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!

 

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!

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.

• 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.

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. 

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!

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

• Grilled Avocado Chicken
• Grilled Chicken Legs
• Chili Lime Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
• Grilled Chicken with Peach BBQ Sauce
• Grilled Chicken Thighs