Teriyaki Chicken Bowl with Broccoli and Rice
When dinner feels vague, this gives you one bowl, one sauce, one answer.
If you’re staring into the fridge at 6 p.m. and want dinner to stop taking up brain space, make this. It’s a straightforward teriyaki chicken bowl: juicy chicken, broccoli, rice, and a glossy sauce that tastes like dinner without requiring a lot of decision-making. You can use fresh or frozen broccoli, and the whole meal stays in the under-45-minute zone even on an ordinary weeknight. Expect a takeout-style bowl that’s comforting, not fussy. The sauce is simple, the ingredients are common, and the result is reliable enough to cook when you’re tired but still want something that feels complete.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs — cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 cup broccoli florets
- 2 cup cooked white rice — warm
- 0.25 cup soy sauce
- 0.25 cup water
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 unit garlic cloves — minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger — grated
- 2 unit green onions — sliced
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds — optional garnish
Method
- 1 Stir together the soy sauce, water, honey, rice vinegar, and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth.
- 2 Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, season lightly with salt if needed, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until browned and cooked through.
- 3 Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds, then add the broccoli with a splash of water. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until crisp-tender.
- 4 Pour in the sauce and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until glossy and thick. Stir in the sesame oil.
- 5 Serve the chicken and broccoli over rice, then top with green onions and sesame seeds.
Variations
- Vegetarian swap — Use extra-firm tofu instead of chicken; brown it well before adding the garlic, ginger, and sauce.
- Faster swap — Use microwave rice and frozen broccoli so dinner comes together with almost no chopping.
- Substitutions — Swap broccoli for snap peas, green beans, or a frozen stir-fry mix; use brown sugar instead of honey if that’s what you have.
Notes
If your broccoli is frozen, add it straight to the skillet and cook a minute or two longer. For the best texture, keep the sauce at a gentle simmer so it thickens without getting gummy.
Equipment that helps
- Large skillet — It gives the chicken room to brown and lets the sauce reduce quickly.
- Small bowl — Mixing the sauce separately keeps the cornstarch from clumping.
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