Classic Teriyaki Chicken Recipe

If there's one dish that just about anyone will love, it's this one. Teriyaki is simply a delicious flavoring, so when a thick coating of the sauce is applied to the world's most popular animal protein, a successful meal is made, it's as simple as that. And speaking of simple, this teriyaki chicken entree, care of chef and recipe developer Catherine Brookes of Blue Sky Eating, will take you all of 5 minutes to prep and about 12 to cook up, so it's a crowd pleaser and a cook pleaser!

No chicken on hand or looking for other ideas? No problem. Brookes also loves the idea of following this exact same recipe with seared tofu, or "maybe even shrimp or pork." And as for making a larger meal, she says teriyaki dishes are "great with rice or noodles, or maybe stir fried veggies." Or a combination of any two, of course. Or you could tuck the sweet and savory chicken into a lettuce cup. Or into a fancy wrap. And on it goes — any way you serve this classic teriyaki chicken, it's going to be a hit.

It's no wonder this dish tastes so good, given the abundance of savory, sweet, and salty ingredients. All told, you'll need olive oil, crushed cloves of garlic, fresh grated ginger, honey, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Oh, and chicken. And ideally some sliced spring onions and sesame seeds for serving.

If there is one flavor profile missing here, it's heat, but Brookes notes that you could easily change that! "You could add some finely chopped fresh chili pepper to the pan when frying the garlic and ginger," she explains.

Start off by whisking together the honey, soy sauce, and rice vinegar, combining them in a bowl, then setting the sauce aside. Next, heat the olive oil in a frying pan on a medium-high setting, then fry the chicken until it has cooked through, which takes about 5 to 7 minutes. Once it has cooked, remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.

Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and cook them for about a minute, stirring constantly. As a reminder, if you also want to add a chili into the mix, now's the time to do it. As for that sauce you made in the last step, go ahead and add it to the pan and stir it around. Now lower the heat slightly and let the sauce simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring now and again.

Add the chicken back to the pan, stirring it around for another few minutes to coat the meat evenly in the sauce and heat it through. Now serve the cooked teriyaki chicken with rice, chopped spring onions, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds, if you have those handy.

If you have some leftovers, fear not: "It should keep in the fridge up to two days and you can reheat it in the microwave," Brookes says.