Teriyaki Chicken & Vegetable Rice Bowls

Serves: 4
Time: ~35 minutes

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

Vegetables

• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 large carrot, sliced
• 1 bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup snap peas or green beans
• ½ small onion, sliced

Teriyaki sauce

• ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• ¼ cup water
• 3 tbsp honey or brown sugar
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp cold water

For serving

• 3–4 cups cooked white or brown rice
• Sesame seeds
• Sliced green onions
• Optional: sriracha or chili flakes

Method

1. Make the sauce: Whisk soy sauce, water, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic and ginger together. Mix the 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water separately.
2. Coat the chicken: Toss sliced chicken with salt, pepper and 1 tbsp cornstarch. The cornstarch gives it those slightly crisp, browned edges you see in the photo.
3. Brown the chicken: Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in a single layer, working in batches if necessary, for about 3–5 minutes per batch, until nicely browned and cooked through. Remove to a plate.
4. Stir-fry the vegetables: Add the carrots and onion first and cook for 2 minutes. Add broccoli, bell pepper and snap peas. Stir-fry another 3–5 minutes. Keep them slightly crisp rather than soft.
5. Bring it together: Return chicken to the pan. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the teriyaki sauce, then pour it into the skillet.
6. Cook for 1–2 minutes, tossing constantly, until the sauce becomes thick, shiny and coats everything.
7. Build the bowls: Add rice, pile the chicken and vegetables over it, then finish with sesame seeds and green onions.

🔥 The trick to making it taste like the photo

For that sticky, restaurant-style coating, don’t drown the chicken in sauce. Let the sauce reduce until it clings to the chicken and vegetables. Chicken thighs also give a juicier, more flavorful result than breast.