Serves: 5–6
Prep: 15 min
Bake: 25–30 min
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Rice
- 3 cups cooked jasmine rice
- 1 tbsp butter
Homemade teriyaki sauce
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1½ tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp cold water
Topping
- 3–4 green onions, sliced
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- Optional: chili flakes or sriracha
🔥 Method
- Make the sauce:
Combine soy sauce, honey, water, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic and ginger in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer. - Mix 1½ tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water, then whisk it into the sauce. Simmer 1–2 minutes until thick and glossy.
- Prepare the chicken:
Pat the chicken dry. Toss with salt, pepper, garlic powder and cornstarch. - Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken in batches for about 2–3 minutes per side, until nicely browned. It doesn’t need to be fully cooked yet.
- Assemble:
Spread buttered cooked jasmine rice in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Arrange the browned chicken over the rice. - Pour about ¾ of the teriyaki sauce evenly over everything. Reserve the rest for serving.
- Cover with foil and bake at 375°F / 190°C for 15 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake another 8–12 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F / 74°C internally and the sauce is bubbling and caramelized.
- Brush/drizzle with the reserved teriyaki sauce and finish generously with green onions and sesame seeds.
⭐ The secret to the picture-perfect version
Use chicken thighs rather than breast, don’t skip the initial searing, and don’t drown the rice in sauce before baking. The sauce should caramelize around the chicken while the rice absorbs just enough of it.
