Easy Chicken Teriyaki Rice Bowl Recipe

If you want a Japanese weeknight dinner that feels like a treat but takes about half an hour, this easy chicken teriyaki rice bowl recipe is a good place to start. Tender chicken is seared in a hot pan, coated in a glossy homemade teriyaki sauce, sliced, and served over warm rice with scallions (spring onions) and sesame seeds.

Making the sauce at home means you control the sweetness and salt. It thickens in minutes and clings to the chicken. A large skillet works well.

What is chicken teriyaki?

Teriyaki is a Japanese cooking method in which food is grilled or pan-fried and glazed with a sweet, savory sauce made from soy sauce, mirin, and sugar or honey. A good teriyaki sauce should look glossy and coat the food evenly.

Here, the chicken is cooked first in a hot pan, then returned to the pan with the sauce so it caramelizes lightly. Sliced and spooned with extra sauce over rice, it is a complete, comforting meal.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Fast and practical. The rice cooks while you prepare the chicken and sauce, so dinner is ready in about 30 minutes.
• A homemade sauce with no mystery ingredients. Soy sauce, mirin, sugar, ginger, and garlic do all the work.
• Juicy chicken, every time. Searing in a hot pan and checking the temperature takes the guesswork out of cooking chicken.
• Easy to adapt. Serve it simply with rice, or add steamed vegetables, a cucumber salad, or pickled ginger alongside.
• Great for leftovers. Cooked chicken and sauce keep well for a few days, making an easy lunch the next day.

Ingredients you’ll need

Exact quantities are also given in the recipe card at the end of this article.

• For the rice: 2 cups (400 g) uncooked short-grain or jasmine rice, rinsed, plus water for cooking according to the packet (makes about 4 cups cooked rice); or 4 cups (about 600 g) cooked rice, reheated until steaming hot.
• For the chicken: 1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil, such as vegetable or sunflower oil; salt and black pepper, to taste; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce, for the marinade, optional.
• For the teriyaki sauce: 1/4 cup (60 ml) soy sauce; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) mirin; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sake, or water (see substitutions); 2 tablespoons (25 g) brown sugar; 1 teaspoon (5 g) finely grated fresh ginger; 1 clove garlic, finely grated or minced; 1 teaspoon (3 g) cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) cold water, optional, for a thicker sauce.
• To serve: 4 scallions, thinly sliced; 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds; pickled ginger, optional; steamed broccoli, edamame, or a simple cucumber salad, optional, to serve alongside.

How to make a chicken teriyaki rice bowl

Step 1: Cook the rice

Start the rice first, following the packet instructions. Keep it covered and warm; reheat leftover rice until steaming hot.

Step 2: Mix the teriyaki sauce

Whisk the soy sauce, mirin, sake or water, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic until the sugar dissolves. Keep the cornstarch mixture ready separately if thickening the sauce.

Step 3: Sear the chicken

Pat the chicken dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. If using the optional marinade, toss the chicken with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, leave it for 10 minutes, then pat it dry again so it browns well. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes, until golden brown. Turn and cook for a further 4 to 5 minutes, until cooked through.

Step 4: Check the temperature and rest the chicken

Chicken must reach 165°F (74°C) throughout, with no pink meat. Check the thickest part with an instant-read thermometer. Move the chicken to a clean plate — do not put cooked chicken back on a plate that held raw chicken — and rest it for 5 minutes.

Step 5: Glaze with the sauce

Return the skillet to medium heat and pour in the teriyaki sauce, scraping up any browned bits. Let it bubble for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy. If you want a thicker sauce, stir in the cornstarch mixture a little at a time and cook for 30 seconds more. Slice the chicken, return it to the pan, and toss gently so every piece is coated.

Step 6: Assemble the bowls

Divide the warm rice between four bowls. Top with sliced teriyaki chicken and spoon over any remaining sauce. Scatter with scallions and sesame seeds, and add pickled ginger or vegetables alongside if you like. Serve immediately.

Tips for the best chicken teriyaki rice bowl

• Do not crowd the pan. Cook in two batches if your skillet is small; crowded chicken steams instead of browning.
• Pat the chicken dry. Surface moisture stops browning. A dry surface gives golden edges and a better glaze.
• Watch the sauce. Teriyaki sauce goes from glossy to burnt quickly because of the sugar. Keep the heat at medium and take the pan off the heat as soon as it thickens.
• Slice against the grain. After resting, slice across the muscle fibres so every bite is tender.

Substitutions and variations

• Chicken thighs or breasts: Thighs stay juicier and are more forgiving. Breasts work well too, but pound them to an even thickness first and check the temperature carefully.
• Gluten-free: Use tamari or a certified gluten-free soy sauce, and check that your mirin and sake are gluten-free.
• No mirin or sake: Use dry sherry in place of sake. For no alcohol, replace mirin and sake with water plus an extra teaspoon of brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar; the sauce will be a little less rounded, but still good.
• Sweeter or less sweet: Add an extra teaspoon of brown sugar for a sweeter glaze, or reduce it by a teaspoon for a more savory version.
• Vegetarian: Replace the chicken with 14 oz (400 g) extra-firm tofu, pressed, cubed, and pan-fried until golden, then glaze it in the same sauce. Tofu does not need the 165°F chicken check.

What to serve with a chicken teriyaki rice bowl

The bowl itself is already a complete meal: chicken, sauce, and rice. For a fuller meal, add one simple side: steamed broccoli or edamame, a cucumber salad, miso soup, or pickled ginger. For a different rice-based meal, try Egg Fried Rice.

Storage, freezing, and reheating

• Refrigerate: Cool leftovers within 2 hours and store chicken and sauce separately from rice, in airtight containers, for up to 3 to 4 days.
• Freeze: Cooked teriyaki chicken, with its sauce, can be frozen for up to 2 months. Freeze rice separately. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• Reheat: Warm chicken and sauce in a skillet over medium heat, with a splash of water if needed, until steaming hot throughout. Reheat rice separately until steaming hot, stirring well. Do not reheat cooked chicken more than once, or leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Final thoughts

This chicken teriyaki rice bowl earns its place as a weeknight staple because it is fast without tasting rushed. A homemade sauce, properly seared chicken, and warm rice are all it needs.

If you make it, leave a rating and tell us how you served it. And if you are building a Japanese cooking routine, try a chicken katsu curry next for a crisp, saucy contrast, or Korean beef bulgogi for a different kind of marinated, caramelized meat. For more Thai flavors, try Thai Green Curry Chicken or Chicken Pad Thai.