If you love takeout but want a healthier option, this homemade Chicken Teriyaki is the perfect solution. It delivers all the sweet and savory flavors you expect, but with simple ingredients and less sodium and added sugar than many restaurant versions.
Using coconut aminos in place of traditional soy sauce creates a delicious sauce that’s lower in sodium while still providing that classic umami flavor. Pair it with your favorite whole grain and plenty of colorful vegetables for a balanced, nourishing meal the whole family will enjoy.
What Makes This Recipe Perfect For Your Next Dinner
- Ready in about 30 minutes
- High in lean protein
- Made with simple pantry ingredients
- Lower in sodium than traditional takeout
- Perfect for meal prep
- Family-friendly and full of flavor
Nutrition Highlights
This meal is an easy way to build a balanced plate:
- Lean protein: Chicken breast provides high-quality protein to help keep you full and support muscle health.
- Whole-grain starch: Pair it with brown rice, quinoa, farro, or another whole grain for lasting energy and fiber.
- Non-starchy vegetables: Fill half your plate with vegetables like broccoli, green beans, snap peas, bok choy, carrots, Brussels sprouts, or a colorful stir-fry vegetable blend.
- Healthy fats: Cooking with avocado oil adds heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.
Combining lean protein, fiber-rich carbohydrates, and vegetables helps promote steady energy, stable blood sugar, and lasting satisfaction.
Ingredients
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
- ½ cup coconut aminos
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Chicken
- Chicken breasts, trimmed
- Avocado oil
- Garlic salt
- Optional garnish: toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onion
Instructions
Step 1: Make the Sauce
In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, water, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.
Step 2: Prepare the Chicken
If the chicken breasts are particularly thick, either pound them to an even thickness or cut them in half horizontally to create thinner cutlets. Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with garlic salt.
Step 3: Cook the Chicken
Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3–4 minutes per side until lightly browned.
Pour about one-third of the teriyaki sauce over the chicken. Cover the skillet and continue cooking for about 10 minutes, turning the chicken once, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the sauce has thickened. If needed, add a splash of chicken broth or water to keep the sauce from reducing too quickly.
Step 4: Finish the Sauce
While the chicken cooks, pour the remaining sauce into a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens.
Step 5: Serve
Serve the chicken with extra teriyaki sauce spooned over the top. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions, if desired. Drizzle any remaining sauce over the rice or vegetables for even more flavor.
To create a balanced meal, pair it with a whole-grain starch such as brown rice, quinoa, or farro, and fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables like roasted broccoli, green beans, snap peas, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, or a colorful stir-fry vegetable mix.
Healthy Chicken Teriyaki Recipe
Equipment
- Frying pan
Ingredients
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tbsp corn starch
Chicken
- 1.5 - 2 lbs. chicken breast, trimmed
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tsp garlic salt
Garnish (optional)
- chopped green onion
- toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a small bowl, prepare the sauce by whisking together the coconut aminos, water, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic and cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.
- If the chicken breasts are thick, either pound them with a meat mallet or cut them in half horizontally to create thinner cutlets. Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with garlic salt.
- Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook 3-4 minutes per side until lightly browned.
- Pour about 1/3 of the teriyaki sauce over the chicken. Cover the skillet and continue cooking for about 10 minutes turning the chicken once until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the sauce thickens. If needed, add a splash of chicken broth or water to keep the sauce from reducing too quickly.
- While the chicken cooks, pour the remaining sauce into a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens.
- Serve the chicken with extra teriyaki sauce spooned over the top. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions, if desired. Drizzle any remaining sauce over the rice or vegetables for even more flavor.
Recipe Notes & Suggestions
- Cutting thick chicken breasts into thinner cutlets helps them cook faster and more evenly.
- Leftover teriyaki sauce is delicious on salmon, shrimp, tofu, or roasted vegetables.
- This recipe is perfect for meal prep. Place chicken and other meal items into meal prep containers for lunches throughout the week.
- Double the sauce if you love extra for drizzling over vegetables and grains.
Dietitian’s Tip
Healthy eating doesn’t mean giving up your favorite comfort foods. Making your own teriyaki sauce lets you control the ingredients while still enjoying the sweet and savory flavors you love.
For a meal that supports heart health, stable energy, and lasting fullness, build your plate using the Balanced Plate Method: fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables, one-quarter with lean protein like this chicken, and one-quarter with a fiber-rich starch such as brown rice, quinoa, sweet potato, or farro. It’s a simple approach that makes healthy eating sustainable without feeling restrictive.
Looking for Personalized Nutrition Guidance?
At Pure Nutrition & Wellness, I help women lose weight, improve heart health, and build sustainable eating habits through realistic, evidence-based nutrition counseling. Schedule a virtual appointment today to learn how small changes can make a lasting difference.