AuthorChandniIf you enjoy the sweet-and-saltiness of teriyaki, here’s how you can make it at home.
The word teriyaki combines two Japanese words: teri that refers to the luster or shine from the sugar in the sauce, and yaki that refers to grilling or broiling. While teriyaki refers to the technique of grilling protein, it is often used interchangeably to refer to the sauce or marinade that usually goes with this style of cooking.
My introduction to teriyaki was a teriyaki noodle salad I’d order at least once a week for lunch from my favourite take-away joint--a cold noodle salad with poached chicken, a few veggies, and a teriyaki dressing. When they took it off the menu, I was miserable, but that did make me go look for a recipe and when I saw how easy it was to replicate, I was kicking myself for not looking it up earlier.
I first made this teriyaki chicken fried rice when I needed a quick and satisfying lunch but my next meeting was looming around the corner. It’s really simple, uses up leftover day-old rice that’s perfect for fried rice anyway, and is so quick to put together!
When you try to make this, definitely experiment with the ratios of the ingredients to figure out what works for you. I don’t like it too sweet, so I find this quantity of sugar works for me while also giving me the sheen from melting into the soy. And while a traditional teriyaki sauce doesn’t have ginger or garlic, I really love a gingery sauce. Play around with it to see what works for you.
To make this teriyaki chicken fried rice, I’ve reduced the sauce while cooking the chicken at the same time. This not only saved me time, but also ensured the chicken absorbed the flavour well. You could choose to cook down the sauce on its own and use it in different ways like to marinate chicken or tofu before you grill it; as a sauce for a stir fry; even as a dressing or dipping sauce! Just remember to cool it down and put it in the fridge. It should be fine for a few weeks.
I've used day-old leftover rice to make this dish not only because I needed to finish the rice, but it's just perfect to make fried rice. I wrote about what makes a good fried rice in this post: Emergency Egg Fried Rice. Read up for more.
Teriyaki Chicken Fried Rice Recipe Video
Teriyaki Chicken Fried Rice Recipe Card
To make teriyaki chicken fried rice, start with the teriyaki sauce. Combine ¼ cup soy sauce, 1 tsp ginger, ½ tsp garlic, 2 tsp brown sugar, and ¼ tsp pepper powder in a bowl. Mix well and set this aside. If you want to use this sauce for another meal, double it and reduce it separately in a saucepan on low heat till it turns nice and glossy. Cool it and store it in a glass bottle in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet. Add the chicken strips and season them with some salt. Let them sear on medium heat for 2-3 minutes until they’re golden brown on one side. If you’re using chicken breast instead of chicken thigh, they will cook faster, so keep an eye on them so they don’t dry out.
Once the chicken strips have turned golden brown on one side, flip them and add the teriyaki sauce to the pan. Turn down the heat and let the sauce reduce for about 3-4 minutes till it’s thick and shiny.
Add 1.5 cups of day-old rice and mix well to combine it with the chicken and teriyaki sauce. Once combined, turn up the heat to medium and press down on the rice with your spatula so it fries better. Cook it for 2-3 minutes till the rice is completely heated through.
Turn off the heat, garnish with sesame seeds and spring onions and enjoy your teriyaki chicken fried rice. It carries really well so it makes a great lunchbox meal.
Ingredients
Directions
To make teriyaki chicken fried rice, start with the teriyaki sauce. Combine ¼ cup soy sauce, 1 tsp ginger, ½ tsp garlic, 2 tsp brown sugar, and ¼ tsp pepper powder in a bowl. Mix well and set this aside. If you want to use this sauce for another meal, double it and reduce it separately in a saucepan on low heat till it turns nice and glossy. Cool it and store it in a glass bottle in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet. Add the chicken strips and season them with some salt. Let them sear on medium heat for 2-3 minutes until they’re golden brown on one side. If you’re using chicken breast instead of chicken thigh, they will cook faster, so keep an eye on them so they don’t dry out.
Once the chicken strips have turned golden brown on one side, flip them and add the teriyaki sauce to the pan. Turn down the heat and let the sauce reduce for about 3-4 minutes till it’s thick and shiny.
Add 1.5 cups of day-old rice and mix well to combine it with the chicken and teriyaki sauce. Once combined, turn up the heat to medium and press down on the rice with your spatula so it fries better. Cook it for 2-3 minutes till the rice is completely heated through.
Turn off the heat, garnish with sesame seeds and spring onions and enjoy your teriyaki chicken fried rice. It carries really well so it makes a great lunchbox meal.