Teriyaki Chicken and Rice Bowl (Printable)

Glazed chicken with vegetables and fresh pineapple over steamed rice in a homemade teriyaki sauce.

# 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, sliced thin
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

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Combine rice, water, and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes before fluffing.
02 - In a small 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 mixing bowl and pour half of the teriyaki sauce over them. Toss to coat evenly and let marinate while preparing the vegetables for at least 10 minutes.
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. Remove vegetables and set aside.
05 - In the same pan, add the marinated chicken with its marinade. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is browned and cooked through.
06 - Add the remaining teriyaki sauce to the pan with the chicken. Stir the cornstarch with water to create a slurry, then add to the sauce. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce becomes thick and glossy.
07 - Fluff the cooked rice and divide evenly among four bowls. Top each bowl with glazed teriyaki chicken, sautéed vegetables, and diced pineapple. Sprinkle with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but forty-five minutes is genuinely all you need.
  • The sauce strikes that perfect balance between sweet and savory that makes you want to eat the bowl and drink what's left.
  • Stir-fried vegetables stay crisp and don't turn into mush, which honestly surprised me the first time.
02 -
  • Don't skip the rice rinsing step; I learned this by making sticky, disappointing rice more times than I'd like to admit, and it changed everything.
  • The cornstarch slurry must be smooth before it hits the sauce, or you'll get lumps that no amount of stirring will fix.
  • Fresh ginger and garlic are not interchangeable with powdered versions in this sauce; the difference in flavor is honestly shocking.
03 -
  • Marinate your chicken while prepping vegetables instead of waiting separately, and you'll shave five minutes off your total time without sacrificing flavor.
  • If your sauce tastes too sweet, squeeze a tiny bit of fresh lemon juice in at the very end; it's a trick that saved countless batches for me.
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