Name: Baked Teriyaki Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (pounded to even thickness); 1 cup low-sodium soy sauce; ½ cup water; ½ cup rice vinegar; 1 cup sugar (or use brown sugar for a richer flavor); 1 tsp ground ginger; ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 3 tbsp cornstarch; ½ tsp sesame seeds; chopped green onions (for garnish); steamed rice (for serving)

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Discover the perfect balance of sweet and savory with this baked teriyaki chicken recipe. Juicy chicken breasts are coated in a homemade teriyaki glaze that caramelizes perfectly in the oven. It’s super easy and comes together fast! For more dinner ideas, try this crispy baked chicken cutlet recipe or this easy chicken penne vodka.

The magic of this baked teriyaki chicken is how versatile it is—perfect for entertaining or an easy weeknight dinner. The homemade sauce beats anything store-bought, with just the right mix of soy sauce, sweetness, and a hint of ginger. For more flavorful meals, try this gluten-free orange chicken recipe or this hibachi chicken recipe.

What You'll Love About This Recipe

Perfect Balance of Flavors - The homemade teriyaki sauce offers the ideal combination of sweet, savory, and tangy notes that perfectly complement the tender chicken.
Minimal Hands-On Time - Once you've prepared the sauce and arranged the chicken, your oven does all the work, making this perfect for busy weeknights.
Versatile Serving Options - Pairs beautifully with rice, noodles, or vegetables for a complete meal that satisfies everyone at your table.

Tender baked teriyaki chicken slices coated in glossy sauce, sprinkled with sesame seeds and chopped green onions, served with white rice on a round plate.

Recipe Ingredients

Transform simple ingredients into an extraordinary meal with these kitchen staples:

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Low-sodium soy sauce
Water
Rice vinegar
Sugar (regular or brown)
Ground ginger
Crushed red pepper flakes
Garlic
Cornstarch
Sesame seeds
Green onions
Steamed rice (for serving)

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Our Recommended Equipment

Ingredient Notes

Chicken Breasts - Pounding them to even thickness ensures they cook evenly and stay tender. You can substitute chicken thighs for even juicier results.
Low-Sodium Soy Sauce - This is crucial to prevent your baked teriyaki chicken from becoming too salty. If you only have regular soy sauce, reduce the amount by about 25% and add a bit more water.
Brown Sugar Option - While regular sugar works perfectly, brown sugar adds a deeper, more caramel-like flavor to your teriyaki sauce that elevates the entire dish.

How to Make Baked Teriyaki Chicken Recipe

For the complete, printable recipe with exact measurements, please scroll to the recipe card. Here's a quick overview of how this delicious dish comes together:

Close-up of sliced baked teriyaki chicken breast coated in thick sauce, sprinkled with sesame seeds and chopped green onions, served over steamed white rice with chopsticks on the side.

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and grease a baking dish.
Arrange chicken in a single layer in the prepared dish.
Make teriyaki sauce by combining soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, sugar, ginger, red pepper flakes, and garlic in a saucepan and bringing to a boil.
Thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry and stir in sesame seeds.
Pour half the sauce over the chicken, coating evenly.
Cover and bake for 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
Add remaining sauce and bake uncovered for 5-10 more minutes for a beautiful glaze.
Garnish with green onions and serve over steamed rice.

Pro Tips

The secret to perfect baked teriyaki chicken is in the sauce application! For restaurant-quality results, reserve some sauce for serving and brush the chicken with additional sauce halfway through cooking for maximum flavor penetration and a beautiful glaze.

Sliced baked teriyaki chicken breast glazed in rich sauce, topped with sesame seeds and chopped green onions, served with steamed white rice and a fork on a white plate.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigeration - Store leftover baked teriyaki chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep the sauce separate if possible to prevent the chicken from becoming soggy.
Freezing - This dish freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Freeze individual portions with rice for easy grab-and-go meals.
Reheating - For best results, reheat in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes until warmed through. Microwave on 70% power with a damp paper towel covering the dish to retain moisture.

Additions & Substitutions

Additions:

Add steamed broccoli, bell peppers, or snap peas during the last 10 minutes of baking for a complete one-pan meal.
Pineapple chunks add a delicious Hawaiian-inspired twist to this baked teriyaki chicken recipe.

Substitutions:

Swap chicken breasts for boneless thighs for even juicier results with more flavor.
Replace regular sugar with honey or maple syrup for a different sweetness profile (reduce amount by about 25%).

FAQs About This Baked Teriyaki Chicken Recipe

What temperature should I bake teriyaki chicken at?

Bake teriyaki chicken at 400°F (200°C) for the perfect balance of cooking speed and moisture retention. This temperature creates a beautiful caramelization without drying out the meat.

Do you add teriyaki sauce before or after cooking chicken?

For best results, add half the teriyaki sauce before baking and the remaining half during the final 5-10 minutes of cooking. This two-step approach ensures maximum flavor infusion while creating a beautiful glaze.

Do you marinate teriyaki chicken?

While marinating isn't strictly necessary for this baked teriyaki chicken recipe, you can marinate the chicken in some of the sauce for 30 minutes to 2 hours before baking for even more flavor penetration.

What Can I Serve with Baked Teriyaki Chicken?

This versatile baked teriyaki chicken pairs beautifully with steamed jasmine rice, coconut rice, or noodles. For a complete meal, add steamed or stir-fried vegetables like broccoli, snap peas, or bell peppers. A simple cucumber salad with rice vinegar dressing makes a refreshing side that balances the sweet teriyaki flavors perfectly.

If you try this baked teriyaki chicken recipe, I'd love to hear what you think! Please leave a comment and rating below to let me know how it turned out for you.

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