see your delicious creations.
Recommended, I’m a sucker for any Asian recipe but chicken is my favourite and this one really hit the spot!