Make Grilled Teriyaki Chicken for a delicious and easy weeknight meal. The Homemade Teriyaki Sauce gives chicken thighs so much flavor.

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Thighs on a plate topped with green onions.
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We love Grilled Chicken Recipes and this is one of my family’s favorites. The chicken is marinated in a delicious sauce and then grilled to perfection. Basting the chicken after it is grilled gives the chicken a sticky texture that tastes amazing.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe!

Carrie, the owner, with long dark hair, wearing earrings and a purple top, smiles at the camera in front of a textured, beige background.
  • Restaurant flavor at home. The homemade teriyaki sauce is sweet, savory, and sticky.
  • Easy to prep ahead. Marinate the chicken up to 8 hours in advance.
  • Juicy chicken thighs. They stay tender and are easy to grill.
  • Extra sauce. Use it for basting, dipping, or drizzling over rice.
  • Great for meal prep. Use leftovers in bowls, wraps, or salads.

We love teriyaki sauce and use it on different recipes. If you have tried Panda Express Teriyaki Chicken Recipe, Blackstone Teriyaki Steak, Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken or Teriyaki Burger Recipe then you are going to love this chicken recipe. For another delicious and juicy chicken recipe, try this Mayo Marinated Chicken.

Ingredients

Ingredients needed for this recipe include chicken thighs, green onions, sesame seeds, soy sauce, mirin, honey, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, cornstarch, and water.
  • Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs – Use any type of chicken
  • Teriyaki Sauce – We like making teriyaki sauce from scratch, but you can also store bought sauce.

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.

How to Make Grilled Teriyaki Chicken

Combining soy sauce with mirin, honey, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and sesame oil in a large sauce pan with a whisk.

Step 1 – In a medium saucepan, whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, honey, rice vinegar, brown sugar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and sesame oil. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.

Pouring cornstarch mixture into the soy sauce mixture in a saucepan.

Step 2 – In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the simmering sauce, whisking constantly. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 2-3 minutes.

Pouring teriyaki sauce over chicken thighs in a bowl.

Step 3 – Place the chicken thighs in a large, shallow dish or resealable plastic bag. Pour ½ cup of the cooled teriyaki sauce over the chicken, reserving the remaining sauce for basting and serving. Toss the chicken to coat evenly with the sauce. Cover the dish or seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours, to marinate.

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Thighs on a plate.

Step 4 – Grill the chicken thighs for 6-8 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Baste the chicken with some of the reserved teriyaki sauce during the last 2-3 minutes of grilling. Remove the grilled teriyaki chicken from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes. Brush the chicken with the remaining teriyaki sauce and garnish with chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

No Grill? Cook it Indoors

If you don’t have an outdoor grill, cook the marinated chicken in a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat for 6-7 minutes per side on the stovetop. Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. You’ll get that sticky caramelized glaze, just without the char marks.

Expert Tips

  • Marinate Chicken – Marinating the chicken thighs for at least 1 hour helps to infuse them with flavor. But you can marinate them for up to 8 hours for even more intense taste. I wouldn’t go past 8 hours though.
  • Cooking Teriyaki Chicken – We cook our chicken on the gas grill but you can also cook chicken on a charcoal grill.
  • Filet Chicken – To ensure the chicken cook evenly, we like to filet the chicken so they are about the same size.

How to Know When Chicken is Cooked

Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken or your gas grill. We think the best way to tell if your chicken is fully cooked is to use a meat thermometer.

The internal temperature should reach 165 degrees when the chicken is fully cooked. Make sure to let the chicken rest after removing from the grill to lock in the juices.

Chicken Thighs on a plate topped with green onions and sesame seeds on white rice.

Serving Suggestions

This grilled chicken recipe can easily be served with your favorite grilled side dish recipes. We like to make our sides on the grill which makes cleanup a breeze. These are some of our favorite grilled sides.

Turn this into a teriyaki chicken rice bowl by slicing the grilled chicken over steamed rice and drizzling with the extra sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Make this with Chicken Breast?

Yes, this teriyaki chicken can also be made with chicken breast. It cooks faster and dries out more easily than chicken thighs, so keep a close eye on it.

How to Store Leftover Teriyaki Chicken

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The leftovers will last about 3-4 days. We think it taste even better the next day as the teriyaki sauce has even more time to marinate into the chicken.

How to Reheat Teriyaki Chicken

Reheat the leftovers in the microwave or the oven depending on how much you have leftover.

Can I Freeze Teriyaki Chicken?

Yes, you can freeze teriyaki chicken in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy again, thaw overnight in the fridge.

Chicken Thighs on a plate topped with green onions and sesame seeds.

More Easy Teriyaki Recipes

If you make this Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Recipe, please leave us a comment or a star review. We love to hear from you.

Grilled Teriyaki chicken thighs on a plate.

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken

5 from 1 vote
Estimated Cost: $9.06, $2.27 per Servings
Make Grilled Teriyaki Chicken for a delicious and easy weeknight meal. The Homemade Teriyaki Sauce gives chicken thighs so much flavor.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Marinating Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 4
Cuisine Japanese
Course Main Course
Calories 356
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onions for garnish
  • Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
  • Homemade Teriyaki Sauce:
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup mirin Japanese sweet rice wine
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup cold water

See how we calculate recipe costs.

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan, whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, honey, rice vinegar, brown sugar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and sesame oil. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the simmering sauce, whisking constantly. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
  • Place the chicken thighs in a large, shallow dish or resealable plastic bag. Pour ½ cup of the cooled teriyaki sauce over the chicken, reserving the remaining sauce for basting and serving. Toss the chicken to coat evenly with the sauce. Cover the dish or seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours, to marinate.
  • Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (400-450°F). Clean and oil the grill grates.
  • Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade, discarding the used marinade. Grill the chicken thighs for 6-8 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Baste the chicken with some of the reserved teriyaki sauce during the last 2-3 minutes of grilling.
  • Remove the grilled teriyaki chicken from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes.
  • Brush the chicken with the remaining teriyaki sauce and garnish with chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

Recipe Notes

Marinating the chicken thighs for at least 1 hour helps to infuse them with flavor, but you can marinate them for up to 8 hours for even more intense taste. I wouldn’t go past 8 hours though.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 356kcal, Carbohydrates 35g, Protein 36g, Fat 8g, Saturated Fat 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat 2g, Monounsaturated Fat 3g, Trans Fat 0.03g, Cholesterol 162mg, Sodium 1887mg, Potassium 504mg, Fiber 0.3g, Sugar 27g, Vitamin A 41IU, Vitamin C 1mg, Calcium 31mg, Iron 2mg

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Grill on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. From the Best Blackstone recipes, to grilling, and easy smoker recipes, together we are going to cook real food, with easy ingredients… for real families!

5 from 1 vote

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  1. Kasey Harris says:

    5 stars
    Delicious and easy to make!