Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl

Tender chunks of chicken glazed in a sticky, sweet-and-savory homemade teriyaki sauce, served over a bed of fluffy rice with steamed broccoli.

By Cressio Rinaldi

Teriyaki sauce is one of those things people buy in a bottle, and it doesn’t need to be. Soy sauce, a little honey and brown sugar, fresh ginger and garlic give you a sauce that tastes brighter and fresher than anything out of a jar, and it takes two minutes to whisk together.

The best part is how the sauce cooks. You pour it over browned chicken, and as it simmers, it thickens by itself into a sticky glaze that coats every cube. No cornstarch slurry required. The sugars do the work, which also means you need to watch the heat, because sugars burn.

Served over rice with steamed broccoli, it is a complete dinner for two in about 25 minutes.

Read this first

1. Whisk the sauce first so it is ready when the chicken is browned.
2. Keep the heat at medium when the sauce goes in. The sugar can burn.
3. Check that the chicken reaches 165 F before you serve.

Prep time: 10 mins · Cook time: 15 mins · Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 lb Chicken breast, cut into bite-sized cubes
• 1/4 cup Soy sauce (low sodium)
• 3 tbsp Water
• 2 tbsp Honey or maple syrup
• 1 tbsp Brown sugar
• 1 tsp Fresh ginger, grated
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp Olive or sesame oil
• 2 cups Cooked white or brown rice

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, water, honey, brown sugar, grated ginger, and minced garlic to create the teriyaki sauce. Look for: A smooth sauce with the sugar fully dissolved, smelling of ginger and garlic.
2. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Look for: The oil shimmers, and a piece of chicken sizzles as it lands.
3. Add the cubed chicken to the skillet. Cook for about 5-6 minutes until browned on all sides and mostly cooked through. Look for: Golden edges on the chicken and no raw pink on the outside.
4. Pour the prepared teriyaki sauce over the chicken in the skillet. Look for: The sauce sizzles as it hits the pan and loosens the browned bits.
5. Reduce the heat to medium. Let the sauce bubble and simmer for 3-5 minutes. The sauce will naturally reduce and thicken into a sticky glaze that coats the chicken. Look for: Thick bubbles, and a sauce that coats the back of a spoon.
6. Once the chicken is fully cooked (165°F) and the sauce is thick, remove from heat. Look for: Sticky, glossy chicken, with a thermometer reading 165 F.
7. Divide the cooked rice between two bowls. Top with the glazed teriyaki chicken. Look for: Rice topped with glossy chicken and sauce running down into it.
8. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions if desired. Serve alongside steamed broccoli. Look for: A colorful bowl with green onions and sesame seeds.

Nutrition

Amount per serving. Nutritional values are estimates calculated from the ingredients above and can vary.

• Calories: 780
• Fat: 16g
• Saturated Fat: 4g
• Carbohydrates: 74g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 16g
• Protein: 78g
• Sodium: 1820mg
• Cholesterol: 190mg

Notes

• Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Freezing: The cooked chicken and sauce freeze well for up to 2 months; cook fresh rice when ready to serve.
• Glaze Consistency: Let the sauce simmer until it visibly thickens and coats the chicken — that's what turns it from a thin sauce into a sticky glaze.

Cook It With Me

Whisk the sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/4 cup of low-sodium soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of water, 2 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of grated ginger and 2 minced garlic cloves. The brown sugar should dissolve.

Heat the pan

Heat the 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.

Brown the chicken

Add the 1 lb of cubed chicken breast in a single layer. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, turning now and then, until it is browned on all sides and mostly cooked through.

Add the sauce

Pour the teriyaki sauce over the chicken.

Simmer to a glaze

Reduce the heat to medium. Let the sauce bubble and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. It will reduce and thicken into a sticky glaze that coats the chicken. Stir often so it doesn’t catch.

Check it

When the chicken is fully cooked (165 F) and the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon, remove the pan from the heat.

Build the bowls

Divide the 2 cups of cooked rice between two bowls and top with the glazed chicken, spooning over any extra sauce.

Garnish

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped green onions, if you like. Serve with steamed broccoli.

The Ingredients, One by One

Chicken breast

Cut it into pieces of the same size, about 3/4 inch, so they cook at the same speed. Thighs are juicier and more forgiving.

Low-sodium soy sauce

The sauce reduces, which concentrates the salt. Low-sodium is the safer choice.

Honey or maple syrup, and brown sugar

They add sweetness, and they caramelize into a glaze. Together they give a richer flavor than either alone.

Fresh ginger and garlic

They are what make homemade teriyaki taste fresh. Grate the ginger, so it melts into the sauce.

Olive or sesame oil

Sesame oil adds a toasty flavor, but burns more easily. Olive oil is the safer choice.

Cooked rice

White rice is classic, and brown rice adds chew. Leftover rice works well.

The Technique Behind It

Why it thickens without cornstarch

As the sauce simmers, water evaporates and the sugars concentrate. The mixture becomes syrupy, like a glaze.

Why the heat matters

Sugar goes from caramelized to burnt very quickly. Medium heat and frequent stirring keep it from scorching.

Why cut the chicken evenly

Pieces of the same size finish together, so none of them dries out.

How Do You Know the Chicken Is Done?

Small cubes cook fast, so check them early.

Check	What you see	Notes
Temperature	165 F in a thick cube	The USDA safe temperature for chicken.
Color	White inside, no pink	Cut a cube in half to check.
Texture	Firm and juicy	Dry, rubbery chicken means it cooked too long.

Mistakes That Cost You the Dish

• Too much heat when the sauce goes in The sugar burns and tastes bitter.
• Crowding the pan The chicken steams.
• Walking away The glaze can scorch.
• Using regular soy sauce The dish can be too salty.
• Skipping the stir The sauce sticks to the pan.

Fix It: If This Happens, Do This

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Sauce is too thin	Not reduced enough	Simmer for another minute or two.
Sauce is too thick	Reduced too far	Stir in a splash of water.
Sauce is too salty	Regular soy sauce	Add water and a little honey.
Sauce burned	Heat too high	Take it off the heat, and start a new batch of sauce if it tastes bitter.
Chicken is dry	Overcooked	Use thighs or smaller cubes.

What Each Ingredient Does (and What You Can Swap)

Ingredient	Its job	Swap, and what changes
Chicken breast	Lean protein	Chicken thighs, salmon or tofu work.
Soy sauce	Salty, savory base	Tamari works for gluten free.
Honey	Sweetness	Maple syrup works.
Brown sugar	Caramel flavor	White sugar works.
Ginger	Warm, sharp	1/4 teaspoon ground ginger works.
Rice	Base	Quinoa or cauliflower rice work.

Plan Ahead

• Make ahead: Make the sauce up to 3 days ahead.
• Fridge: Up to 4 days.
• Reheat: In the microwave or a skillet with a splash of water.
• Freezer: Freezes well for up to 3 months.

What to Serve With It

Serve with steamed broccoli, sautéed green beans or a quick cucumber salad. A fried egg on top is also good.

Questions People Ask

About the Author

Cressio Rinaldi

Cressio Rinaldi is the recipe developer behind Cressio Recipes. He cooks, tests, and writes every recipe on the site himself — refining each one until it's simple enough for a weeknight and good enough to make again. He's not a trained chef, just someone who cooks constantly and pays close attention to what actually makes a recipe work.