Easy Homemade Teriyaki Chicken

We’ve been lucky in New England this year – we’ve received day after day of beautiful weather for the start of summer.

So my husband Chris and I have been trying to make the most of it.

We got the grill up and running and cooked some chicken with a really tasty, incredibly easy homemade teriyaki sauce (my favorite marinade of the summer, no question).

I’m loving this sauce because it’s so full of flavor and it’s homemade (so I know everything that goes into the sauce is healthy and whole).

And we took a trip to the beach…

…where I was able to get a few snapshots of that New England rocky coastline.

Calvin loved walking along the coast too, as long as he didn’t get too close to the water (one of Calvin’s many quirks: he’s been terrified of water since he was a puppy).

As much as he likes to keep his distance from water, Calvin has no problem at all sniffing much too close to the grill when the irresistible aroma of teriyaki chicken is wafting through the air!

Here is the complete, printable recipe for Easy Homemade Teriyaki Chicken:

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Easy Homemade Teriyaki Chicken

 

Author: The Scrumptious Pumpkin

Nutrition Information

• Serving size: 4
• Calories: 249

• Fat: 14.3g
• Saturated fat: 3g
• Carbohydrates: 3.9g
• Sugar: 2.4g
• Sodium: 493mg
• Fiber: 0g
• Protein: 25.9g
• Cholesterol: 66mg

Recipe type: Chicken Dish (Healthy, Whole, Clean)

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Total Time: 6 hours, 22 minutes (6 hours inactive time)
Inactive: 6 hours
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons organic soy sauce
• ⅓ cup 100% pure pineapple juice (or substitute orange juice)
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound organic pastured skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Instructions

1. Prepare the homemade teriyaki sauce at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours ahead of time (24 hours is recommended for maximum flavor)
2. In a medium-sized food storage container, whisk together the soy sauce, juice, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Slowly whisk in the oil.
3. In a separate small bowl, set aside about 2½ tablespoons of the teriyaki sauce, cover and refrigerate.
4. Add the garlic to the food container and whisk until combined. Add the chicken, ensuring that all sides of each piece of chicken are submerged in the sauce. Cover the container and refrigerate for 6-24 hours.
5. Prepare the grill to medium heat.
6. Place the chicken on the hot grill. Cook the first side for about 6 minutes, and allow it to cook without pressing down or moving the chicken. Flip to the other side and cook, without pressing down on or touching the chicken, about 6 minutes more.
7. Take out the separate small bowl containing the 2½ tablespoons of teriyaki that was set aside earlier. When the chicken is just cooked through, brush on this additional teriyaki. Flip the chicken and brush again.
8. Remove the chicken from the grill and allow it to rest about 5 minutes, lightly tented with foil. Serve.

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And here are the step-by-step instructions for Easy Homemade Teriyaki Chicken:

For the step-by-step instructions, here is everything you’ll need to make the homemade teriyaki sauce.

Prepare the sauce either the night before or up to the morning before you plan to serve the chicken.

The chicken needs this time to soak up the marinade to become really flavorful (I prepare the marinade about 24 hours in advance for maximum flavor).

Begin by grabbing a medium-sized food storage container and add some organic soy sauce.

For soy sauce, I use a USDA-certified organic brand because most other brands contain lots of unhealthy additives like genetically modified soy (GMOs), MSG, and artificial colors and preservatives.

Also add some 100% pure pineapple juice (orange juice also works if that’s what you have on hand), along with some ground ginger and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Whisk everything together, then slowly whisk in some sesame oil.

Next, set aside just a bit of the marinade to brush on the chicken at the end of grilling (for added flavor).

In a separate small bowl, set aside a couple of tablespoons of the teriyaki sauce, cover, and refrigerate.

Why bother putting a bit of the marinade in a separate bowl?

Because when you toss the chicken into the larger food storage container, natural juices from the raw chicken will mix in with the marinade as it soaks.

Grilling the chicken gets rid of any bacteria, but you don’t want to brush any additional marinade (containing those raw chicken juices) over the cooked, ready-to-serve chicken.

Next, mince up some garlic…

…then toss it into the food container, and whisk until combined.

Add the chicken, ensuring that all sides of each piece of chicken are submerged in the sauce.

For the healthiest chicken, look for two things: 1) USDA certified organic and 2) pastured (or grass-fed).

Organic pastured chicken is much higher in healthy omega-3’s and is free from antibiotics, pesticides, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Cover the container and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to grill.

When you’re ready to serve dinner, prepare the grill to medium heat.

After the grill has warmed, cook the first side of the chicken for about 6 minutes.

For tender, moist chicken, be sure to allow the chicken to cook untouched – – resist the temptation to press down or move the chicken around on the grill!

Then flip to the other side and cook, again without pressing down on or touching the chicken, about 6 minutes more.

Take out the separate small bowl containing that small bit of teriyaki that was set aside earlier.

When the chicken is just cooked through, brush on this additional teriyaki.

Flip the chicken and brush again.

Another tip for tender, moist chicken: allow it to rest for about five minutes before digging in.

Then serve and enjoy!

The marinade is so tasty and savory, with the slightest hints of garlic, sweetness (from the pineapple juice), and spiciness (from the ginger and red pepper flakes).

It’s my new favorite for grilled chicken in the summertime!