Chicken Teriyaki Marinade Recipe

featured grilled chicken teriyaki breasts with teriyaki marinade

4.57 from 16 votes

When you are in the mood for a Japanese-inspired meal, you need to try this sweet and savory teriyaki chicken marinade! Plus instructions for making teriyaki chicken on the grill.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Marinate Time1

Total Time1 20

Course: Main Course, Sauce/Marinade

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 411kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts *

For the Marinade:

½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
⅓ cup brown sugar
¼ cup sweet chili sauce
¼ cup toasted sesame oil
¼ cup apple cider vinegar **
2 tablespoons honey ***
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground ginger

For the Sauce:

¼ cup water
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Instructions

Marinate:

Place the chicken breasts in a resealable bag, or container.
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, sweet chili sauce, toasted sesame oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, garlic powder, and ground ginger to create the marinade.
½ cup low-sodium soy sauce, ⅓ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup sweet chili sauce, ¼ cup toasted sesame oil, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Reserve ½ cup of the marinade mixture and set aside.
Pour the remaining marinade over the prepared chicken breasts. Seal the bag or cover the container, and refrigerate for 1 hour to marinate.

Grill:

Preheat the grill to 375℉, then brush the grill grates with oil to prevent sticking.
Grill marinated chicken breasts 6-7 minutes on one side.
Flip and continue grilling another 7 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165℉.

Make the Sauce:

While the chicken is grilling, combine the water and cornstarch in a saucepan set over medium-low heat.
¼ cup water, 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Add the reserved marinade and simmer until it begins to thicken.
Brush the thickened teriyaki sauce over the chicken as it finishes grilling, and/or before serving.

Video

Notes

*I used boneless chicken breasts, but this teriyaki marinade can be used on any cut of chicken. It's great with chicken thighs!

**White wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar are good substitutes.

***Maple syrup or agave can be used instead of honey.

Tips:

Let your chicken marinate for more than 1 hour if you have the extra time. You can even let it marinate overnight to really soak in that flavor.
If you're a spice lover like me, try adding 1 tablespoon of sriracha to the marinade. It adds the perfect amount of heat!
I recommend discarding any leftover teriyaki chicken marinade immediately if you're not planning to turn it into a serving sauce, since it will have been contaminated with raw chicken juices.
Any leftover cooked sauce will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Stovetop Instructions: In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Place marinated chicken breasts in the hot pan then cook for 3 minutes. Turn the chicken breasts, reduce the temperature to medium, and cover. Cook an additional 5 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Add reserved marinade and cook until it begins to thicken.

Storage: Store teriyaki chicken breasts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days, or freeze for 3 months.

Nutrition