Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl (Printable)

Tender chicken glazed in sweet teriyaki sauce over steamed rice with stir-fried vegetables and pineapple.

# What You 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. In a medium saucepan, combine rice, 3 cups water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a 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 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 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 3-4 minutes until vegetables are crisp-tender. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
05 - In the same skillet, add marinated chicken with any remaining marinade from the bowl. Cook for 6-8 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until chicken is browned and cooked through.
06 - Pour remaining teriyaki sauce into the pan with the cooked chicken. Stir cornstarch slurry and add to the sauce. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until sauce becomes thick and glossy.
07 - Fluff cooked rice and divide evenly among four serving bowls. Top each bowl with teriyaki chicken, sautéed vegetables, and diced pineapple. Garnish with scallions and toasted sesame seeds.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like takeout but costs half the price and takes less time than delivery.
  • The teriyaki sauce becomes so glossy and thick it clings to every piece of chicken in the most satisfying way.
  • You get to customize the vegetable mix based on whatever's in your crisper drawer, so it never feels repetitive.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cornstarch slurry or your sauce stays thin and slides off the chicken instead of clinging to it—I learned this the messy way.
  • Marinate the chicken while you prep vegetables, not before—ten minutes is enough and you avoid that rubbery texture that happens when acid sits on raw chicken too long.
  • Taste the sauce before the final simmer because soy sauce brands vary wildly in saltiness, and you might need to adjust.
03 -
  • Make the sauce the night before and your actual cooking time drops to thirty minutes—everything tastes even better when flavors have time to get to know each other.
  • Use a slotted spoon to remove vegetables from the pan so you don't lose any of the browned bits that stick to the bottom—that's concentrated flavor you don't want to waste.
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