As much fun as it is to cook and bake festive and seasonally appropriate dishes all the time, there is something to be said for a classic, simple and easy standby for when you need dinner ASAP and don’t want to involve too many dishes. For me, my weeknight dinner go-to’s tend to involve protein + veggies + rice. Especially this Easy Baked Teriyaki Chicken that only requires 5 simple ingredients for the marinade. That’s it!
Growing up in Hawaii, teriyaki chicken was everywhere, a truly unmistakable staple. It reminds me so much of my favorite plat lunch spots and potlucks filled with friends and family, which is why I enjoy making it regularly at home, so I can get my fix at any time.
As mentioned, this recipe is very simple. There are so many classic versions that require anywhere from 2-6 ingredients, but this is the version that I personally enjoy the best. Starting with soy sauce, it uses brown sugar instead of white, and a good portion of mirin to add additional sweetness, without overloading it with just sugar. The garlic and ginger truly give the marinade a succulent bite, and freshen up the saltiness of the soy sauce.
I find that the trick to making this as amazing as possible is to marinade it for at least 4 hours. 2 hours will do in a pinch, but letting the flavors really soak in will mean you get the teriyaki flavor in every bite, and not just on the exterior of the chicken. This is also great because you can prep this the morning of, or night before, and then when dinner time rolls around, all you do is pop it in the oven! Easy Baked Teriyaki Chicken is a great dish to
Interested in more plate lunch ideas? Try one of these other recipes below!
Korean Beef Bulgogi Bowls or
Homemade Meat Jun
Easy Baked Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 Cup Soy sauce
- 1 Cup Mirin
- 1/2 Cup Brown sugar
- 2 Inch Knob of ginger grated
- 4 Cloves Garlic minced
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, grated ginger, and minced garlic. Whisk together. Add chicken and cover bowl. Marinate in refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
- When ready to make chicken, preheat oven to 350° F. Remove chicken from marinade and place in baking dish. Add about 1/4 – 1/2 cup of marinade to baking dish. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
- Put remaining marinade into a pot on stove. Bring to a boil while whisking frequently. Let boil for 2 minutes, then reduce to a simmer for 10 additional minutes.
- Once chicken is done, serve by adding additional spoonfuls of warmed marinade over chicken.
