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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.
This post was originally published on August 19, 2020
Made this tonight and it was so good! My husband and I loved the crunchiness of the breadcrumbs and the cucumber- something we never would’ve thought to do!
I added carrots along with the bell peppers just because we had some that needed to be used. I think I may have used a little over 1lb of chicken, but either way, I looove sauce and wished I’d had a bit more leftover after it thickened, for spooning on to my rice. If I make it again I’ll probably double the sauce!
Love to hear that, Claire!! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! xTieghan
made it tonight and loved it 🙂 love your recipes !!!
Thank you Manasi! xTieghan
Chives?
Hey Cathy,
You can add those on as a topping:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This recipe was a winner at our house! It was so good. The cucumbers and crunchy topping pushed it over the top. Thanks!
Thank you so much Lynda!! I am so happy to hear that! xTieghan
This looks delicious!! What size skillet are you using?
Hey Karen,
I am using a 12 inch skillet. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
What changes should I make if I have mirin? Is it one to one with the rice vinegar or do I need to adjust the honey since it’s a bit sweeter than plain rice vinegar?
Hi Miranda! It’s a one to one ratio. No changes need to be made. Mirin is going to be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
It was really yummy! Make sure to make the crispy panko and sesame seeds! The chive/green onions seem to be missing from the directions but I am assuming either they go in the cucumbers or as a topping. We were not the biggest fans of the cucumbers.
Thank you so much Ann! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This looks absolutely delicious!!
I’m going to try and make this vegetarian by using tofu or tempeh.
Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you for trying this one! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Where does the breadcrumb/ sesame mixture come into use?
Hey Barb,
I like to top the dish with the sesame crumbs like stated in step 6:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was a “homerun” as my dining partner kept saying tonight. Great taste and flavors. Love one pan cooking.
Noting: Subbed zucchini for cucs, pork loin for chicken, and broccoli for peppers (those were all things already on hand). Will try it again soon (probably next week)!
Thank you so much Shannon! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Just made tonight. I used Ramen noodles instead of rice. Delicious! My husband said to keep this one in the rotation. Love your recipes!
Thank you Sheila!! xTieghan
Excellent! Such a great weeknight dinner and it felt like we had take-out. I wasn’t sure about the cucumbers, but used up a little one we had and added julienned carrots—so good and should not be missed. And yes, don’t skip the topping. Such a nice crunch. Amazing flavors, easy, but oh so good. Thank you!
Thank you so much K! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Where do the chives go?
Hey Elsie,
You can top the dish with the chives or green onions. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This sounds and looks so yummy! Do you think this could work with tofu instead of chicken? 🙂
Thanks! love your recipes!!
Hey Taylor,
I think tofu would be a great substitute. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This looks great! Where does the cornstarch come into play? Unless I’m seeing things or missing things I can’t tell where I input it lol
Hey Ashley,
You are using the cornstarch in step 4 to coat the chicken. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan