This Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry recipe is an easy, fresh, one-skillet dinner elevated by the BEST homemade teriyaki sauce infused with Asian Sweet Chili Sauce for sticky, sweet, tangy, salty umami perfection.ย Best of all, the teriyaki sauceย doubles as a quick marinade (no double work) for juicy, tender, flavorful chicken. With step-by-step instructions, video tutorial, expert tips, and customizable options, you can trust this recipe will become a go-to family favorite!
If you love teriyaki, donโt miss these must try recipes: Beef Teriyaki, Sheet Pan Teriyaki Salmon, One Pot Teriyaki Chicken and Pineapple Rice, Teriyaki Chicken Tacos, Teriyaki Chicken Salad, Classic Teriyaki Chicken, Teriyaki Chicken Sandwich and Sheet Pan Teriyaki Shrimp.
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how to make teriyaki chicken stir fry video
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry
This recipe combines two of my culinary favorites: teriyaki sauce and stir fries! Teriyaki sauce packs a big flavor punch and is quick to whisk together andย stir fries are one of the easiest and quickest dinner options. Combine the two together and we have an unabashedly flavorful, weeknight dinner that is totally customizable.
Through experimenting, trial and error, Iโve perfected this recipe to stir-fry perfectionโguaranteed to become a family favorite! Hereโs what makes this recipe the best:
A Brief History of Teriyaki Chicken
Teriyaki is a Japanese cooking technique in which food (usually beef, chicken or fish), are grilled or broiled after being marinated or brushed with sauce. The word teriyaki combines two Japanese words: teri, meaning luster (referring to the glistening caramelization of the sauce), and yaki, meaning grill or broil (referring to the cooking technique).
In the United States, teriyaki has come to mean any type of meat cooked in teriyaki sauce. Teriyaki became popular in the United States during the 1960s when Japanese immigrants settled in Hawaii. They adapted teriyaki sauce traditionally made with soy sauce, mirin or sake and sugar using local products, such as pineapple juice and brown sugar. For this reason, you will often see teriyaki served in Hawaii or across the states at Hawaiian restaurants.
This teriyaki chicken stir fry recipe is my tribute to Hawaiian based teriyaki sauce with my own creative spin. It is not authentic, but it is delicious!
How to Make the Best Healthy Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry
The secret is in the sauce.ย Forget using store-bought bottled sauce, this homemade teriyaki sauce is sensation.ย It boasts an addictive balance between sweet, salty, tangy, savory and a kick from the ginger and garlic.
The sauce is a combination of Hawaiian teriyaki sauce (soy sauce, sugar/honey, and pineapple juice ) and my non- traditional secret ingredient of Asian Sweet Chili Sauce.ย The Asian Sweet Chili Sauce replaces some of the sugar with sweet heat infused with red chilies, garlic and ginger for a depth of flavor that canโt be beat.ย ย Youโll be licking your plate!ย
Additionally, this teriyaki sauce is:
WHATโS IN TERIYAKI CHICKEN STIR FRY?ย
This teriyaki chicken stir fry recipe is wonderfully versatile, easy, healthy and satisfyingly delicious! ย There are three elements of this recipe: 1) the chicken, 2) the sauce, 3) the stir fry.ย Hereโs what youโll need:(measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):
WHAT KIND OF CHICKEN IS BEST?
This comes down to personal preference.ย Both chicken breasts and chicken thighs will work in this recipe:
For The Teriyaki Sauce
The Stir Fry Ingredients
How To Make Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry
This Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry can be summed up in 3 words: chop, whisk and stir fry. Youโll love how quickly this recipe comes together. Hereโs how to make it (full recipe measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post):
HOW TO PREP AHEAD
This healthy teriyaki chicken stir fry has a few steps, but you can prep almost everything ahead of time for a speedy dinner. Hereโs how:
โข Chop chicken: ย Trim and chop chicken into bite size pieces any time before marinating then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
โข Make teriyaki sauce:ย Whisk the ingredients together up to 24 hours in advance and store, covered, in the refrigerator.ย
โข Chop veggies: Chop the garlic, slice the onions, carrots and bell peppers 24 hours in advance, and store them in air tight containers in the refrigerator.
โข Cook!ย Within the next 24 hours, proceed with the recipe starting with marinating the chicken for 20-30 minutes.
