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Quick weeknight teriyaki chicken and rice

A quick, balanced, and budget-friendly teriyaki chicken that's perfect for busy weeknights

By Maple Staff

🥘 One pan

Dinner

⏱️ < 30 min

Quick weeknight teriyaki chicken and rice

Prep time:

10 minutes plus 30 minutes to marinade (40 minutes total)

Cook time:

15 minutes

Total time:

1 hour, half of which is marination time

Servings:

4-6

Cookware:

Small bowl, large zip lock bag, large skillet

Cost

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Ingredients

½ cup soy sauce
5 tablespoons brown sugar
1.5 tablespoons water
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons of fresh ginger, grated
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided into two equal portions
2.5-3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
4-6 servings of Ready to Serve Minute Rice (white, basmati, or jasmine)

Why the recipe is a hit with families

This quick, weeknight teriyaki chicken recipe is a great pick for families with kids. The sweet and savory sauce is kid-friendly and pairs perfectly with rice and veggies for a balanced meal. It’s quick to make on busy weeknights, easy to customize with your family’s favorite sides, and uses simple, budget-friendly ingredients.

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We’ve paired it with instant rice to keep it simple and reduce prep time. We like Minute Rice brand the best, but any brand of instant rice will work. If you have extra time, add an easy veggie like broccoli as a side.

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Although the total time on this recipe is listed at an hour, it only takes 30 minutes if you do the marinade earlier in the day or the night before. Make sure it’s marinating for at least 30 minutes or the flavor won’t stick.

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Instructions:

Make the magic sauce
- In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, garlic, ginger, and half the olive oil (1.5 tablespoons). Give it a little whisk to combine.

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Marinate the chicken
- Put the chicken in the zip lock bag.
- Pour the marinade on the chicken, then flip it a couple of times so it gets a good coat on both sides.
- Close the ziplock bag and put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. The chicken can be marinated the night before to save time. Make sure you flip and turn the chicken every now and then so it soaks up the flavor.

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Cook the chicken
- When you’re ready to cook, heat the other half of the olive oil (1.5 tablespoons) in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Remove the chicken from the ziplock bag and add it to the skillet. Don’t add the leftover marinade to the skillet (it’s done its job).
- Cook the chicken for about 5–7 minutes per side, or until its internal temperature reaches about 165.

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Rest and serve
- Let the chicken rest on a cutting board for a few minutes.
- Cook your Minute Rice in the microwave while the chicken rests.
- Set the table and call the kids while the rice is cooking and the chicken is resting.
- Slice it into stripes and serve.