This Grilled Teriyaki Chicken recipe is everyone’s favorite year-round! It has a delicious teriyaki chicken marinade that can be made in advance and then it’s grilled to perfection. We’ll show you step-by-step how to make the best grilled chicken teriyaki.
The teriyaki grilled chicken marinade is made with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, avocado oil, and green onions. You can marinate the chicken thighs for as little as 2 hours or even overnight.
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
These Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Thighs have a deep soy flavor, a hint of ginger, sweetness, and garlic. You can make this recipe into teriyaki grilled chicken chicken breasts, tenderloins, or even drumsticks.
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The grilled teriyaki chicken marinade for these chicken thighs is simple to throw together and makes such a huge difference. Even just a couple hours of time sitting in the marinade and they will become so juicy and delicious.
If you love teriyaki recipes, be sure to try our Crockpot Chicken Teriyaki, Teriyaki Glazed Salmon, and also our Beef And Broccoli Teriyaki.
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Video Tutorial
Key Ingredients
- Chicken Thighs – I love to make this recipe with chicken thighs, but chicken breasts would also work great.
- Soy Sauce – you can use regular soy sauce or low sodium soy sauce.
- Brown Sugar – either light or dark brown sugar will work great.
- Avocado Oil – I love using avocado oil for marinades because it has a high smoking point. You could substitute any other vegetable cooking oil.
- Green Onions – these should be thinly sliced before adding to the marinade.
- Ginger – you will need about 2 teaspoons of powdered ginger or 2″ of fresh ginger minced.
- Garlic – fresh minced garlic has the best flavor, but you could substitute jarred minced garlic if you want.
- Sesame Seeds – this is an optional topping for this dish.
How to Grill Teriyaki Chicken
- Marinate the chicken. In a gallon freezer bag, add the chicken, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, green onions, ginger, and minced garlic. Let the chicken sit in the marinade for 2-24 hours in the fridge.
- Grill the chicken. Preheat the grill to about 335 degrees. (Note: It’s best to cook it a little slower than normal so the sugar in the marinade doesn’t burn) Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the preheated grill. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until the chicken gets golden brown and is easy to lift (Note: if the chicken sticks, let it cook longer). Flip the chicken over using tongs and continue to cook until almost golden brown. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
- Let the chicken rest. Once the chicken has finished cooking, remove from the grill and place on a plate or platter. Allow to rest for 5 minutes to let the juices redistribute.
- Make the teriyaki sauce. To make teriyaki sauce, strain any leftover marinade to remove the green onions. Place in a saucepan and bring to a rapid boil. Continue to boil for 5 minutes, then use immediately or reserve.
- Serve. To serve, sprinkle with sesame seeds and a drizzle of teriyaki sauce if desired. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
The best cut of chicken to use in grilled teriyaki chicken is the chicken thighs. Chicken thighs are dark meat and have a higher fat percentage giving you a more juicy cut of meat. However, chicken breasts would also taste delicious.
You can cook chicken teriyaki in several ways, here are a few of our favorites.
–GRILL: Marinate chicken for several hours and then cook on a grill. Cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side. Since it’s dark meat, it’s best to cook it a little more than breast meat. The internal tempreture for chicken thighs is 175.
–OVEN: You can also bake this chicken teriyaki in the oven. Simply place the chicken in a single layer, in a glass baking dish. Bake in a preheated 350 ? oven for about 50-55 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 175.
Since it is dark meat, you can cook it a little longer without it drying out. Chicken thighs are technically done at 165 but when cooked to 175, they have a much better texture.
What to serve with Teriyaki Chicken
- Coconut Rice or plain rice
- Rice Pilaf
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Zoodles
- Fresh or Grilled Pineapple
- Pineapple Cake
Recipe Variations
These recipe variations for grilled teriyaki chicken are sure to elevate your grilling game and impress your taste buds. Whether you like it sweet, savory, spicy, or fruity, a teriyaki chicken recipe variation is perfect for you!
- Spicy: add hot sauce or crushed red pepper flakes in the marinade. You can also top it with a drizzle of sriracha sauce after grilling.
- Citrusy: Add some tangy flavor to your teriyaki chicken by adding orange or lemon zest to the marinade. You can also squeeze fresh lemon or lime juice on top of the grilled chicken before serving.
- Smoky: Infuse your teriyaki chicken with smoky flavor by using a smoker. You can also grill it over wood chips or charcoal for a charred and smoky taste.
- Fruity: Add some sweetness and texture to your teriyaki chicken by adding pineapple chunks or mango slices to the skewers. The sweetness of the fruits pairs well with the salty and savory teriyaki flavor.
- Veggie: You can also grill some vegetables along with your teriyaki chicken for a complete meal. Bell peppers, onions, zucchini, and mushrooms are great options to pair with teriyaki chicken.
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerator: store leftover grilled chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To reheat: either microwave or reheat in a preheated 325 degree oven until warmed through.
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds chicken thighs
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
- 2 teaspoons ginger powder, or 2" fresh ginger, sliced
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
Terikayi Chicken Marinade
- In a gallon freezer bag, add the chicken, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, green onions, ginger, and minced garlic. Let the chicken sit in the marinade for 2-24 hours in the fridge.
How to Grill Teriyaki Chicken
- Preheat the grill to about 335 degrees. (Note: It's best to cook it a little slower than normal so the sugar in the marinade doesn't burn)
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the preheated grill. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until the chicken gets golden brown and is easy to lift (Note: if the chicken sticks, let it cook longer). Flip the chicken over using tongs and continue to cook until almost golden brown. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
- Once the chicken has finished cooking, remove from the grill and place on a plate or platter. Allow to rest for 5 minutes to let the juices redistribute.
- To serve, sprinkle with sesame seeds and a drizzle of teriyaki sauce if desired. Enjoy!
Teriyaki Sauce
- To make teriyaki sauce, strain any leftover marinade to remove the green onions. Place in a saucepan and bring to a rapid boil. Continue to boil for 5 minutes, then use immediately or reserve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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This Grilled Teriyaki Chicken is everyone’s favorite year-round! It has a delicious chicken marinade that can be made in advance. This recipe will show you step by step how to make chicken teriyaki.
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