There’s a certain kind of dinner that just makes life easier, and this is one of them. These chicken teriyaki rice bowls are exactly what I make when I want something warm, homemade, and filling (but also on the table fast, because…I am me).

It’s simple, familiar, and built around ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen; chicken, rice, and simple pantry-staples for the glossy teriyaki sauce that pulls it all together. It’s so good, I make it all the time. In fact, it’s one of my weekly regulars.

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Teriyaki Bowl

It’s simple, but it hits all the right things, savory, a little sweet, and just enough richness to feel totally satisfying. The sauce thickens right in the pan, so you don’t end up with anything watery or bland. It’s easy to customize, add some broccoli and carrots, or peas, or don’t, haha. And once the rice is cooked, it comes together quickly.

Ingredient Notes

• I usually use chicken breasts, but thighs work too and stay a little more tender or you could use a combination of both.
• Regular or low-sodium soy sauce both work, but you may need to adjust the saltiness to taste.
• This combo of brown sugar and honey is what gives you that classic teriyaki flavor and glossy sauce without being overly sweet. For sure, use both.
• The cornstarch is necessary for thickening the sauce and creating that glossy finish.
• Fresh ginger is great if you’ve got some, but ground works just fine here too.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Season the chicken breasts with a pinch or two of pepper. I avoid salt because the teriyaki is pretty salty and you can always add salt later. Heat the avocado oil in a 14″ wok or a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side until they’re golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from wok and set aside.
2. Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar sesame oil, minced garlic, ginger, and cornstarch in the wok. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until it thickens to a glaze-like consistency. This should take about 10-ish minutes. Do a quick taste check for saltiness and adjust as needed (add sweetness to counterbalance the salt).
3. Return the cooked chicken to the wok with the teriyaki sauce and mix well. Make sure the sauce coats each piece of chicken. Let it simmer for another 5 minutes to warm allow the flavors to come together.
4. Serve over white or brown rice topped with sliced green onion and sesame seeds.

Some Simple Ways To Make It Your Own

1. Throw in some bell peppers, broccoli, shredded carrots, or snap peas for crunch.
2. If you like a little heat, sprinkle some red pepper flakes or add a dash of Sriracha to your sauce.
3. Add some pineapple chunks to your skillet for a sweet and tangy twist.
4. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions (this is my personal go-to).

Recipe Tips & Notes

• Cut the chicken into evenly sized pieces so it cooks quickly and evenly.
• I like to use avocado oil to cook the chicken, but any high-temp cooking oil will work. Canola, sunflower, and peanut oils are all good high-temp options.
• Use white or brown jasmine rice, but really any rice will work, even Minute rice if that’s your jam. I often use regular white jasmine rice (because it cooks quickly) or the short grain brown rice from Costco because Jay loves that one.
• Don’t skip thickening the sauce before adding the chicken back, that’s what gives you that glossy coating and keeps it from being watery.
• If the sauce is too salty, increase either the brown sugar or the honey to compensate for the saltiness. I always try to taste the sauce a couple of times before I toss the chicken back in, so I can adjust it if I need to.
• If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of water and stir it well to thin it out.
• These bowls are great for meal prep and they reheat really well.

Storage & Reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–5 days. To reheat, warm it in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of water to loosen upthe sauce.

If you want to portion this out for the week, it works really well as a simple meal prep. Divide the chicken and rice into individual containers and keep them in the fridge, everything holds up nicely and reheats without drying out.

This chicken teriyaki also freezes well. Let it cool completely, then store in airtight containers or freezer-safe bags for up to 3 months. For best results, freeze the chicken and rice separately if you can, but it’s not a dealbreaker if they’re together.

When you freeze it, the sauce can lose a little of that glossy texture, but it comes back once reheated. Just add a small splash of water and stir as it warms up, and it smooths right out.