As far as recipes go, this one is fairly easy to make and is cooked, and then on the table, in under an hour. Homemade Teriyaki Sauce is a simple recipe that is packed with a sweet umami flavor. Add cooked and shredded Chicken Thighs for an amazing Teriyaki Chicken Casserole.

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Published May 19, 2023
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Recipe

Ingredients for Teriyaki Chicken Casserole

3/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Water
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Honey
3/4 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Oil
1/2 tsp Minced Garlic
2 Tbsp Corn Starch
2 Tbsp Water
6 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
3 cups cooked Rice
32-oz Frozen Mixed Vegetables
1 cup drained Pineapple Tidbits

Directions for Teriyaki Chicken Casserole

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Spray a 9 X 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray and then set aside.

3. On a cutting board, peel and then mince the garlic cloves.
Instead of mincing them, I chose to use a microplane to process the garlic.

4. Into a medium saucepan, add the 3/4 cup Soy Sauce, 1/2 cup Water, 1/3 cup Brown Sugar, 1 Tbsp Honey, 3/4 tsp Ground Ginger, 1 tsp Oil and the minced garlic.
Recently I had a plethora of fresh ginger and did not want it to go bad. So, to preserve it, a dehydrator was used and then the dried ginger was processed. It is by far the most potent and FRESH smelling powdered ginger ever. If you ever have wanted to dabble in making your own seasonings and spices, check out my blog on how to Dehydrate Ginger and Garlic by clicking the link below.

How to use a dehydrator to preserve your own garlic and ginger

5. Whisk the ingredients and then bring to a boil.

6. In a small bowl, measure and add the 1 Tablespoon Corn Starch and 1 Tablespoon Water, then whisk to combine.

7. Once boiling, remove the lid and cook for 1 minute.

8. To the boiling sauce, add the slurry and whisk well to combine.

9. Cook the Teriyaki Sauce for 1 minute, whisking to combine.

10. Remove the Teriyaki Sauce from the heat and let it rest to cool.
This homemade Teriyaki Sauce is so delicious and can be used to make so many recipes. Use it for a marinade, baste it on chicken while grilling, or a basic Teriyaki sauce for many more recipes. For my recipe for Better than Take-Out Chicken Teriyaki, click HERE or the link below for my entire recipe.

Better than Take-out Chicken Teriyaki on a Bed of Rice and Fried Cabbage

11. Place a large skillet over medium heat and then spray with nonstick spray.

13. To the warm saucepan, add the 6 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs.

There are two reasons that these boneless skinless chicken thighs were used. The first is because they are WAY cheaper than buying chicken breasts. The second is because our middle son, Matthew has become slightly picky about eating chicken. He will eat dark meat, but not white meat. I cannot fault him on this, as that is my desire as well.

So, to help him get a delicious dinner this momma avoids a fight and just uses thighs.
As an added bonus, chicken thighs are more tender and WAY easier to keep moist instead of breasts, which can be overcooked and then get chewy and tough. As this recipe requires the chicken to be first cooked, then baked, the chicken will then be twice cooked, and breasts have a tendency to become dry.

Below is a price comparison between chicken breasts and boneless skinless chicken thighs from our local ALDI. Chicken Breast packages estimate the wight to come in around 1.67 pounds while Thighs estimate a weight at 1.92 pounds. Not only do you get MORE meat with thighs, but the cost is also less. Breasts cost $3.79-per-pound while Thighs cost $2.99-per-pound.

Bone-in Chicken Thighs will of course be cheaper, a typical 3.9-pound package costs $1.99 per pound. However, with this option, you do have to take into consideration for the loss of weight in meat with the bones, this is why I typically opt to buy boneless thighs.

12. Season the Chicken Thighs with salt and pepper.

14. Cook the Chicken Thighs until they reach a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Turning over to brown the other side.

15. While the chicken cooks, cook the rice in a rice cooker.
Make sure to rinse the rice 3 times!
This Rice Cooker is amazing. There have been SO many times in the last few years, of creating and making dinners, where trying to cook rice fails. Like, epically fails.
The rice ends up undercooked in some spots or crunchy.
However, this Rice Cooker is absolutely a no-fail at cooking the most perfect rice, every time! You can make white rice, brown rice and quinoa with this amazing little cutie. Check it out on Amazon by clicking HERE or the link below. And for under $20, it is a steal to make the most perfectly cooked rice.

16. When the rice is cooked, add it to the prepared baking dish.

17. Use a spatula and spread the rice out over the entire baking dish base.

18. Once the chicken is cooked, use two forks and shred it into small pieces.

Assemble the Casserole

19. Add the shredded chicken to the rice in the baking dish and use a spatula to mix well.

20. Open the bag of frozen mixed veggies and add them on top of the chicken in the bake dish and mix well with a spatula.

21. Pour the Teriyaki Sauce over the chicken and rice.

22. Add the Pineapple Tidbits to the casserole.
These add the BEST burst of sweet flavor to this dish.

23. Sprinkle Sesame seeds over the ingredients.

24. Place the baking dish into the preheated oven and cook for 30-35 minutes.

25. When done, remove the Teriyaki Chicken Casserole from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

26. Sprinkle with sliced green onions and serve.

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