Teriyaki Chicken and Rice Bowl (Print Version)

Glazed chicken with vegetables and pineapple over steamed rice

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken and Marinade

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1/3 cup soy sauce
03 - 1/4 cup mirin
04 - 2 tbsp brown sugar
05 - 2 tbsp honey
06 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
09 - 1 tsp sesame oil
10 - 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water for thickening

→ Rice

11 - 2 cups jasmine or short-grain white rice
12 - 3 cups water
13 - Pinch of salt

→ Vegetables

14 - 1 cup broccoli florets
15 - 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
16 - 1 cup red bell pepper, sliced
17 - 1 cup snap peas
18 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil

→ Garnish

19 - 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
20 - 2 tbsp scallions, sliced
21 - 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

# How to Make It:

01 - Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. Combine rice, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 10 minutes.
02 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and sesame oil until well combined.
03 - Place chicken pieces in a bowl and pour half of the teriyaki sauce over them. Toss to coat evenly and let marinate for at least 10 minutes while preparing the vegetables.
04 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add broccoli, carrots, bell pepper, and snap peas. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables are crisp-tender. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
05 - In the same pan, add marinated chicken and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through completely.
06 - Add the remaining teriyaki sauce to the pan with the chicken. Stir the cornstarch mixture to create a slurry and add to the sauce. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
07 - Fluff the cooked rice with a fork and divide evenly among four bowls. Top each bowl with teriyaki chicken, sautéed vegetables, and diced pineapple. Sprinkle with scallions and toasted sesame seeds before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The teriyaki glaze gets glossy and clingy on the chicken in a way that makes people ask for seconds before they've even finished their first bite.
  • Everything cooks in about 45 minutes flat, which means you can go from grocery bags to dinner on the table without feeling like you lived in the kitchen.
  • It's flexible enough to swap proteins or vegetables depending on what's calling to you that day, but reliable enough that nothing ever turns out wrong.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice or you'll end up with gluey mush instead of fluffy individual grains that can actually absorb the sauce.
  • The cornstarch slurry has to be mixed really well right before you add it or you'll get lumpy sauce, which is fixable but frustrating—learned that the hard way.
  • Cutting your vegetables thin is the difference between a bowl that comes together in 45 minutes and one where the carrots are still crunchy when everything else is done.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for 30 seconds before sprinkling them on—it wakes up their flavor and makes them way more interesting.
  • If you make this twice a week like some people I know do, batch the teriyaki sauce and keep it in the fridge so half the work is already done.
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