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Can’t Go Out? Make Your Own Teriyaki Chicken

OK, we’re all pretty much stuck in our houses by now with whatever you picked up at the grocery store. You managed to get some chicken, some frozen veggies, and an assortment of other things that you’re not totally sure what to do with (Hello, bag of canned mackerel in oil!). Come dinner time, when you’re trying to figure out how to stave off cabin fever and feed yourself, we have a suggestion for an easy, delicious meal that you can make with your provisions: chicken teriyaki.

Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
Amy Ellis Photography

Now, you could make this a little more complicated — you could make your own teriyaki sauce or dice your own vegetables — but we’re not about that in this case. Instead, all you need to do is buy pre-made sauce and frozen chopped vegetables.  Then in under a half-hour, you can have a nice, fresh meal that looks like it came from your local hibachi joint (sans pageantry, of course, unless you added that in yourself). As long as you hide the bags that the veggies came in, this could also easily be turned into a great date meal, as you cover the different food groups and you won’t feel weighed down after.

If you are turning it into a date night, you’ll want to make sure you have the right playlist and the right wine (or maybe some sake). Beyond that, you’re good to go for an easy, delicious meal.

Teriyaki Chicken Stir-Fry Recipe

(Serves four)

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
  • 1 cup teriyaki sauce
  • 1 cup jasmine rice
  • 1 bag stir fry vegetables
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Sesame seeds for garnish
  • Chili oil, optional

Method:

  1. Set rice to cook on the stovetop, in a rice cooker, or an Instant Pot  (our personal favorite method) according to the instructions before cooking the rest. For more flavorful rice, add a cube of chicken bouillon to the rice while cooking it.
  2. Pre-cook stir-fry vegetables and set aside (using a steam-in-a-bag option is great here).
  3. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
  4. In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add chicken and stir occasionally, cooking until a light brown in color. The chicken should be cooked, but not all the way through (around eight to 10 minutes).
  5. Add stir-fry vegetables and sauce.
  6. Stir to mix and simmer until chicken is cooked thoroughly (another five to eight minutes or so).
  7. Serve on top of rice and garnish with sesame seeds.

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Sam Slaughter
Sam Slaughter was the Food and Drink Editor for The Manual. Born and raised in New Jersey, he’s called the South home for…
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