Hello! This is my first blog post since Christmas and it feels so good to be back! The holidays are a busy time for a lot of people, and for a food blogger that’s no exception. I loved delivering lots of holiday content to all of you but once the holidays were behind me, I was exhausted and needed a break. I’m now 31 weeks pregnant with our fifth child and my goal is to bring you lots of great new recipes before baby is here. As always, these recipes will reflect how I’m currently cooking. Right now, that means 30 minute meals that are veggie and protein packed to keep me full and not spend hours in the kitchen, as well as the occasional more indulgent recipe. I also want easy and healthy breakfasts and grab-and-go snacks. You can look forward to lots of those recipes over the next few months, starting with this easy and delicious 30 minute chicken teriyaki.
The key to this chicken teriyaki recipe being super tender and delicious is the type of chicken that you use and how you cook it. For this recipe, we are using boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Chicken breasts will absolutely work, but chicken thighs will be much juicer and harder to dry out. My next tip is searing the chicken on both sides until golden brown in a cast iron skillet before transferring to the oven for it to finish cooking. Searing the chicken makes the outside nice and brown with a slightly crispy crust. In some recipes, I cube the chicken before cooking so it is already in bite-sized pieces. Cooking the chicken thighs whole in this recipe, letting it rest, and then cutting into pieces also locks in flavor and makes sure you’re getting the perfect tender bite of chicken.
I love serving this easy chicken teriyaki over coconut rice for a perfect dinner. You can serve it over any rice that you like to soak up that delicious sauce, and if you want extra veggies in this dish (which already uses three bell peppers!), I recommend some roasted broccoli on the side. This recipe also makes excellent leftovers if you don’t gobble it up for dinner, and I found that my kids really enjoyed it too! A 30 minute meal that everyone will love is a win in my book.
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1½ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 3 bell peppers, seeded and chopped into large chunks
- Green onion and sesame seeds for topping
- Rice for serving
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 4 tbsp. soy sauce
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tsp. ground dried ginger
- 3 tbsp. sesame oil
- 3 tbsp. rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp. cornstarch
- Pat the chicken dry on both sides and season with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet and work in batches to sear the chicken thighs on both sides. You want the chicken to be nice and golden brown, which means you can't crowd the pan. While the chicken is cooking, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once the chicken is browned on both sides, put all the chicken into the skillet and transfer to the oven for about 15-20 minutes until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Set the chicken aside to rest for 5-10 minutes while you make the sauce.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the water, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic powder, ginger, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and cornstarch. Set aside.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and slice into bite-sized pieces. Return the chicken to the skillet with the bell pepper and add the sauce. Cook over medium-low heat until the sauce begins to thicken and the bell peppers are crisp tender. Stir to coat the chicken and peppers.
- Serve over rice topped with green onion and sesame seeds.
- Enjoy!
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[…] Get the full recipe at: For the Love of Gourmet […]