Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Breasts
Grilled teriyaki chicken breasts are marinated in a rich sweet, slightly salty, savory sauce for an easy dinner any time. The combination of flavors jazzes up basic chicken just in time for grilling season and adds interest into your weekly meal plan without a lot of extra work.
Grilled teriyaki chicken is one of those easy yet flavor-packed dinners that is just as perfect for a busy weeknight as it is for a relaxed summer cookout.
The sweet, savory homemade teriyaki sauce hits all the right notes especially when combined with a slightly smoky char from the grill.
It’s salty and savory from the soy sauce, sweet from honey, and has zesty notes of ginger and garlic.
Marinading the chicken in this yummy combination of flavors makes for tasty chicken that tastes like something you’d order at your favorite takeout spot.
But because all of the flavors are a little familiar and you can serve it with rice, the whole family will be happy- picky eaters included.
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts– Go for boneless, skinless breasts for best results. Trim off the extra fat.
- Salt and pepper– To season the chicken breasts. Keep in mind the soy sauce is salty so you might not need as much salt as you’d think.
- Soy sauce– Use your favorite brand. If you are watching you sodium intake, go for lite soy sauce.
- Water
- Honey– You could substitute brown sugar if you prefer but you won’t get the subtle floral flavor from the honey.
- Ginger– Grated fresh ginger root. If you don’t have fresh ginger, you can substitute a teaspoon of dried ground ginger.
- Garlic– Fresh pressed or minced garlic.
- Dried minced onions– In a pinch you could use onion powder, but dried minced onions will give this a better flavor.
- Cornstarch– You only need this if you decided to reserve half of the marinade to make a glaze. This will thicken the sauce up to a nice sticky, thick consistency. You can also substitute arrowroot powder.
How to Make
Making these grilled teriyaki chicken breasts is a breeze!
Start by making your marinade by whisking together the soy sauce, water, honey, garlic, ginger and onions.
If you plan to make the optional glaze, set aside half of the marinade.
Then, season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and put the chicken in a ziplocking bag or shallow container.
Pour the other half of the marinade over the chicken and move the chicken around in the marinade so the marinade evenly coats the chicken.
Refrigerate the chicken and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes but up to a full 24 hours.
When you are ready to cook the chicken, preheat your grill to 400 degrees.
Grill the chicken for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, flip the chicken over to the other side and grill it for 5 more minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165.
At this point you can remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest while you make the optional glaze.
To Make the Teriyaki Glaze
Bring the reserved marinade to a boil in a small sauce pan over medium heat.
Once it boils, make a cornstarch slurry by stirring 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with equal parts water together with a fork until it’s smooth.
Add the mixture to the simmering marinade.
It will thicken after a couple of minutes.
Once it thickens, remove it from heat, and brush it on the chicken after cooking.
Serving Suggestions
This chicken dish pairs well with rice, a side of pineapple, and steamed veggies.
For a lighter meal you could serve it as part of a big salad or in a lettuce wrap.
Storing Leftovers
To store the leftovers, let the chicken cool to room temperature.
Put it into an airtight container in the fridge.
The chicken will keep for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through.
Tips and Tricks
- If you don’t have fresh ginger, dried ground ginger works too. Use 1 teaspoon.
- Marinating the chicken in a ziplock bag allows you to get good coverage. Once it’s sealed, move the contents around a bit and massage the marinade into the chicken. Turn the bag over every so often as the marinade sinks to the bottom.
- The chicken is ready to be flipped over when it pulls away from the grill pan when you try gently lifting it with tongs or a spatula. If the chicken is sticking to the pan, it is not ready to be flipped.
- The glaze will keep thickening up as it sits.
Other Asian Inspired Chicken Recipes
These grilled teriyaki chicken breasts are a delicious, easy way to add some flavor to your dinner table.
Make it as soon as you break out the grill and enjoy!
Looking for other Asian inspired chicken recipes?
Try these:
- Crispy Honey Chicken
- Chicken Satay Skewers
- One Pot Chicken Lo Mein
- Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
- Sweet And Sour Chicken
- Crockpot Chicken Pho
- Basil Chicken In Coconut Curry Sauce
If you’ve tried these GRILLED TERIYAKI CHICKEN BREASTS, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds boneless skinless, chicken breasts
- salt and pepper for seasoning chicken
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger root
- 1 clove garlic pressed
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onions
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch optional, you’ll only need this if you decide to make the glaze
Instructions
- Add the soy sauce, water, honey, ginger, garlic and onions to a small bowl. Whisk together until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the meat to a large ziplocking bag and pour the prepared marinade over top. Squeeze out the excess air, and seal the bag tightly.
- Marinate, in the refirgerator, for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
- Preheat grill. It should be at least 400 degrees and up to 500 degrees.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and place directly on the grill. Cover the chicken and cook for 5 minutes.
- Using tongs turn the chicken over to the other side, cover again, and continue cooking for another 5 minutes or until cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°.
- Transfer the chicken to a waiting plate, and let chicken rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- If you don’t have fresh ginger, dried ground ginger works too. Use 1 teaspoon.
- Marinating the chicken in a ziplock bag allows you to get good coverage. Once it’s sealed, move the contents around a bit and massage the marinade into the chicken. Turn the bag over every so often as the marinade sinks to the bottom.
- The chicken is ready to be flipped over when it pulls away from the grill pan when you try gently lifting it with tongs or a spatula. If the chicken is sticking to the pan, it is not ready to be flipped.
- The glaze will keep thickening up as it sits.
Nutrition
That’s an amazing recipe! I love grilled chicken teriyaki breasts. It is a healthy way of preparing chicken and contains loads of protein.