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Weeknight Sesame Teriyaki Chicken with Ginger Rice. This is the super-fast Asian chicken and rice bowl that the whole family will love. Quick-cooking chicken, pan-seared, then tossed in a sweet and tangy garlic-ginger soy sauce with stir-fried fresh bell peppers. Serve this teriyaki chicken over steamed ginger rice and top with spicy cucumbers and toasted sesame crumbs. Every bite is saucy, sweet, and tangy. It’s delicious and even pretty healthy too. Major bonus? This is all made in one pan without the use of your oven.
Well, look at that, another chicken and rice bowl, another quick dinner, and you know what? I kind of love it.
This chicken…it is so good. Think, crispy, sweet, and tangy with soy sauce and rice vinegar. And…it’s served with all very delicious ingredients.
I’m talking gingery sesame rice, spicy cucumbers, and even some toasted sesame “crumbs”. And to top it all off, this chicken and rice dinner comes together in a matter of minutes. About twenty-five to be very exact.
Most importantly though…it’s delicious!
OK! And I got the post started. Sometimes writing out the first few sentences of each day’s blog post can be the hardest. I’ve said this before, but words really are not my thing. I love to tell a story through photos, but words on the hand? Well, words I can struggle with. Funny that I’ve now written two cookbooks (and 2495 blog posts). Not sure how that happened, but hey, I guess that just goes to show you that we shouldn’t sell ourselves short.
We can do more than we think!
The process.
Ok, so first up…start with the rice. I made a batch of sesame ginger rice, which is such a great complement to this sweet, tangy chicken. The ginger adds just the right amount of kick…which over here we find really delicious. Let the rice cook while you prepare the rest of the meal.
Now, those sesame crumbs? You need these, so don’t even think about skipping them. They’re simple Panko breadcrumbs, sesame seeds, and spicy chili flakes cooked in a bit of sesame oil. Everything gets toasted up in a skillet until golden and crisp. Finish with a pinch of salt.
These sesame crumbs are addicting, and they make for the perfect extra special finishing touch to this dish.
Now, make the sauce. It’s simply soy sauce, honey, and rice vinegar. A traditional teriyaki is made with Mirin and or rice wine, but it’s easier for me to find rice vinegar, so I just use that. I also ended up swapping the usual brown sugar for honey. This makes the sauce a little healthier and I also love the added flavor.
Now take some of the sauce and toss it with thinly sliced cucumbers. I wanted to add a fresh topping to this teriyaki, so my farmer’s market cucumber was finally put to good use. I then added a nice pinch of chili flakes to the cucumbers to make them spicy. Delish.
Pan-fry the chicken in a little oil until crisp, then add plenty of garlic, ginger, and bell peppers. Next, pour the sauce in and let it simmer down and thicken over the chicken and peppers.
SO GOOD.
Now, put it all together…
Spoon your rice into bowls, then add the chicken and peppers. Finish each bowl off with a good sprinkle of those spicy sesame crumbs and cucumbers.
Enjoy…immediately.
And that’s it…simple, quick, and oh so good. Perfect Asian dinner for any night of the week. We love this one!
Looking for other easy weeknight chicken dinners? Here are a few ideas:
20 Minute Florentine Butter Chicken with Burst Cherry Tomatoes
Spicy Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken Fingers
Roasted Garlic Butter Chicken with Lemon Olive Dressing
Lastly, if you make this weeknight sesame teriyaki chicken with ginger rice be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Weeknight Sesame Teriyaki Chicken with Ginger Rice
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 642 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup raw sesame seeds
- crushed red pepper flakes, using to your taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives or green onions
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons corn starch or flour
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- black pepper
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 2 red or orange bell peppers, thinly sliced
- steamed white or brown rice for serving (ginger rice in notes)
Instructions
- 1. To make the sesame crumbs: Heat 1 tablespoon oil, the Panko, sesame seeds, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until lightly toasted and caramelized, 3-4 minutes. Watch closely. Spoon the crumbs out of the skillet onto a plate. Sprinkle with salt. Set aside.2. To make the sauce: Combine the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, and 1 tablespoon oil. 3. Toss the cucumbers with 1/4 cup of the sauce and a large pinch of red pepper flakes. Let sit. 4. In a medium bowl, toss together the chicken, cornstarch, and a pinch of black pepper.5. Wipe the skillet clean. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken and brown all over, until it becomes crispy, about 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers, garlic, and ginger, cook another 2-3 minutes. Pour in the sauce and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until the sauce coats the chicken, about 5 minutes.6. Serve the chicken over bowls of rice. Top with sesame crumbs and spicy cucumbers. Enjoy!
