Easy Teriyaki Chicken Marinade

at a glance
Prep Time 5 minutes
Marinating Time 1 hour
Servings 6 servings
5 from 1 vote

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This 3-ingredient marinade is coming to the rescue when you can’t take one more bite of bland, boring chicken. Before that chicken goes on the skillet, the grill, or in the oven, douse it in this mega flavor (and still really healthy) marinade and your taste buds will be so happy.

Chicken breast marinating in a dark liquid in a glass container.

The Best Teriyaki Chicken Marinade!

I love this teriyaki chicken marinade so much. I’ve made it dozens of times and it always makes me so happy. What I love most is the flavor and also the accessibility! Unlike some marinades, this one calls for ingredients I always have on hand: coconut aminos, honey, and fish sauce. That’s it, my friends!

Pan-sear, bake, grill, or even air-fryer that chicken to perfect doneness and use it to top your next zesty salad, stuffed potato, sandwich, or eat it with crackers. Enjoy!

Teriyaki Marinade Ingredients

The ingredient list for this YUMMY teriyaki chicken marinade is short and sweet. All you’ll need is…

Teriyaki chicken marinade ingredients on a grey and white marble surface.
  • ½ cup of coconut aminos
  • 1 tablespoon of honey
  • 1 teaspoon of fish sauce

How to Make Teriyaki Chicken Marinade

Making a chicken marinade is really, really easy! Here’s how you’ll do it.

Hand holding a measuring spoon and drizzling sesame oil over a chicken breast in a glass container with a blue netted silicone liner.
Hand holding a silver measuring cup and pouring coconut aminos over top a chicken breast in a glass container with a blue netted silicone liner.
Hand squeezing honey over top a chicken breast in a glass container with a blue netted silicone liner.
Chicken breast marinating in a dark liquid in a glass container.
  1. Combine the ingredients – add all of the ingredients to a large bag or bowl (big enough to fit your chicken in).
  2. Stir or shake – stir (or shake, if you’re using a bag) the marinade until it’s well mixed.
  3. Marinate – submerge the chicken in the marinade and let it sit for at least an hour, or up to overnight.

How do you cook teriyaki chicken? You have some options! Here are our tried and true ways to cook perfect chicken every time:

Cooking Teriyaki Chicken on the Grill

  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, about 450°F.
  2. Place the chicken on the grill, then cook for 5-6 minutes per side, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken breast registers 165°F.
  3. Let the chicken rest for at least 10 minutes, then slice and serve.

THIS is my favorite grill-safe meat thermometer! Learn more about how to grill chicken in my unabridged article HERE.

Cooking Teriyaki Chicken in the InstantPot

  1. Place the chicken and 1/2 cup water in the Instant Pot, then secure the lid until you hear it beep.
  2. Close the lid and make sure the steam release valve is sealed, then set the pot to cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.
  3. Let the pressure naturally release for at least 15 minutes, then turn the steam release valve to release any additional pressure. Once it is fully released, remove the lid and transfer the chicken to a bowl.
  4. Shred the chicken in your stand mixer using the paddle attachment, with an electric hand mixer, or with two forks, then serve or store for later.

THIS is my favorite InstantPot! I love the size and versatility. Learn more about how to cook chicken in the Instant Pot in my unabridged article HERE.

Cooking Teriyaki Chicken in the AirFryer

  1. Preheat the AirFryer to 400F.
  2. Place the chicken breast in the AirFryer basket and cook for 10 minutes.
  3. Flip the chicken and cook for an additional 8 minutes.
  4. Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes (this helps the juices settle), then slice, chop, or shred.

My favorite AirFryer is (hands down) the Cosori AirFryer. Make it a full meal and follow my guide for a complete chicken dinner in the air fryer HERE.

Cooking Teriyaki Chicken in a Sous Vide

  1. Preheat the water to 150°F.
  2. Place the marinated chicken in the bag, making sure not to get any of the mixture on the top 2 inches of the bag so that you have enough room to seal it.
  3. Sous vide the chicken breasts for for 1½ hours, then remove from the water.
  4. Let the chicken rest in the sealed bag for 10 minutes, then remove it from the bag, slice, and enjoy.

My favorite Sous Vide is the Anova Sous Vide. You can learn more about how to Sous Vide your chicken HERE!

