Why you’ll love these chicken teriyaki bowls
Sometimes you just want a healthy, quick weeknight dinner, and these teriyaki chicken bowls come together fast. It uses simple ingredients you probably already have, including store-bought teriyaki sauce, and turns them into something full of flavor.
The chicken thighs stay juicy (even when reheated), the green beans get perfectly blistered, and everything comes together in one pan + a pot for the rice. It’s also perfect for meal prep and reheats beautifully for work lunches throughout the week.
If you have time, try making my honey teriyaki sauce to use. It’s really flavorful and delicious, but store bought sauce is still great in this recipe.
More chicken thigh recipes: the best grilled chicken thighs / easy spanish chicken recipe / baked honey mustard chicken thighs / garlic baked chicken legs recipe
Ingredient notes:
- Chicken thighs – I like to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this because they are easy to cook and they don’t dry out like chicken breast can. You can easily use breast, but make sure you adjust your cooking time accordingly to reach an internal temperature of 165˚F.
- Green beans – We use fresh green beans for this recipe. While I prefer to use fresh, frozen can work in a pinch. You can also use fresh broccoli and follow the steps accordingly to get nice, crisp broccoli.
- Teriyaki sauce – Our favorite store bought teriyaki sauce is Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki sauce. It has minimal ingredients and lots of delicious sesame/ginger flavor. If you can’t find it, that’s totally fine. Use what you have, or make your own.
- Sake – You can use dry white wine in its place, and, if you want to make this recipe without alcohol, feel free to use apple juice or water in place of the sake.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Melissa’s tips + tricks:
- Make it ahead – This chicken teriyaki recipe is perfect for meal prep. Cook everything, let it cool, and store in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until warmed through.
- Get a good sear – Don’t move the chicken until it releases naturally from the pan. This creates that golden brown crust and keeps the chicken juicy.
- Blister the beans – Let the green beans sit in the hot pan without stirring too much so they get a nice charred exterior. This adds a ton of flavor!
- Try homemade sauce – If you have time, my honey teriyaki sauce is a great homemade option that’s almost as easy as store-bought.
- Storage – Store leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Frequently asked questions
No. Teriyaki marinade and sauce are the same thing. You can use it as a marinade or as a sauce.
Yes. Just make sure you cook until they’re fully cooked to 165˚F internally. If your chicken is particularly large, you may want to pound it to 1/2-inch thickness to ensure that it cooks evenly.
Fresh green beans work best because they blister nicely in the pan. Frozen can work in a pinch, but thaw and pat them dry first to help them crisp up.
Broccoli works great with this recipe. Follow the same steps to get nice, crisp florets. We also really like sugar snap peas cooked this way.
The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165˚F. Use a meat thermometer to check the thickest part of the meat.
More chicken recipes:
- Grilled chicken tenders
- Thai chicken meatball curry
- Lemon rosemary broiled chicken breast
- Stuffed spinach artichoke chicken
Chicken Teriyaki Bowls
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ¾ cup teriyaki sauce or marinade
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided (1 tbsp for the chicken, 1 tbsp for the green beans)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 12 – 16 ounces green beans
- ¼ cup dry sake or white wine
- Coarse salt & black pepper
- 1 cup uncooked white rice
Instructions
- Cook the rice. Combine rice with 2 cups water and a pinch of coarse salt in a large saucepan. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and allow rice to simmer for about 15 minutes.Then, remove rice from heat and let it rest (still covered) until remaining liquid has been absorbed.
- Sear the chicken. Heat a large, non-stick (preferably cast iron) skillet to medium-high. While it heats, season the chicken with salt & pepper. Add olive oil to the pan and then sear the chicken until crispy and golden brown on both sides.Try not to move the chicken until it releases on its own. When chicken is fully cooked (165˚F internal temperature), transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
- Blister the beans. Add the green beans and garlic to the skillet. Season with salt & pepper and cook until they start to blister.Add the sake after a few minutes and stir the beans occasionally to prevent them from burning. They should take about 10 minutes total. Transfer the green beans to the plate.
- Add the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk the sauce with 2 teaspoons of cornstarch until smooth. Then, add the sauce to the pan and return the chicken. Allow it to heat, turning the chicken to coat it in the sauce as it thickens. Return the green beans to the pan and reduce heat to low.Before serving, remove the chicken from the pan and slice.
- Assemble the bowl. Add a serving of rice to each bowl. Top with sliced chicken and green beans. Then drizzle with a little extra sauce. If desired, garnish with toasted sesame seeds before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Just wondering where the sake/white wine fits in? Added with the Teriyaki sauce? Thanks
Add the sake to the green beans partway through cooking.
I had to reread to find it.