Grilled teriyaki chicken is easy to make and extra juicy and flavorful!
Marinated in a citrusy, sweet, and sour sauce, chicken thighs are the ultimate in picnic and party fare! Served over a bed of rice or with some potatoes, this makes a hard-to-resist meal.
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
- The homemade marinade is easy to make and packed with flavor.
- To make prep even faster, this recipe works well with a bottled marinade if you prefer.
- Chicken thighs are easy to cook and come out extra juicy (but you can use chicken breasts if you’d prefer).
- These reheat well, they’re great for salads or rice bowls. Slice them and add to wraps or even stir fries.
Ingredients & Variations
Chicken – This recipe is best made with fresh boneless skinless chicken thighs.
Boneless chicken breasts can be used. Pound the chicken to ½-inch thick before marinating. This is also a great recipe for shrimp (place them on skewers so they don’t fall through the grill grates), and even pre-made meatballs.
Teryaki Marinade – The marinade in this recipe both flavors and tenderizes the meat. In this recipe, we use orange juice, soy sauce, and sweet rice wine. Pineapple or apple juice will work in a pinch.
Sweeten the marinade with honey and add fresh ginger and garlic for that distinct umami flavor. Or make homemade teriyaki sauce without thickening to use as marinade.
How to Make Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
Just a few simple steps for this sweet and sour chicken.
- Prep Marinade: Make the marinade and add it to a bowl or zippered bag.
- Marinate Chicken: Add chicken and marinate for 2 hours or overnight (as per the recipe below).
- Cook: Grill chicken pieces until they are cooked through and no pink remains (discard unused marinade).
Serving Suggestions
This teriyaki chicken recipe is delicious hot off the grill but it is also great for meal prep!
- Partner grilled chicken teriyaki with an amazing rice recipe like garlic butter rice or seasoned rice.
- Make it into a Teriyaki bowl Panda Express-style, with a tangy slaw!
- Turn it into a yummy chicken sandwich with a couple of slices of grilled pineapple.
- Slice it and add it to a salad (with ginger dressing) or a wrap with shredded cabbage.
Leftover Chicken
Fridge: Keep leftover grilled teriyaki chicken in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Enjoy cold or reheat in the microwave or oven.
Freezer: Freeze portions in zippered bags for up to 4 weeks. Use leftover shredded teriyaki chicken in a stir fry, top a crisp green salad, or make a low-carb wrap for an energizing workday lunch!
More Grilled Chicken Recipes
Did you make this Grilled Teriyaki Chicken? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken thighs
Marinade
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 green onions sliced
- 1 tablespoon ginger finely minced
- 1 tablespoon sweet rice wine optional
- 1 clove garlic minced
Instructions
- Mix all marinade ingredients in a small bowl.
- Combine chicken and marinade ingredients in a bowl or freezer bag.
- Marinate at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat grill to medium. Remove chicken from marinade and discard any marinade.
- Grill chicken thighs 5-7 minutes per side or until cooked through and no pink remains (165°F).
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Chicken, Dinner, Entree
Cuisine American, Asian© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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Delicious & easy. Thank you
I made this tonight with chicken thighs. It was delicious and easy! Will definitely make it again.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe LB!
I was making jalapèno burgers with your fries, but saw these teriyaki chicken thighs and changed my mind. Tomorrow I’ll make the burgers and fries. Happy to have my next two dinners planned. Thank you
I was making jalapèno burgers with your fries, but saw these teriyaki chicken breasts and changed my mind. Tomorrow I’ll make the burgers and fries. Happy to have my next two dinners planned. Thank you
thanks holly i love chiken
Awesome
very good. I only marinated a little over 2 hours, but they were flavorful.
This the first time I am trying the. Crispy cutlets
How did they turn out for you, Rose?
Are the chicken thighs boneless, skinless? What about using boneless, skinless chicken breasts? Sounds delicious! I love a lot of your recipes Holly!
We use boneless chicken thighs in this recipe Cindy, but it would be delicious on chicken breasts as well. You may need to adjust the cooking time slightly, just ensure your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F before serving.
Maybe raise the done temp to 170° then rove Frome grill and let Juices settle thighs take longer than any other part of the chicken and this really breaks it down to be Super Tender and juice they won’t get dry it’s kinda hard to over cook thighs …..Maybe pull some off at the lower temp and leave some on till the higher temp is reached and compare them
You are so right Jax! It is hard to overcook chicken thighs. They can be cooked to up to 180°F without drying out. Many think the higher temperature can yield better tenderness and flavor too.
Hi Holly,
How would this recipe change if I were to bake skinless boneless chicken thighs?
Thanks!
Hi Kiara, it shouldn’t change the cooking instructions but make sure the chicken is cooked uniformly to an internal temperature of 165°F before serving.
Everything looks delicious!
Thanks Carol!
Thanks, these recipes look amazing.
I can’t wait to try them.
Thanks Cecelia! Enjoy the recipes!
This looks and sounds delicious. I’m not much of a griller, but I do have a George Foreman grill, would it work?
While I haven’t tried it I’m certain it would work. You’ll just want to make sure the chicken is cooked through. Enjoy!