Grilled Teriyaki Chicken with Homemade Teriyaki Sauce is an easy and flavor packed weeknight dinner idea, especially if you cook it on the grill. Instead of buying a cloyingly sweet teriyaki sauce from the store, take 5 minutes and make your own at home. You will never go back to that nasty stuff in a jar because this recipe is the best!
I warned you a few posts back that I had a load of grilled recipes lined up for you. Partly, I just love cooking outside during the summer months, but the fact that I live in a 120 year old house that doesn’t have central air conditioning really plays a role in the amount of grilling that happens from June to August.  We do have some window units, but let’s be honest, they just can’t hang.
I know I will get a few questions about why I chose to cut these pieces of chicken into these long strips instead of the standard cubes to stick on a skewer. The answer is simple. Make anything look like a chicken finger and my children are 10 times more likely to eat it. Â Parents out there know that when it comes to food, kids make no sense at all.
When it comes to cooking the teriyaki chicken, you have a couple different options.  Since it is summer, you can fire up your grill outside or you can use a stove with a good, heavy duty skillet (I like cast iron). The choice is completely yours.  The humidity has totally kicked in here in Minnesota so I’m grilling every single night instead of turning on the oven or stove.
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken with the best homemade teriyaki sauce. Recipe is super simple and kid friendly. A perfect weeknight dinner idea for the grill that is healthy!
Total Time:25 minutes
Ingredients
Scale
1/4 C soy sauce
1/4 C packed brown sugar
2 Tb honey or agave nectar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 Tb cornstarch
1 C water
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Instructions
In a medium saucepan, whisk together all the ingredients for the teriyaki sauce then heat over high heat until it simmers and thickens. Allow it to cool.
Slice the chicken breasts into long strips about 1 inch wide and place in a large bowl. Add about 3/4 of the teriyaki sauce and marinade in the fridge for at least an hour, up to overnight. Save the unused sauce to finish the dish after the chicken is cooked.
Preheat your grill to medium heat. Place the marinated chicken on the grill and allow it to cook for about 4-5 minutes before turning it over an cooking for another 3 minutes, or until completely cooked through. Place the finished chicken on a clean serving dish and drizzle over the reserved teriyaki sauce before serving.
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:10 minutes
Nutrition
Serving Size:1/6th
Calories:188
Sugar:15g
Sodium:638mg
Fat:2g
Saturated Fat:1g
Unsaturated Fat:2g
Trans Fat:0g
Carbohydrates:18g
Fiber:0g
Protein:24g
Cholesterol:79mg
Carole Jones
Carole Jones is an Arizona-based cookbook author & food blogger. She's authored The 30 Minute Cooking From Frozen Cookbook and the self-published Take 5: Chicken e-cookbook. For the past 15 years, Carole has shared her culinary adventures cooking and baking for her six brutally honest children here on My Kitchen Escapades. Hot, crusty bread is Carole's love language, but her two adorable grandchildren are a close second. Yes, second. Don't judge.
7 comments
Kristen
9 years ago
I can’t wait to try this!!
Carole
9 years ago
Hey Kristen 🙂 It is super simple and not obnoxiously sweet, which is what I usually hate about teriyaki sauces.
Barbara
9 years ago
Light brown sugar or Dark brown sugar?
Carole
9 years ago
Great question Barbara! I used light brown sugar, but if you want a deeper molasses flavor, dark brown sugar will work as well.
Slvia
8 years ago
I need to watch my sugar intake . Can I add less brown sugar or honey??
Carole
8 years ago
Hi there! You can try adding less sugar, but know that your end result will be thinner. Let me know how it turns out!
DJ
5 years ago
I love this recipe! Make sure to boil your extra teriyaki sauce before putting it back on the chicken!
The air is getting cooler and the leaves are turning which means it is time to break out those fall recipes and start cooking with apples, pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes, and cabbage. I have put together...
Here is another quick, easy and delicious recipe to use carnitas in. These crispy carnitas and onion quesadillas are perfect for a weeknight dinner or weekend lunch. The combination of rich...
When I make carnitas I always make a large batch. It always makes sense to do so and there are so many great dishes you can make from the carnitas (Mexican pulled pork). This carnitas enchilada recipe...
Enchiladas are one of my favorite dishes and a go-to weeknight dinner for our family. Whenever I make them, I usually will use a store bought canned sauce. I always say I want to make the sauce myself...
When it comes to Mexican cuisine, few dishes tantalize the taste buds quite like carnitas. These succulent, tender shreds of pork, infused with traditional spices, have been a staple of Mexican culinary...
Tater Tot Casserole is a must-have, kid-friendly recipe in my kitchen. This easy dinner recipe is simply the best because it is jam-packed with ground beef, corn, cheese, and crispy tater tots. When...
7 comments
I can’t wait to try this!!
Hey Kristen 🙂 It is super simple and not obnoxiously sweet, which is what I usually hate about teriyaki sauces.
Light brown sugar or Dark brown sugar?
Great question Barbara! I used light brown sugar, but if you want a deeper molasses flavor, dark brown sugar will work as well.
I need to watch my sugar intake . Can I add less brown sugar or honey??
Hi there! You can try adding less sugar, but know that your end result will be thinner. Let me know how it turns out!
I love this recipe! Make sure to boil your extra teriyaki sauce before putting it back on the chicken!