Teriyaki Chicken and Pineapple Rice !
This recipe is not new and we have made it for years. It is one of the delicious comfort foods one can make in dozens of different varieties. I like to introduce you to my favorite, even if I do it sometimes different. Teriyaki Chicken has to be one of the most beloved Asian foods of all time. Its savory, slightly sweet, and just so satisfying. And even more satisfying when its made all in one pot.
This Teriyaki Chicken recipe is bursting with flavor to perfectly compliment your palate. Most of the pics are sent by my friend Mathis, who enjoys Teriyaki Chuck as I do.
What is Teriyaki Chicken?
Teriyaki is used to describe any chicken, beef, fish, etc. marinated in or served with Teriyaki sauce. Teriyaki sauce is typically made of soy sauce, sake, sugar and ginger. So essentially, it is a dish, flavor, and sauce all with an interesting history. Teriyaki is a cooking technique used in Japanese cuisine in which foods are broiled or grilled.
Teriyaki sauce, mainly made from Soy-sauce, sake, sugar and fresh grated ginger.
Fish – marlin, tuna, salmon, trout, and mackerel – is mainly used in Japan, while white and red meat – chicken, pork, lamb, duck and beef – is more often used in the West. Other ingredients sometimes used in Japan include squid, hamburger steak, and meatballs. Also in fashion is the vegetarian dish, Teriyaki just with assorted vegetables.
The word “Teriyaki” is Japanese, and describes the method of cooking: yaki- means grilled, and teri refers to a shine given from the sugar, so the direct simplistic translation is “shine-grilled.”
„Shine- grilled“ of its finest. Japanese Teriyaki beef ribs. Notice the fantastic SHINE.
Although the word Teriyaki is of Japanese origin, Teriyaki cooking is actually tied to Hawaiian roots. It is believed that Japanese immigrants in Hawaii used the local foods there and came up with Teriyaki, and if you’ve been to a Hawaiian barbecue, you’ll know the deliciousness I’m talking about.
The first Hawaiian/Japanese people used pineapple juice as their sugar and acid to get the shine while Japanese soy sauce remained the main ingredient. So Teriyaki chicken has its origins in Japan … and Hawaii. It is a blend of two great cultures and one of the best blends of simple ingredients in the world!
I think Chicken thigh’s are the best for this recipe.
What chicken is best for Teriyaki ?
And we only talk about chicken today, not about fish or beef or… You have two main options when it comes to what chicken you would like to use for this Teriyaki Chicken recipe:
Boneless skinless chicken thighs: The dark meat and therefore inherently juicier and more forgiving as far as cooking time. It is hard to dry out chicken thighs, so although the pictures show chicken breasts, I actually recommend chicken thighs.
Chicken breast cut into equal pieces is what I like to use, makes it much easier.
Boneless skinless chicken breasts: They are leaner but still emerge wonderfully juicy from the marinade. If you use chicken breasts, take care they are pounded to an even thickness so they cook evenly. Chicken breasts vary wildly in size, so adjust cooking time accordingly.
Teriyaki Chicken Ingredients and Substitutions to use.
Making Teriyaki Chicken at home is easy and only requires a few pantry staples. You can also customize it to fit your personal preference whether that be more sweet, more savory, more sour or more heat. All to receive the best of Umami taste!!
That’s the only Teriyaki sauce one can buy in Uruguay. I am sometimes a lazy cook and this sauce does the job. But I wish I could have the following ones I had in Panama or Australia. They are already thick and tangy and full of flavor. The Kikkoman I always pep up with brown sugar and fresh ginger and cook it down 50%.
Traditional Teriyaki Sauce is equal parts, soy and Mirin (a sweet cooking sake, not found in Uruguay yet) and sugar to taste. Another version of simple Teriyaki is equal parts soy sauce to granulated sugar.
Chicken: as previously mentioned, you can either use 4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts or 4 boneless chicken thighs. I have included cooking times for each in the recipe.
Rice: use long-grain white rice.
