Looking for an incredibly simple weeknight dinner that’s tasty, healthy, and pairs with, like, everything? Try this grilled teriyaki chicken!

Some evenings I just really want teriyaki chicken. It doesn’t necessarily have to be grilled teriyaki chicken (though I am quite partial to the smoky flavor imparted by cooking it over charcoal), but there are nights – like, quite a few – when I want something I can eat a lot of without feeling guilty, something slightly salty, something that pairs well with a variety of sides, but can stand equally well on its own with a bowl of rice, something that’s…easy.

Enter this recipe for grilled teriyaki chicken. I found it maybe a year ago, and we’ve made it over and over again since then. It takes all of ten minutes to prep, and all of the ingredients are already in the pantry (if they aren’t in your pantry…fix that!). Then you get an hour to do stuff while it sits in the fridge.

Who doesn’t need an hour to do stuff?

Pardon my old, grody grill grate. Chels and the kids just bought me a new one for Father’s Day – let’s just say I needed it! I’ve actually made this recipe again already on the new grate…it doesn’t stick! Amazing! I should have either replaced my grill grate sooner or kept it cleaner!

This is a really light recipe for teriyaki chicken. The sauce is light, the preparation is light, and the chicken is, you know, good for you and stuff like that. You can feel good about this one. You can pair it with brown rice, which makes it even healthier, but it seems classic with white. A veggie on the side not only brings some green into your grilled teriyaki chicken bowl, but makes it healthier still! How cool is that?

At any rate, here’s my recommendation – bookmark this one for that evening when you need something easy, healthy, and tasty. It’ll come to your rescue like it regularly comes to ours.

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Grilled Teriyaki Chicken

Yield: 6-8 chicken thighs

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Inactive Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Looking for an incredibly simple weeknight dinner that's tasty, healthy, and pairs with, like, everything? Try this grilled teriyaki chicken!

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Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium recommended)
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp sherry
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 2 tsp sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, sherry, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and cayenne, stirring until sugar dissolves.
2. Put chicken and marinade in a large resealable bag, ensuring chicken is well-coated, and refrigerate for at least one hour (up to four).
3. Preheat grill to medium high heat.
4. Place chicken on grilling surface and discard marinade. Cover and grill 5-6 minutes, depending on thickness of the chicken.
5. Turn chicken, grilling for another 5-6 minutes, or until chicken reaches a safe internal temperature (FDA recommends 165 degrees).
6. Remove chicken from grill, slice, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve over rice.

Notes

Original recipe by Ellie Krieger for the Food Network

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 278Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 184mgSodium: 883mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 0gSugar: 4gProtein: 38g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.