Easy Chicken Teriyaki with Marinade

That first hiss from the cooker tells you something good is happening. You remember standing there waiting, feelin that steam build inside, knowing dinner’s soon gonna be ready. It’s like the air itself changes, filled with hints of soy and ginger mixing real good.

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You spot the sealing ring doing its job, keeping all that tasty broth depth locked in. It’s kinda relaxing just watchin the steam cues, like a little kitchen symphony going on. Your kitchen smells dang good already, and the pressure cooker is holding all that flavor tight.

Then the pressure build hits its high note, and you gotta trust the cooker to work its thing. While it’s cooking, you recall the marinade you whisked up, all that honey and garlic mingling with brown sugar sweetness and sesame oil goodness. You know the chicken’s soaked it all up, ready to turn juicy and tender in no time.

What Makes Pressure Cooking Win Every Round

• Locks in moisture so your chicken stays juicy and tender.
• Speeds up cooking time without losing flavors you worked on.
• Lets you see those steam cues, so you know exactly when it’s done.
• Pressure build creates that deep broth flavor that’s hard to get elsewhere.
• Natural release keeps meat from drying out and finishes cooking gently.
• One-pot meal vibes make cleanup simple and quick.

All the Pieces for This Meal

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• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons honey
• ½ cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• Optional: sesame seeds or chopped green onions for garnish

You gotta get your ingredients ready before you start. The chicken breasts should be patted dry which helps the marinade stick better. The garlic and ginger get minced or grated fresh, that’s gonna give you the best flavor pop.

Mixing the honey, soy, rice vinegar, and brown sugar together makes the marinade sweet and tangy, while the sesame oil adds that nutty flair you remember from favorite Asian spots. You feel like a chef just putting those simple pieces together.

Your Complete Cooking Timeline

Step 1: Whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, brown sugar, and sesame oil in a bowl. It’s quick and kinda therapeutic to see it all blend smooth.

Step 2: Place chicken breasts in a resealable plastic bag or shallow dish. Pour marinade on top, seal it up or cover, and pop it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. If you got a couple hours, even better for all that flavor to soak deep.

Step 3: Heat a grill or skillet over medium-high heat while you wait. This heats up right as your marinade soaking wraps, getting things ready to cook.

Step 4: Remove chicken from marinade, discarding that liquid. You don’t want to cook with marinade that had raw chicken in it, gotta be safe around here.

Step 5: Grill or cook chicken on your heated surface, about 6 to 7 minutes per side. You’ll see nice grill marks or browning that means it’s cooking just right.

Step 6: Use a meat thermometer or cut gently into the thickest part to check that chicken’s no longer pink inside. It’s gotta reach 165°F to be safe and tender.

Step 7: Remove chicken from heat and let it rest 5 minutes. This resting time lets juices redistribute, so every bite tastes dang juicy and flavorful.

Step 8: Slice chicken, serve with your favorite sides, and enjoy the mix of sweet, salty, and ginger notes fresh from your kitchen.

Time Savers That Actually Work

• Make marinade the night before so it’s ready to go when you are.
• Use pre-minced garlic from a jar if you’re in a hurry, it works real good too.
• Cook chicken in batches if your skillet’s small to keep that perfect sear.
• Grab pre-grated ginger if you spot it at the store to save peeling time.
• Reheat leftovers in the pressure cooker on low steam to keep ’em moist.

What It Tastes Like Fresh From the Pot

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The first bite hits you with this luscious sweet and salty flavor that sticks around just right. The garlic and ginger peek through, adding that sharp edge you’re craving. It’s kinda like eating at your favorite food spot but better cause you made it yourself.

The chicken comes out so tender, almost falling apart but still juicy inside. The broth depth sunk into every bite makes it feel special and homey, like comfort food that hugs your stomach. You feel that warmth spread and know dinner’s exactly what you needed.

And that sesame oil rounds it out with nuttiness that sneaks up slow but leaves you wanting the next bite fast. You remember why simple ingredients done right never disappoint.

Making It Last All Week Long

You gotta store your teriyaki chicken chilled in an airtight container right after it cools. This keeps the chicken juicy and safe for up to four days in your fridge. Always spot any changes just in case but it normally stays fresh dang well.

If you wanna keep it longer, freezing is your friend. Slice chicken into portions, lay ’em flat in freezer bags, press out air, and freeze. They keep good for up to three months and thaw quick when you need.

For reheating, you can steam gently in your pressure cooker on natural release to keep moisture in without drying it out. Or microwave covered with a sprinkle of water to revive that broth depth real good.

What People Always Ask Me

• Can I use dark meat instead of chicken breasts? Yeah, dark meat works great here. It stays juicy even longer, so just adjust cooking time a bit shorter if it’s thigh meat.
• Do I have to marinate for 2 hours? Nope, 30 minutes works if you’re tight on time. More time just gets deeper flavor, but you’re still good to go sooner.
• Is this recipe safe for the pressure cooker? Absolutely. You’re grilling or skillet cooking the chicken after marinating, so no worries about pressure cooking raw meat directly in this marinade.
• Can I make this gluten-free? Sure thing, just swap soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos and keep everything else same.
• What sides go with teriyaki chicken? Rice, steamed veggies, or couscous all taste dang good. Maybe a crisp salad if you want some crunch.
• How do I know when it’s done? Use a thermometer if you can, 165°F is perfect. If you don’t have one, cut a slit and peek inside—the chicken should be white with no pink.

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Teriyaki Chicken Marinade

This quick and flavorful teriyaki chicken marinade brings together soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil to infuse juicy chicken with sweet and salty depth that's ready in no time.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 1 serving

Calories 320 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Mixing bowl for marinade

Ingredients

  

Main Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts skinless, boneless
• 2 tablespoons honey
• ½ cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• sesame seeds or chopped green onions optional garnish

Instructions

 

Instructions

• Whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, brown sugar, and sesame oil in a bowl.
• Place chicken in a resealable bag or shallow dish. Pour marinade over top, seal or cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Heat grill or skillet over medium-high heat while chicken marinates.
• Remove chicken from marinade and discard used liquid for safety.
• Cook chicken for 6–7 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through.
• Let rested chicken sit 5 minutes, then slice and serve with optional garnish.

Notes

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently with moisture for best results.