Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 30 mins | Total: 40 mins | Serves: 4
Best For: Weeknight dinners, meal prep, family favourites, easy oven meals

Introduction

This easy baked teriyaki chicken is a family favourite — juicy chicken baked in a sticky, glossy teriyaki sauce made with simple pantry ingredients. It’s sweet, savoury, and perfectly balanced, delivering that classic teriyaki flavour without needing takeout.

Serve it over rice with steamed vegetables, add it to stir-fries, or pack it into lunchboxes — it’s quick, versatile, and always crowd-pleasing.

Gathering the Ingredients

You will need:

• 600g chicken thigh fillets (or breasts), cut into pieces or left whole

• ¼ cup soy sauce

• 3 tablespoons honey or brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons mirin (optional but recommended)

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (or lemon juice)

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon grated ginger

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

• ½ cup water

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil (optional)

• Sesame seeds, for garnish

• Spring onion, sliced (optional)

Optional additions:

• Add chilli flakes for a spicy teriyaki

• Use pineapple juice instead of water for a Hawaiian-style flavour

• Swap honey for maple syrup

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven
   Heat oven to 200°C (400°F).

2. Make the teriyaki sauce
   In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey (or brown sugar), mirin, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and water.

3. Prepare the chicken
   Place chicken into a baking dish.
   Pour the teriyaki sauce over the top.

4. Bake the chicken
   Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven.

5. Thicken the sauce
   Mix cornstarch with a tablespoon of water to make a slurry.
   Stir into the sauce around the chicken.
   Return to the oven and bake for another 8–10 minutes, or until the sauce is thick, glossy, and sticky.

6. Serve
   Garnish with sesame seeds and spring onion.
   Serve over rice, noodles, or vegetables.

Helpful Tips

• Chicken thighs stay moist and tender when baked.

• If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of water.

• If too thin, bake for a few extra minutes.

• Add vegetables like broccoli or carrots to the baking dish for a one-pan meal.

• Great for meal prep — the sauce keeps the chicken juicy.

Why This Recipe Works

• Uses simple pantry staples

• Homemade teriyaki sauce = better than store-bought

• Sticky, glossy, flavour-packed result

• Oven-baked and hands-off

• Perfect for families and meal prep

Explore More Family Favourites

If you loved this recipe, try:

• Easy One-Pan Honey Soy Chicken

• Easy One-Pan Lemon Garlic Chicken

• Simple Family-Friendly Chili