Notes
Ginger Rice: Combine 2 cups water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil. Add 1 cup basmati rice, 1 inch grated fresh ginger, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine, cover, then turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible. Allow the rice to cook 10 minutes on low, then turn the heat off completely and let the rice sit, covered for another 15-20 minutes (don't take any peeks inside!). Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.
Merry Christmas Tieghan!?❤️❄️
I was feeling under the weather and wound up having Christmas sweets alone for the holiday. Finally wanting something ‘real’, I made this last night and it is perfection! Every detail complements every other, making this exquisite overall- no surprise coming from you!? Thank you for giving me some red (peppers) & green (cucumbers) to make my Christmas true in spite of being a day or two late. Absolutely delicious- This is a total keeper!
Hey Gia,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Delicious and so crunchy. Don’t skip out on the sesame seed or Panko topping! We added a little chili paste too, for some heat.
What’s the best way to mix in the honey when making the sauce? My husband was so focused on trying to get the honey to emulsify with the liquids. I wondered if that part doesn’t really matter since it’s being heated up anyway.
Hey Melanie,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! I used a whisk to mix the honey. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I have both of your cookbooks and make recipes from your site all the time — but this my first review! Y’ALL, this is delicious. My husband and I love it so so much, I honestly can’t even justify getting takeout teriyaki chicken anymore. I can now make it at home and it actually is better than takeout! The cucumbers add the most delicious crunch and freshness. Possibly my favorite HBH recipe yet!! <3
Hey Kristie,
Thanks so much for your kind message, I am so glad your family loves this recipe! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Made this for a week night dinner and it was stunning, the whole family loved it 🙂
I will say though the sesame oil needs to be reduced, keep it to the cucumber and crumbs or it might over power the recipe. The cucumber + crumb topping was super clever as well, a massive hit!
Hey Leila,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
SOOOO TASTY! I had most ingredients on hand which was awesome and it came together in no time. Definitely don’t skip the crunchy topping or cucumbers- they truly make this dish even better!
I am really glad you enjoyed this Haley!! Thank you so much! xTieghan
I still consider myself a beginner in the kitchen, but following HBH is doing wonders for my improvement. every recipe of hers that I’ve tried has turned out delicious, and this recipe was probably my most successful effort so far. she breaks everything down into such simple steps that it was hard to get anything wrong here. the sauce was outstanding, and the cucumbers were a really nice touch as a topping. I already look forward to leftovers tomorrow, and I’ll definitely be making this again.
Thank you so much Ryan!! xTieghan
We have made this twice and it is SO yummy! Especially the unexpected crunchy topping. So easy to substitute veggies and proteins and just follow the process. Thank you!!!
Thank you so much Sarah! I am really happy this recipe turned out so amazing for you! xTieghan
Loved this dish! All components went together nicely and I may or may not have gone back for seconds 😉
That is so amazing! Thank you Blair! xTieghan
This was excellent. So easy and delicious. My 7yo daughter loves it too! I added very thinly sliced yellow onion to cucumber salad and recommend it.
That is so amazing! Thank you so much Betsy! xTieghan
Easy to make, and always turns out! Flavors are top notch also!
Thank you so much Monica! xTieghan
This sounds delicious, I’m going to give it a try. I almost never have fresh ginger on hand but always have minced ginger. For the rice, is minced ginger an acceptable substitute?
Hey Emily,
Sure that would work. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
How thin sliced is the chicken? I only have chicken tenders
Hey Anne,
Chicken tenders will work. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi!! Can’t wait to make this recipe! Is there a good substitute for rice vinegar?
Hey Danielle,
I would highly recommend the rice vinegar, if not you could try white wine vinegar. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Delicious!!!
Thank you Cynthia! xTieghan
Wow – this was absolutely delicious! Another cracker of a recipe on HBH. Thank you x
Thank you so much Lama! xTieghan