Cooking Teriyaki Chicken on the Stove

  1. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Add 1 tablespoon of your preferred cooking fat (olive oil, ghee, butter, or coconut oil will all work). Once the oil is melted and running thin, place the chicken on the skillet.
  3. Cook for 5-6 minutes per side, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken breast registers 165°F.
  4. Let the chicken rest for at least 10 minutes, then slice and serve.

THIS is my favorite meat thermometer.

Cooking Teriyaki Chicken in the Oven

  1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 18 minutes, or until the chicken registers 165 F on a thermometer at the thickest part of the breast and the juices run clear and the chicken just begins to brown.
  3. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

THIS is my favorite oven-safe meat thermometer. Find my unabridged “how to cook chicken in the oven” article HERE!

How to Serve Teriyaki Chicken

The possibilities are endless with teriyaki chicken! Once you’ve got your chicken marinated and cooked, serve it alongside any of these sides:

Starchy Sides

Veggie Sides

Salad Sides

Pan seared teriyaki chicken breast on a round plate on a grey and white marble surface.
Q What are coconut aminos?
A

Coconut aminos are, essentially, fermented coconut palm sap. Slightly sweet, slightly salty, and really, really delicious, coconut aminos make for the best soy sauce substitute.

Q How long do you marinate chicken?
A

Because this marinade doesn’t include any sort of citrus, you can marinate chicken in it for up to 12 hours. After that, you’ll run the risk of your chicken breaking down too much and becoming mushy.

Q Can you marinate teriyaki chicken too long?
A

You can marinate teriyaki chicken for too long. I’d stick with 12 hours or less to avoid the fibers in the chicken breaking down TOO much, causing a mushy end product.

Q Is teriyaki sauce the same as teriyaki marinade?
A

Teriyaki sauce and teriyaki marinade have really similar flavors but different textures. This teriyaki marinade is made up of 3 straight-from-the-bottle ingredients, meaning that the consistency of this marinade (and most marinades) is really thin and liquid-y. Teriyaki sauce, on the other hand, is usually cooked down so that it thickens and becomes really nice and sticky.

Top down view of three chicken Tinga tacos on a teal plate. The tacos are topped with cilantro, avocado, a drizzle of crema, with a side of lime. There is an avocado cut in half on the table as well as charred corn tortillas, a plate of purple cabbage slaw, a bowl of chopped cilantro, and a sheet pan with chicken Tinga. All are sitting on a teal surface.

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Chicken breast marinating in a dark liquid in a glass container.

The Best Teriyaki Chicken Marinade

By: Cassy Joy Garcia
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Marinating Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
This 3-ingredient marinade is coming to the rescue when you can't take one more bite of bland, boring chicken. Before that chicken goes on the skillet, the grill, or in the oven, douse it in this mega flavor (and still really healthy) marinade and your taste buds will be so happy.

Ingredients  

  • ½ cup coconut aminos
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 1½ pounds chicken breast or thighs

Instructions

  • Add all of the ingredients to a large bag or bowl (big enough to fit your chicken in).
  • Stir (or shake, if you’re using a bag) the marinade until it’s well mixed.
  • Submerge the chicken in the marinade and let it sit for at least an hour, or up to overnight.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts
The Best Teriyaki Chicken Marinade
Amount per Serving
Calories
160
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
3
g
5
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Trans Fat
 
0.01
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
0.5
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Cholesterol
 
73
mg
24
%
Sodium
 
662
mg
29
%
Potassium
 
424
mg
12
%
Carbohydrates
 
7
g
2
%
Fiber
 
0.01
g
0
%
Sugar
 
3
g
3
%
Protein
 
24
g
48
%
Vitamin A
 
34
IU
1
%
Vitamin C
 
1
mg
1
%
Calcium
 
6
mg
1
%
Iron
 
0.4
mg
2
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Recipe Notes

You can marinate teriyaki chicken for too long. I’d stick with 12 hours or less to avoid the fibers in the chicken breaking down TOO much, causing a mushy end product.
Meet the Author
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Cassy Joy Garcia

HOWDY! I’m Cassy Joy and I am just so happy you’re here. I’m the founder, Editor-in-Chief, and Nutrition Consultant here at Fed and Fit. What started as a food blog back in 2011 has evolved now into so much more.
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