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Easy Chicken Teriyaki with Marinade

Teriyaki chicken with an easy marinade and a glossy sweet soy glaze—grilled until caramelized on the edges and finished with a thickened drizzle. Perfect for Japanese grilling-style weeknight dinner rice bowls.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
marinating 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Japanese-American
Calories: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken Teriyaki Marinade and Glaze
  • 1.5 lb chicken thighs or breasts Use skinless pieces for even grilling.
  • 0.5 cup soy sauce Use low-sodium if preferred.
  • 0.25 cup mirin or rice wine Mirin adds more sweetness; rice wine works in a pinch.
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar Helps caramelize on the grill.
  • 2 tbsp honey Adds shine to the glaze.
  • 2 garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch (optional, for thicker glaze) Use only if you want a thicker, spoonable glaze.
  • 0.25 cup reserved marinade Reserve a portion before marinating for basting and thickening.
  • 1 sesame seeds and green onions for garnish Optional but adds classic teriyaki bowl flavor and color.

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the teriyaki marinade
  1. In a bowl, combine soy sauce, mirin or rice wine, brown sugar, honey, garlic, and grated ginger until the sugar dissolves and the mixture looks glossy.
  2. Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade in a separate container for basting and thickening.
Marinate the chicken
  1. Add the chicken to the remaining marinade and turn to coat; cover and marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours in the refrigerator to deepen the flavor.
Grill and glaze
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, then grill the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side, basting frequently with the reserved marinade for a shiny coating and caramelized edges.
Thicken the glaze (optional)
  1. If using cornstarch, simmer the reserved marinade with cornstarch until thickened, about 1-3 minutes, so it coats the back of a spoon.
Serve
  1. Serve the teriyaki-glazed chicken drizzled with the glaze and topped with sesame seeds and green onions.

Notes

For food safety, keep the reserved marinade separate from the raw-chicken marinade, then use it only for basting/thickening. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; freeze glazed chicken up to 2 months (best re-crisped on heat). For a lower-sugar option, reduce honey to 1 tablespoon and increase mirin/rice wine by 1 tablespoon to keep the balance.