Pineapple: use one 650g (about 20 oz) can crushed pineapple.
Olive oil: substitute with your favorite cooking oil such as avocado oil or coconut oil.
Soy sauce: use reduced sodium soy sauce or your Teriyaki Chicken will be too salty.
Sugar: is necessary to balance the soy sauce and the vinegar. You may substitute with some honey, or brown sugar but it will create a slightly different flavor profile.
Apple cider vinegar: provides the fruity, tangy balance to the soy sauce. You may substitute with rice wine vinegar or white vinegar if that’s all you have on hand. White vinegar has more acidic than apple cider vinegar, so only use 3 tablespoons.
Garlic: one teaspoon garlic powder will do the trick. I like to use fresh grated garlic only.
Ginger: adds a warm spicy, almost pepper taste that cuts through the sweetness. You will need 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger. Again, fresh grated one is much better.
Salt and Pepper: enhance all of the flavors.
Sriracha: you can use sriracha or sambal oelek. Use more or less to taste.
This is Teriyaki Chicken ( whole chicken breasts) on Pineapple Rice as its best. Pic Mathis.
How to Make Teriyaki Chicken.
To make this irresistibly delicious Teriyaki Chicken, whisk together your Teriyaki Sauce ingredients of soy sauce, sugar, cider vinegar, ginger, garlic, Sriracha and cornstarch and remove some to a freezer bag with your chicken to marinate one hour up to overnight – the longer, the better.Turn over the marinade bag from time to time.
This yummy, shiny, sticky sauce is what is the recipe all about. Wish I could get it bottled here.
The marinade alone makes this chicken super tender and flavorful and allows you to use chicken breasts (although you are welcome to use skinless chicken thighs) without loosing juiciness.
Reserve remaining marinade for Teriyaki Sauce. The remaining Teriyaki Sauce creates a luscious glaze by simmering it in your pot for a couple of minutes. You then remove the glaze, brown your moist chicken and then its time for pineapple rice.
Mouthwatering. Pics Mathis.
Cook rice with crushed pineapple. Your rice is simmered in a pan of crushed pineapple with its juice and water so the rice drinks up the slightly tangy, sweet, pineapple essence, perfectly complimenting the soy based teriyaki chicken which you nestle in your rice to finish cooking, periodically basting with your glaze, so the sticky, flavorful Teriyaki glaze seeps further into the drool-worthy chicken and glides down to permeate the rice to create Teriyaki Pineapple Rice. Finger licking, mind blowing taste.
“ Bon appetit „. Pic Mathis. Thanks Mathis. Click on pics to size up.
What to serve with Teriyaki Chicken?
Teriyaki Chicken is fantastic served with any sautéed, roasted or grilled veggies you have on hand. Broccoli, snow peas, paprikas, are great vegetables to add to make it healthier and well balanced. But don’t stop there, here are some more ideas to spice up your Chicken Teriyaki:
Stir Fry Veggies. You can stir fry any veggies your heart desires from broccoli, to paprikas, to mushrooms, to carrots, etc. or you can serve with roasted veggies such as roasted broccoli, roasted cauliflower, roasted carrots, sauteed Brussels sprouts, or roasted squash.
Shortcut Veggies. You an can purchase pre-chopped veggies perfect for stir fries or use a frozen stir-fry blend or steam-in-the-bag microwavable frozen veggies. No problem at all.
Salad. You can serve Teriyaki Chicken with crunchy Asian salad, Chinese salad, Asian pineapple salad or add the chicken directly to the salad to make Teriyaki chicken salad.
Soups: Miso soup, Thai noodle soup, curried butternut squash soup, Tom Kha Gai soup.
Fruit: Grilled pineapple, summer fruit salads, creamy grape salad.
Appetizers. For an Asian feast, Teriyaki Chicken is delicious with Wontons, Asian salad.
Whole chicken breast will also do fine. On white rice with Asian salad and broccoli.
Teriyaki Chicken and Pineapple Rice Recipe.
