Grilled Teriyaki Chicken

5 from 4 votes
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This juicy teriyaki grilled chicken is smothered in delicious homemade teriyaki sauce and then cooked on the grill to lock in all the sweet-tangy flavor. It’s the easiest chicken dinner that’s perfect for summer!

If you love the sweet and savory flavors in this teriyaki recipe, give this easy Hawaiian chicken a try, next!

Teriyaki grilled chicken piled on a white platter.

 

We love barbecuing in the summer, whether it’s a juicy grilled steak or slow-cooked chicken legs in the smoker. This teriyaki grilled chicken is another easy recipe that’s filled with so much flavor, especially when I make it with the BEST homemade chicken marinade! It doesn’t take long for the chicken to grill up nice and juicy, slathered in sweet-savory teriyaki sauce.

Why You’ll Love This Grilled Teriyaki Chicken

  • Homemade marinade. I make an easy homemade teriyaki sauce that does double duty as an umami-packed marinade in this recipe. The flavors are rich and tangy, a little sweet, with a touch of toasty sesame and zesty ginger.
  • 10 minutes of prep. It takes minutes to get the chicken marinating in the fridge. You’ll need to plan ahead a little (it should be in there for at least 1-2 hours, to really soak up the flavor!), but there’s very little hands-on time.
  • Versatile. Serve this grilled teriyaki chicken at your next barbecue with a side of pasta salad or potato salad, or you can slice the chicken up over rice, noodles, or veggies. It’s even great in wraps and sandwiches!
Chicken pieces on a white plate with a jar of teriyaki sauce in the background.

Recipe Ingredients

Technically, you can make this recipe with your favorite store-bought teriyaki sauce if you’re in a time crunch. From-scratch is always my first choice, though, so here are some notes on the ingredients you’ll need to make an easy homemade teriyaki sauce. 

This sauce doubles as a delicious marinade that I use on everything from chicken to grilled shrimp. You’ll find a printable ingredients list with full amounts in the recipe card below the post.

  • Soy Sauce – If needed, substitute soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos.
  • Mirin – Mirin is a Japanese cooking wine made from rice, similar to sake. It’s a key ingredient in teriyaki! If you’re really stuck, dry sherry or white wine is the next best substitute in this recipe.
  • Sugar – Regular granulated sugar, or you can use brown sugar. Honey is another good sweetener in this recipe.
  • Rice Vinegar – White wine vinegar will also work.
  • Garlic and Ginger – Freshly minced is best. In a pinch, you can substitute ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder per clove, and ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger per fresh tablespoon.
  • Sesame Oil – You can use toasted sesame or regular. I don’t recommend skipping sesame oil if you can help it, as it really adds to the Asian-style flavors in the sauce.

What Chicken Should I Use?

The beauty of this grilling recipe is that you can use any cut of chicken you’d like. Bone-in or boneless chicken breasts, thighs, or tenderloins are all good options. Keep in mind that bone-in chicken will take longer to cook on the grill. I include some suggested cooking times a bit further in the post.

How to Make Teriyaki Grilled Chicken

You can make this tender and juicy teriyaki chicken in three steps! Here’s what you need to do. Scroll to the recipe card below the post for printable instructions.

Pouring homemade teriyaki marinade into a bag with chicken pieces.
A rubber basting brush is used to baste the chicken with teriyaki sauce while it grills.
  • Make the sauce. To start, combine the teriyaki sauce ingredients in a saucepan and bring that to a simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until the sauce starts to thicken.
  • Marinate the chicken. Once your teriyaki sauce has cooled, set aside ¼ cup and pour the rest over the chicken, tossing to coat. Place the chicken into the fridge to marinate for a couple of hours.
  • Grill. When you’re ready, grill the chicken over high heat. Most boneless chicken takes about 5 minutes per side, see below. Along the way, baste the chicken with the sauce you set aside earlier (NOT the sauce used to marinate the raw chicken). Serve with any remaining sauce drizzled over top.
Close up of teriyaki grilled chicken piled on a white platter.

How Long Should I Grill Chicken?

