Baked Teriyaki Chicken

Baked Teriyaki Chicken is smothered in a sweet and tangy homemade sauce and baked in the oven. Serve over rice for a complete meal!

I love Teriyaki Chicken in all forms (we especially love them as wings or our crock pot version), and this Baked Teriyaki Chicken is delicious! The tangy Asian sauce makes this a favorite dinner recipe the whole family enjoys.

Simple Meal for Busy Weeknights

We love Asian food, and this Baked Teriyaki Chicken could not be easier to make. It’s so tender and flavorful, a perfectly simple main course for a busy weeknight!

Does your family love chicken as much as mine does? It’s on the menu at our house at least 2-3 nights per week, and it’s always a favorite with the kids. I love that there are so many delicious and different ways to prepare chicken.

This Baked Chicken Teriyaki is one that I make often because I always have all of the ingredients on hand. It’s a family favorite, and it always turns out delicious!

How to bake teriyaki chicken

The key to this recipe is the homemade teriyaki sauce. It’s the perfect blend of savory and sweet and adds so much flavor to the chicken.

The sauce is made with simple ingredients easily found at the grocery store and takes about ten minutes to make. Once the sauce is ready, just pour it over the chicken and bake!

PREP. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking dish with parchment or foil. Place the chicken in the baking dish and set aside.

SAUCE. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch, water, sugar, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, or until thickened.

BAKE + SERVE! Remove the sauce from the heat and pour it over the chicken, covering the chicken completely. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve over rice.

Recipe Tips

Chicken. Use either chicken breasts or thighs. I prefer chicken breasts in general, but using chicken thighs will give a richer flavor and extra tender meat.

• Bone-in chicken will also work. All chicken should be brought to an internal temperature of 165°F before eating. Bake bone-in breast, thighs, or drumsticks at 400°F for 30-45 minutes.

Easy clean up. Line the pan with parchment or foil. The teriyaki sauce will caramelize and darken as it cooks, and it can be difficult to clean up afterward.

How to grill. To grill, use a teriyaki marinade to marinate the chicken. Grill the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 155-160°F. Brush on a layer of freshly made teriyaki sauce. Grill for 2-4 minutes longer on each side. 

Marinade. Use the sauce ingredients to create a marinade for the chicken, just leave out the cornstarch and water.

• Do not heat it up, instead mix it in a bowl or bag and add the chicken.
• Marinate the chicken for up to 8 hours. Remove the chicken from the marinade.
• Using fresh ingredients, mix up a batch of sauce and bake the chicken according to the recipe. 

Thicken the teriyaki sauce. The sauce will thicken as it cools, but to thicken further, use a cornstarch slurry.

In a separate small bowl columbine 1-2 teaspoons of cold water with an equal amount of cornstarch. Stir then add it to the sauce. Simmer over low heat and stir until thickened. 

Variations. This Baked Teriyaki Chicken Recipe is delicious as is, but change it up in these simple ways:

• Instead of using white sugar, sweeten the sauce with brown sugar or honey.
• Top the baked chicken with extra sesame seeds and chopped green onion. 
• Add a bit of kick to the sauce by adding fresh ginger, garlic, or chili powder.
• Replace some of the water with orange or pineapple juice.

Serving suggestions + How to Store

We usually serve this chicken over rice, with steamed vegetables on the side. For a healthier version serve it with Cauliflower Rice. Serve it with Asian Noodles or Fried Rice. 

The recipe below serves 4, but can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd. This Oven Baked Teriyaki Chicken is always a favorite at my house!

Make ahead of time. Make the sauce ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

STORE. Keep leftover Baked Teriyaki Chicken Breast in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Leftover chicken can be eaten alone or added to rice, wraps, salads, or sandwiches.

For more teriyaki recipes, try:

• Teriyaki Pork Chops
• Teriyaki Chicken Wings
• Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken
• Teriyaki Chicken Burger
• Teriyaki Chicken