Jules and I love a good weeknight meal that feels special without being fussy. Lately, we’ve been obsessed with teriyaki bowls. It’s a one-dish dinner with your protein, vegetables, and starch all together mixed with a homemade teriyaki sauce.
Because here’s the thing: those store-bought teriyaki sauces? Often packed with things we don’t necessarily want. So, naturally, my brain started whirring. Could I make a better teriyaki at home? The answer, my friends, is a resounding yes. And trust me, it’s simpler than you think.
These bowls are such a great dinner, and if you make the teriyaki sauce in advance, they come together in almost no time at all.
How to Make DIY Teriyaki Bowls
This teriyaki sauce is totally customizable, especially if you’re navigating any food restrictions. A lot of recipes use brown sugar, but I like to swap to my favorite sweetener, honey, and add a little monk fruit alternative. This cuts down on the sugar without sacrificing that delicious depth of flavor. It’s not that fake sweetness either—it just tastes good.
Next, the main event: chicken and vegetables. Keep it simple here! Season your chicken and your favorite veggies (we love broccoli, bell peppers, and onions) with our go-to seasoning mix (or just good old salt and pepper). Here’s a crucial tip: cook the chicken and veggies through before you add the sauce. There’s enough sugar in the teriyaki that if you cook it for too long, it’ll reduce way too much and become super salty. We want to add that glorious sauce right at the end.
Saute Pan
For the veggies, I like to cook each separately. For the bok choy, cut it in half lengthwise, give it a little seasoning, and then get a nice char on the cut sides in the pan. It adds such a lovely texture and flavor. The cabbage? Just sauté it until it’s tender-crisp with a little olive oil, avocado oil, and a touch of sesame oil, plus salt and pepper.
Don’t skip the sesame seeds, people! Forget those pre-toasted ones. Grab some untoasted white sesame seeds, and then toast them yourself in a dry pan until they’re fragrant and golden. Trust me on this one – the aroma alone will make your kitchen smell incredible. Once your sauce is done, stir those toasted beauties right in. They add the perfect nutty, toasty finishing touch.
Here’s the sequence of events:
- Cook the chicken: In a skillet with avocado or olive oil, cook your seasoned chicken until it’s cooked through. Remove it from the pan and set aside.
- Cook the bok choy: In the same pan (hello, flavor!), add a little more oil if needed and cook the halved bok choy, cut-side down, until you get some nice char. Remove and set aside.
- Cook the cabbage: Add a bit more olive oil and sesame oil to the pan, along with your seasoned cabbage. Sauté until tender-crisp. Set aside.
- Make the magic happen: Return the cooked chicken to the pan. Pour in your glorious homemade teriyaki sauce and let it glaze the chicken, warming it through.
- Plate it up: Slice the chicken and arrange it on your plate with the cooked veggies and rice noodles (or rice).
- Don’t waste a drop! Take any leftover sauce in the pan and drizzle it generously over everything. Enjoy every last bit!
Chopsticks | Bowl
Seriously, this teriyaki sauce is so good, you’ll want to make a double batch. The recipe will definitely leave you with some extra, and trust me, you’ll be thanking me later. It’s perfect for dipping, marinating, or just drizzling on everything in sight.
What to Serve with Teriyaki Chicken Bowls
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Now, for the base! While traditional rice is always a good choice, we’ve been loving these Mama Instant Rice Noodles lately. They cook up super fast and soak up all that delicious sauce.
And for those rice noodles? A little drizzle of the teriyaki sauce (or even some sesame oil to keep them from sticking) is perfection. If you’re feeling adventurous, a little chili oil would be amazing too.
Need to Make a Substitution?
Cornstarch: Cornstarch is the classic choice for a reason—it gives you that beautifully thickened glaze that coats everything just right. You can use potato starch, but be warned! Use less of it, and expect a slightly runnier sauce. If you use the same amount as cornstarch, you might end up with a clumpy situation, and nobody wants that.
Honey and/or Brown Sugar: If you’re avoiding sugar altogether, you can swap both the honey and brown sugar for a monk fruit brown sugar replacement.
Rice Noodles: You can use white, jasmine or brown rice in place of the rice noodles. Or go for cauliflower rice if that’s more your style!
So there you have it! My chicken & veggie bowls with a DIY teriyaki sauce that’s easy to customize and bursting with flavor. Ditch the bottled stuff and give this a try. I have a feeling it’ll become a new favorite in your kitchen too. Happy cooking!