How long the chicken takes to grill depends on the cut and size of the chicken you’re using. As a general rule, chicken is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF at the thickest part of the meat. You can check the temperature using an instant-read thermometer.

In the meantime, here are some quick guidelines for how long to cook your teriyaki chicken on the grill:

  • Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: 5-6 minutes per side.
  • Boneless Skinless Thighs: 7-8 minutes per side.
  • Chicken Tenders: 2-3 minutes per side.
  • Drumsticks: 20-30 minutes, turning often.
  • Bone-in Thighs: 30-40 minutes, flipping occasionally.
  • Wings: 15-20 minutes, turning often. 
Overhead view of grilled teriyaki chicken piled on a white platter.

Recipe Tips & Variations

  • Avoid burning. If you notice that the outside of the chicken is browning quickly, lower the grill heat or move the chicken to indirect heat so it can finish cooking without burning.
  • Make skewers. Make teriyaki chicken skewers! Marinate the chicken as directed, and then assemble the meat onto skewers and grill according to the directions for my chicken skewers.
  • No grill? No problem. You can bake this teriyaki chicken in the oven instead. Follow the directions for my baked BBQ chicken (just adjust the baking time depending on the kind of chicken you use). I also have a great slow cooker teriyak chicken recipe that you can try!
Grilled teriyaki chicken on a square plate next to a side of asparagus and a fork.

Serving Suggestions

Teriyaki chicken is perfect for summer grilling, and we love this sweet-tangy chicken served over noodles or in a teriyaki chicken bowl with rice and edamame. For an easy weeknight dinner, I’ll serve grilled chicken with a simple tossed salad or this easy Asian salad on the side. It’s also delicious topped with grilled pineapple salsa or napa cabbage slaw.

Storing & Reheating Chicken

  • Refrigerate. Leftover teriyaki chicken lasts 3-4 days in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container.
  • Reheat. Warm the chicken in a covered skillet on the stovetop, or the oven at 350ºF until hot throughout.
  • Freeze. You can freeze leftover grilled chicken for up to 2 months. Double-wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store it airtight. Thaw the chicken in the fridge before reheating.

More Grilling Recipes

Teriyaki grilled chicken piled on a white platter.
5 from 4 votes

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken

By Erin
This juicy teriyaki grilled chicken is an easy chicken recipe that's perfect for summer! The hot grill locks in all the sweet-tangy flavors of the homemade teriyaki marinade.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Marinade Time: 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • 1 1/2 pounds chicken, breast, thighs, tenderloins

Teriyaki Sauce

Instructions 

  • In a saucepan bring all of the teriyaki sauce ingredients to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes until it starts to thicken. Remove and cool
  • Reserve ¼ cup of teriyaki sauce, and pour the rest over the chicken pieces. Mix until well coated, cover and place in the fridge for about 2 hours.
  • Preheat grill to high heat. Remove chicken from the marinade and place on the grill. Cook for about 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Brush the chicken with the reserved marinade a couple of times during the cooking process. Once chicken reaches 165º F remove from the grill.
  • Serve immediately with any extra sauce poured over the top.

Nutrition

Calories: 317kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 2044mg | Potassium: 707mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 51IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Author: Erin
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Marinade Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Course: Dinner Recipes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 317
Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!

About Erin S

Welcome to Dinners, Dishes, & Desserts where my love of food meets my busy life. My name is Erin and I’m a casual home cook who loves to feed people. On this blog, you’ll find hundreds of quick and easy recipes made mostly from scratch. My days are spent in the kitchen, creating new recipes to share with family and friends.

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170 Comments

  1. We like homemade burgers and fries or salmon and rice pilaf with veggies. I would try the lemon pepper sauce.
    sazzyfrazz at gmail dot com

  2. My favorite go-to dinner during summertime is Campbell’s Beef Stew Grill Sauce and Teriyaki sauce, served with Polish sausage and sauerkraut, for that charred flavor.

  3. #SweepstakesEntry

    summertime love shrimp kebabs on the grill ! & I would use the Sweet N Sour Chicken sauce with some chicken and white rice for a simple meal solution

    KC
    kacor7@hotmail.com