This is not the average, run of the mill, chicken teriyaki you’d find in a mall food court. We’re going for a deep, intense teriyaki flavor, while keeping the chicken juicy and moist.
Here’s why this recipe is different:
- Instead of baking the chicken thighs in the teriyaki sauce, it’s brushed on top every 5 minutes. This builds flavor. LOTS and lots of flavor! Also, the sauce is much less likely to burn on the bottom of the pan!
- The chicken is coated in rice flour. We like the finer texture compared to all-purpose flour.
- A thinly sliced onion rests on the bottom of the pan. It adds a sweet counterpoint to the teriyaki sauce (no sugar added!), but also helps prevent the sauce from burning on the bottom of the pan during basting.
- Chicken remains juicy and moist throughout, while the exterior crisps up a bit thanks to relatively high heat and the homemade teriyaki sauce being brushed on top in stages.
It’s honestly too good to put into words!! Anyone searching for a simple chicken teriyaki recipe with minimal ingredients, big flavor, and a quick cook time — you just hit the jackpot!
Also, if you use a gluten-free soy sauce, the whole dish is gluten free!
Ingredients For Baked Chicken Teriyaki
- chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)
- rice flour
- sweet onion, thinly sliced
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- scallions
- sesame seeds
And of course, homemade teriyaki sauce! Yes, you can totally substitute your favorite store brand, but if you’ve got these three simple ingredients (soy sauce, sake, and mirin or rice wine vinegar) we highly recommend taking 10 minutes to make your own.
The flavor cannot be beat!
How To Make The Best Chicken Teriyaki
- Did you make this easy 3 ingredient teriyaki sauce? It takes about 10 minutes and will knock your socks off. Okay, good!
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Place half a thinly sliced sweet onion in a skillet or pan.
- Dredge boneless, skinless chicken thighs in rice flour, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Place chicken thighs on top of onion, then drizzle with 2 Tbsp olive oil.
- Cook chicken for 25-30 minutes, brushing the chicken thighs with teriyaki sauce every 5 minutes. Chicken is fully cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165 F.
Variation in cook time is dependent on the size of chicken thighs. Use a meat thermometer to ensure chicken for proper doneness.
Just before serving, give one final brush of teriyaki sauce, then sprinkle chicken with sesame seeds and thinly sliced scallion.
What To Serve with Chicken Teriyaki
White rice and roasted or steamed broccoli are classic choices! Diced avocado with a drizzle of soy sauce is also a great option!
Other serving suggestions:
- (10 minute) blistered shishito peppers
- Asian cucumber salad
- Garlic and sesame green beans
- Sautéed spinach with garlic
Can I Grill Chicken Teriyaki Instead?
YES. Instead of placing chicken thighs on top of onion, simply grill both (you can cut the onion into round slices), then brush each with soy sauce every 5 minutes, same as you would if you were baking it.
Cook time will depend on grill temperature and thickness of chicken. Substituting with bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs is fine, but the cook time will be longer. Remember, chicken is safe to eat when an internal temperature of 165 F is reached.
Chicken Breasts Instead of Thighs
Yes, you can definitely use chicken breasts! We prefer thighs, as they’re juicier and are less likely to dry out. The method is exactly the same, but the cook time may vary (chicken breasts tend to be thicker than chicken thighs).
Keep an eye on the internal temperature and perhaps serve additional teriyaki sauce on the side if they’re not as juicy as the thighs!
You will not believe the flavor — one (extra large) bite and you’ll never go back to baked chicken teriyaki any other way!
If you make this Baked Chicken Teriyaki recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
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For more chicken recipes, check out the following:
- Chicken milanese
- Skillet chicken parmesan
- Grilled spatchcock chicken
- Chicken with white beans and kale
- Chicken and waffles recipe
Baked Chicken Teriyaki Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 – 2 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs fat trimmed
- ½ cup rice flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ large sweet onion thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup teriyaki sauce recipe below for homemade
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 large scallion thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Place half a thinly sliced sweet onion in a skillet or pan.
- Dredge chicken thighs in ½ cup rice flour, 1 tsp kosher salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper.
- Place chicken thighs on top of onion, then drizzle with 2 Tbsp olive oil. Cook chicken for 25-30 minutes, brushing the chicken thighs with teriyaki sauce every 5 minutes. Chicken is fully cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165 F.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Nutrition facts do not include rice or broccoli.
- This homemade teriyaki sauce recipe makes all the difference in the world with this dish! Only 3 ingredients: sake, soy sauce, and mirin!
- Yes, you can use bone-in, skin on chicken thighs, but the cook time will increase by about 10 minutes. Also, because the chicken is near pan-seared first, the skin on top is less likely to be crispy. We love boneless thighs here!
- Can I use chicken breasts instead? We prefer thighs, as they’re juicier and are less likely to dry out, but yes. The method is exactly the same; the cook time may vary (chicken breasts tend to be thicker than chicken thighs). Chicken is safe to eat when the internal temperature is 165 F.
This was such an incredibly delicious dish and it was pretty easy to make. I highly recommend it:)
LOVE hearing this! Simple recipes is where it’s at (especially on busy evenings!)! xo, Ari
Great recipe! Super easy to prep and was a big hit with my whole fam (even my little one who usually doesn’t go for this flavor profile). Took the extra time to make the homemade teriyaki sauce because I had all of the ingredients anyway (and it really took no time at all) — highly recommend. Yum!
Beyond thrilled the whole fam loved this one, Tamara! The onions on the bottom make the dish for me! xo, Ari
Hi, I don’t have rice flour. Do you recommend corn starch or APF? Thanks
Cornstarch is a great substitute for rice flour. Let me know what you think! xo, Ari