If you love making bowls at home, one of the first recipes I’d recommend is this teriyaki chicken bowl.
It’s easy, it’s a crowd favorite, and it’s very forgiving — the kind of recipe that works on a Tuesday night and again on Sunday when you’re prepping containers for the week.
Our family loves this bowl, and it’s been in our weekly rotation for months.
It sticks around because it hits every note a good bowl needs. The chicken gets seared until it’s golden, the broccoli and red bell peppers stay crisp and bright, and the homemade teriyaki sauce — soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil — is glossy, savory-sweet, and clings to everything instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
Pile it over fluffy jasmine rice, top it with green onions and sesame seeds, and you have a bowl that tastes like takeout but comes together in about 30 minutes.
This bowl is great for meal prep because the components hold up in the refrigerator for days.
The chicken stays glossy and tender, the rice stays fluffy, and the vegetables stay crisp. I make a batch on Sunday, portion it into four containers, and reheat it in the microwave with a sprinkle of water to bring everything back to life.
It’s the kind of recipe that earns a permanent spot in the rotation because it’s reliable, it’s fast, and it tastes just as good on day three as it does on day one.
Why This Recipe Works
A few specific decisions make this teriyaki chicken bowl work.
Make the teriyaki sauce from scratch, and dissolve the cornstarch in water before adding it to the sauce. Honey and soy sauce are thick and sugary, and dry cornstarch whisked directly into them can clump into little rubbery pellets. Dissolve a tablespoon of cornstarch in two tablespoons of water first, then whisk it into the sauce to thicken the glaze smoothly without lumps. The sauce comes together in about 5 minutes, and it tastes fresher and less sweet than the bottled version.
Sear the chicken in a hot skillet and don’t move it for the first few minutes. Chicken breast is lean, and if it steams instead of sears, it turns rubbery and pale. A hot skillet gives the chicken a golden crust that’s the base of the bowl’s flavor. If your skillet is small, work in two batches so the chicken has room to brown instead of steam.
Steam the broccoli for a minute before stir-frying. Broccoli stems take longer to soften than the florets, and if you stir-fry them on high heat without any moisture, the stems stay woody while the florets burn. A splash of water and a lid for one minute softens the broccoli; then remove the lid and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes for a crisp-tender texture and bright green color.
Reduce the heat to medium before the sauce goes in. Pour a thick, sugary sauce onto a screaming-hot pan, and it can scorch before the cornstarch has time to thicken it. Reducing the heat to medium first lets the sauce bubble steadily and coat the chicken and vegetables evenly.
Store the components separately for meal prep. The rice, chicken, and vegetables hold up better in the fridge when stored in separate containers, and they reheat better, too. Combine them in the morning or at lunchtime.
Ingredients That Matter
Most of the ingredients in this teriyaki chicken bowl are straightforward. Three of them are easy to get wrong, so those are the ones worth explaining.
Chicken breast. Use boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces. Chicken breast is lean and dries out quickly, so use a hot skillet and cook it quickly. For a richer version, chicken thighs work beautifully and stay juicier through the cook.
Soy sauce or tamari. Use low-sodium soy sauce to control the salt level. Use tamari for a gluten-free version. Coconut aminos work too, but the sauce will be slightly sweeter and less salty.
Honey. Honey gives teriyaki sauce its glossy finish and signature sweetness. Don’t substitute sugar — the sauce won’t have the same body.
How to Make It
Step 1: Cook the rice.
Cook 1½ cups of jasmine rice according to the package directions. Fluff with a fork and keep covered.
Step 2: Make the teriyaki sauce.
In a small bowl or jar, whisk together ½ cup of low-sodium soy sauce or tamari, ¼ cup of honey, 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of grated fresh ginger, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, and 2 tablespoons of water until completely smooth. Set aside.
Step 3: Sear the chicken.
Pat 1½ pounds of chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces, completely dry, and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, without moving it, until golden on the bottom. Flip and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until browned on the other side and cooked through to 165°F. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Step 4: Steam-sear the vegetables.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of neutral oil to the skillet and increase the heat to high. Add 3 cups of broccoli florets and 1 sliced red bell pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of water, cover, and steam for 1 minute. Remove the lid and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until the vegetables are crisp-tender and bright.
Step 5: Glaze and toss.
Reduce the heat to medium and return the chicken and any resting juices to the skillet. Whisk the teriyaki sauce again to ensure the cornstarch hasn’t settled, then pour it over the chicken and vegetables. Toss continuously for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce bubbles, thickens, and coats everything in a glossy glaze.
Step 6: Serve or pack for meal prep.
Divide the jasmine rice among four bowls or meal prep containers. Top with the glazed teriyaki chicken and vegetables, and garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Tips and Troubleshooting
The sauce turned out too thick or too syrupy. The sauce thickens quickly once it hits the hot pan. Add it at the very end and toss for 1 to 2 minutes, then pull the pan off the heat. If it’s already too thick, add a splash of water or broth to loosen it.
The chicken turned out dry. Chicken breast dries out if you overcook it or crowd the pan. Cook it in a single layer (in two batches if your pan is small), pull it off the heat as soon as it reaches 165°F, and let it finish cooking in the sauce.
The broccoli turned out woody, or the peppers burned. Broccoli stems need a minute of steam before they’ll soften. Add 2 tablespoons of water, cover, and steam for 1 minute, then remove the lid and stir-fry until crisp-tender.
The bowl tastes flat. Taste the sauce before it goes into the pan and adjust the salt and honey. If the finished bowl still tastes flat, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice or a splash of rice vinegar.
The chicken absorbed all the sauce in the container. This happens when the chicken sits in the sauce for too long. For meal prep, store the chicken and sauce separately from the rice and vegetables, or add a little extra sauce to each container before packing.
Easy Variations
Turkey teriyaki bowl. Swap the chicken breast for 1½ pounds of ground turkey or sliced turkey breast. The bowl becomes leaner and lighter, and the ground-turkey version cooks in about 6 to 8 minutes.
Chicken poke bowl. Swap the cooked teriyaki chicken for cubed, sushi-grade tuna tossed in teriyaki sauce, and serve over rice with cucumber, avocado, and edamame. This is a completely different bowl, so treat it as a separate recipe.
Teriyaki chicken and broccoli. Skip the red bell pepper and double the broccoli. The bowl becomes simpler and slightly more classic, and it’s the version to make if you’re feeding picky eaters.
Teriyaki rice bowl with extra vegetables. Add snap peas, shredded carrots, or mushrooms to the skillet with the broccoli and bell pepper. The bowl becomes more vegetable-heavy and slightly lower in protein per serving.
Teriyaki chicken meal prep with brown rice. Swap the jasmine rice for brown rice. The bowl becomes slightly heartier, and the rice holds up beautifully in the refrigerator.
Storage and Make-Ahead
You can make the teriyaki sauce up to 1 week ahead and store it in a sealed jar in the refrigerator. Shake or stir before using.
Store the cooked chicken, rice, and vegetables separately in sealed containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Combine them in the morning or at lunchtime and reheat in the microwave for 90 seconds to 2 minutes, until warmed through.
Freeze the bowl in individual portions for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently in the microwave or in a skillet.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator within 2 hours of cooking. Reheat to 165°F before serving. Discard any bowl left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