Easy One Pot Teriyaki Chicken with Pineapple Rice dripping with flavor and cooked all in the same skillet! Teriyaki Chicken + pineapple + rice = a match made in heaven. The marinade doubles as the Glaze (no double work) for incredibly juicy chicken with flavor through and through – not just on the surface. The Teriyaki Glaze seeps into the rice for slightly tangy, sweet, teriyaki pineapple rice that perfectly compliments your chicken. It doesn’t get any better.
Ingredients.
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
1 650g (20 oz) can crushed pineapple
olive oil
My ingredients today, not much needed.
How to do.
Whisk together Teriyaki Sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Add 1/3 cup of this sauce plus 1 tablespoon olive oil and chicken to a freezer bag/shallow dish and marinate 1 hour up to overnight. Refrigerate remaining Teriyaki Sauce separately.
When ready to cook, strain pineapple juice from crushed pineapple and add water to strained juice to equal 3 cups liquid (“Pineapple Water”). Set aside.
Stir reserved Teriyaki Sauce and add to large skillet (nonstick works best). Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until slightly thickened, stirring constantly (glaze will continue to thicken upon standing). Remove Teriyaki Glaze to same bowl it was refrigerated in.
Chicken breast in Uruguay. Two halves are about 1,8 kg, crazy elephant size chickens here. Better cut it in decent cube sizes and marinate/bake the cubes. Otherwize you loose lots of flavor.
Wipe skillet (doesn’t have to be thorough) and heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over high heat. Let excess marinade drip off chicken and add to skillet. Cook over medium high heat for 5 minutes on each side (3 minutes on each side for thighs) or until nicely browned (will not be all the way cooked through) and remove to a plate.
Wipe skillet and add 1 tablespoon olive oil and Pineapple Water. Bring to a simmer then stir in crushed pineapple and rice. Cover, reduce to medium low and cook for about 12 minutes or necessary rice cooking time.
Pineapple rice is steaming along. Click on pics to size up.
Stir rice and nestle chicken on top and brush with Teriyaki Glaze. Cover and continue to cook for an additional 8-12 minutes or until rice and chicken are cooked through.
Brush chicken with additional Teriyaki Glaze and season rice with freshly cracked salt and pepper.
Tips.
This is a real yummy recipe. Serve it over a bed of rice. The leftovers go nicely in a whole wheat pita the next day for a warm delicious lunch or on baked leftover spaghetti – YES. Hope you all will enjoy it!
It is possible to make this dish with brown rice. Maybe pre-cook rice for a little bit before adding to skillet or pan. Some will prefer brown over white rice.
Teriyaki Chicken on brown rice.
A cast iron skillet is not necessary and a nonstick pan actually works better. Each stove is different, so you will have to play with cooking times, best to just check the rice periodically so it doesn’t overcook.
Wonderful idea, to serve the Teriyaki Chicken in a pineapple bowl, stylish and delicious.
Another idea: Oven sheet Teriyaki Chicken Breast with Pineapple Fried Rice.
The key ingredients in this dish for me are the Pineapple and Teriyaki. I love a sweet, tangy sauce on top of my chicken. And, while vegetables are great, I enjoy mixing it up with fruit salsas and sides whenever possible.
In order to keep all this sweet sauce contained, I have to make sure I choose the right tools. A sheet pan with edges is the key, as it is Non-Stick Aluminum Foil. First of all, I need to know that I’m not going to be stuck with a ton of juices overflowing onto the bottom of my oven.
The pineapple rice shown up here is upgraded with very fine cut vegetables (carrot, peas, corn, spring onion) and small pieces of ham. Very delicious. That can be a whole meal in itself.
Second, I need to make sure that the chicken juices stay put in the pan as well, so that the rice/pineapple mixture can cook on its own and retain its own flavors. Third, I want to make sure that the foil I’m using is food-grade. Use top quality only and may be double it. Fourth, using one pan, I don’t want to mix flavors and juices to early. Y U M M Y ! ! !