TIPS FOR COOKING THE PERFECT CHICKEN STIR FRY
This teriyaki chicken stir fry recipe is quick and easy but there are some crucial tips to follow to ensure success:
Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fy Variations
The homemade teriyaki sauce creates the base of this stir fry recipe and the rest is endlessly customizable! Add different veggies, water chestnuts, etc. Here are some ideas:
What other veggies can I add?
Donโt like broccoli? Donโt have carrots on hand? No problem! You can swap the veggies with your favorites. Just keep in mind different vegetable cook times when chopping them – you donโt want some veggies to be crunchy and some to be mushy! Youโll want to chop longer cooking vegetables such as broccoli and carrots smaller/thinner and short cooking vegetables such as zucchini, bell peppers, snow peas, and asparagus thicker.
Hereโs a few delicious stir fry veggie options:
- Mushrooms
- Snow Peas
- Snap Peas
- Zucchini
- Celery
- Asparagus
- Baby corn
- Edamame
- Bean sprouts
- Cabbage (green or red)
- Bok choy
Storing Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry
โข How to store:ย Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
โข How to reheat in microwave: ย Transfer small portions to a microwave-safe dish, heat for one minute, stir and continue to heat at 30 second intervals.ย
โข How to reheat on the stove: Rewarm gently in a large skillet, stirring often.
CAN YOU FREEZE this recipe?
Yes, this teriyaki chicken stir fry freezes very well, except for the bell peppers.ย If using bell peppers, you may want to pick them out or they will become mushy when thawed.ย Also, take care not to overcook the chicken or it wonโt be as tender when reheated.
1. Let the recipe cool completely.ย
2. Transfer to an airtight container.ย If using a freezer bag, squeeze out any excess air to prevent freezer burn.
3. Label and freeze for up to 3 months.ย
4. When ready to eat, let the stir fry thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
5. Reheat in the microwave for 60 seconds then at 30 second intervals or gently on the stove.
What to Serve With Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry
My favorite side to serve with teriyaki chicken stir fry is steamed rice. The chicken stir fry is so flavorful, that the rice offers a neutral, textural counterpart that sops up the delicious teriyaki sauce. Here are some more delicious options to serve with this sweet and tangy stir fry recipe:
IS TERIYAKI chicken HEALTHY?
The chicken in Teriyaki Chicken is very healthy. It is a lean protein which means it doesnโt have very much fat, which can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle and even lose weight all while helping to sustain your muscles. Chicken is also full of calcium and phosphorus, which help strengthen your bones and reduce the risk of arthritis.
As far as teriyaki sauce, soy sauce is quite high in sodium, so take care to use a low sodium soy sauce.
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Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
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Ingredients
STIR FRY
- 1 pound chicken breasts chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 20 oz. can pineapple chunks in juice
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 2 carrots thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper cut into 1โ pieces
- 3 green onions, chopped, divided
- vegetable or peanut oil
TERIYAKI MARINADE/SAUCE
- 1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey or granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup Asian sweet chili sauce (like Mae Ploy)
- 3 tablespoons pineapple juice from above can pineapple chunks
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2-1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce (for spicy)
- 1 ยฝ tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Drain the pineapple through a fine mesh sieve and save the juice.
- Whisk the Teriyaki Sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Remove ยผ cup and add it to medium bowl or resealable bag with the chopped chicken. Marinate at room temperature while you prep the rest of the ingredients or up to 30 minutes at room temperature (refrigerate if marinating longer, up to 4 hours then bring to room temperature before cooking). Set the remaining teriyaki sauce aside.
- Heat a drizzle of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add pineapple and stir fry until caramelized, about 3 minutes; remove pineapple to a plate.
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in the now empty skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken (discard marinade) and stir fry just until the outsides are no longer pink, about 2-3 minutes (chicken will not be cooked through; donโt overcook). Remove chicken to a plate.
- To the now empty pan (donโt wipe out), heat another drizzle of oil over medium-high heat. Add broccoli, carrots, and bell peppers. Stir fry until vegetables are crisp tender, about 2 minutes. (Donโt over-cook because they will continue to cook in sauce.)
- Return the chicken and pineapple to the skillet. Whisk the sauce to recombine then add to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened, the chicken is cooked and vegetables are crisp tender, about 2 minutes, taking care not to overcook the chicken.
- Stir in about half of the green onions. Taste and add additional chili sauce for spicier, vinegar for tangier, or a sprinkle of sugar for sweeter. Serve with rice and garnish with remaining green onions.
Video
Notes
Tips and Tricks
- Asian sweet chili sauce:ย Can be found in the Asian section of your grocery store. Just donโt confuse thisย sweetย Asian chili sauce with traditional (hot) Asian chili sauce!
- Pineapple juice: ย Do NOT use fresh pineapple juice because it contains the enzyme bromelain which will leave your chicken mushy.ย In CANNED pineapple, however, the bromelain is extracted.
- If omitting pineapple:ย I think the pineapple makes this recipe but if you only have veggies on hand and need to make this recipe now, then skip the pineapple juice and increase the apple cider vinegar to ยผ cup and the sugar to โ cup.
- To make gluten free:ย Use gluten free soy sauce or tamari.ย You will also want to double check that yourย Asian sweet chili sauceย is gluten free.ย
- Adjust teriyaki sauce to taste: This is YOUR teriyaki chicken recipe. Make it sweeter by adding more sugar, tangier by adding more cider vinegar, spicier by adding more chili sauce or amp up the ginger or garlic flavor depending on your personal preference.
- Swap the veggies: You can swap the veggies or omit some altogether. For example, instead of broccoli, add more bell peppers or carrots.ย ย The stir fry would also be tasty with snow peas, mushrooms, zucchini, celery, asparagus, edamame or bok choy.
- Prep ahead:ย The chicken, veggies, sauce and aromatics can be prepped ahead/chopped and stored in separate airtight container in the refrigerator so dinner can come together in minutes.ย
HOW TO STORE AND REHEATย
This recipe reheats wonderfully for lunches or dinners, just take care to not overcook the chicken initially.ย- How to store:ย Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- How to reheat in microwave:ย Transfer small portions to a microwave safe dish, heat for one minute, stir then continue to heat at 30 second intervals.ย
- How to reheat on the stove:ย Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often.ย
- To freeze:ย I recommend removing the bell peppers because they can become mushy.ย Let the stir fry cool completely, then transfer to a freezer safe container.ย Freeze for up to 3 months.ย Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating per above methods.ย
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Leave a Review, I Always Love Hearing From You!
Bridget says
My husband has an allergy to peppers so I am very careful with recipes. Do you recommend using ketchup or tomato paste instead of chili sauce?
Jen says
Hi Bridget, I’m assuming you’re referring to both the Asian sweet chili sauce and regular chili sauce? Instead of the sweet chili sauce, I would increase the sugar to 1/2 cup and add additional garlic and ginger to taste. Both of the chili sauces add heat, so add whatever you can use instead. Hope that helps!
Susan says
Hi Jen,
Just read my newest email from you and canโt wait to make this!! I LOVE your recipes, how you show the prep work, the illustrations, etc. Your recipes never fail.
I can stay on your site all day with no problem, but nothing would get done !
YOU ARE MY FAVORITE!!!
Keep up the GREAT work!!!
Susan
Jen says
You are the best Susan, thanks for making my day! I put a lot of time/effort into each recipe so I love hearing how much it’s appreciated! Thank you!
Bridget says
Thank you for the reply! Yes I am referring to the chili sauces. I will need to sub in broccoli / carrots for the green pepper veggies, but I was not sure what would happen if I left out the chili sauce completely (safe assumption that there are peppers in chili sauce). I will play around a bit with the spices as you suggest.
I really enjoy your site and all the background information that you research and provide. While I am typing, I must also let you know that I often make your crockpot barbeque chicken, crockpot sesame chicken, and crockpot chicken and rice. We LOVE your snickerdoodle bars – simply the best.
Thank you.
Jen says
Thanks so much Bridget for making my day! I love hearing what recipes have become family favorites too!
Darice says
Very good recipe. It was delicious! I added zucchini slices and snow peas and also some sesame seeds. After our first bite I decided it was crying out for some cashews on top. Yummy, Great recipe Jen. You always deliver the deliciousness. Thank you.
Jen says
Oh Yes, cashews sound fantastic! So happy you enjoyed it!