This easy teriyaki chicken marinade transforms simple ingredients from your fridge into flavorful, restaurant-style, sweet and savory chicken. Use it with chicken breasts, thighs, or stir-fry chicken bites when grilling, baking, air-frying, or cooking skillet meals. The bold marinade also doubles as a glaze-like sauce after simmering!

closeup of cooked marinated chicken on a bed of rice with broccoli on side with spoon holding marinade

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What is teriyaki marinade?

Teriyaki flavor is a balance of sweet, salty, and slightly tangy elements, typically made from soy sauce, brown sugar or other sweeteners, and vinegar.

Teriyaki-flavored dishes are often developed with a teriyaki marinade that soaks and infuses the meat with flavor before cooking.

You will often see similar recipes with either a teriyaki marinade or sauce. A teriyaki marinade is applied to the meat at least 30 minutes (and up to many hours) before cooking, while a teriyaki sauce is usually thickened and used as a glaze after cooking.

What’s To Love About This Recipe

A simple homemade teriyaki marinade can transform everyday ingredients into a delicious, deeply flavored family meal.
While written specifically for chicken teriyaki, this simple marinade recipe can work with a variety of meats and cook alongside vegetables, rice, and other pantry staples.
A quick homemade marinade is an easy, budget-friendly way to flavor your food and make it a cohesive meal!
This boldly-flavored mixture works for chicken thighs, chicken breasts, or bite-sized stir-fry chicken. It’s versatile for a variety of recipes and can be used in as little as 30 minutes to up to 24 hours for deeper flavor.
The sweet and salty marinade is perfect for grilling, baking, air frying, or skillet cooking. Plus, it can also be developed into a sticky-sweet glaze when simmered into a sauce.

Ingredients Needed

Soy sauce or tamari – This is the signature ingredient in teriyaki sauces and marinades. The salty, umami flavor soaks deeply into meat and the sodium content also helps to tenderize raw meat.
Honey – Honey adds an element of syrupy sweetness that helps the marinade stick to the raw ingredients and lightly caramelize during cooking.
Brown sugar – Adding brown sugar along with honey helps the marinade maintain sweetness and caramelization, without overpowering the savory elements.
Chicken broth – Chicken broth creates the marinade base for chicken-based recipes and adds deeper flavor.
Rice vinegar – Rice vinegar is a key ingredient to keep on hand if you love Asian-inspired recipes. It adds just the right amount of acidity to sweet and savory recipes and balances all the flavors without being too tart or sour.
Minced garlic – Minced garlic integrates easily into the marinade and deepens the flavor over time.
Ground ginger – Ginger is another staple ingredient in teriyaki flavor profiles, adding complexity to the final result.

ingredients in containers to include soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, chicken broth, rice vinegar, minced garlic and ground ginger

How To Make Teriyaki Chicken Marinade

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl until fully combined.
Use immediately as a marinade or transfer to an airtight container.

overhead view of glass bowl containing all ingredients with whisk on side

Pro Tips

To make a spicier marinade, add red pepper flakes or a spoonful of sriracha.
Feel free to use alternate sweeteners such as honey and brown sugar, which can be adjusted or swapped with maple syrup.
For gluten-free or lower-sodium needs, swap tamari or coconut aminos for soy sauce.
For meal prep, add the marinade to raw chicken or other meat in a sealed bag or container, then refrigerate for up to 24 hours before cooking.
For freezer meal prep, marinate and freeze raw chicken or other meat together in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw the meat in the fridge, then cook it within 24 hours of defrosting.
This marinade works well with chicken and pork. If you’d like to try a beef teriyaki dish, swap the chicken broth for beef broth for a richer flavor.

overhead view of glass bowl with marinade and 2 chicken breasts

How To Use Teriyaki Chicken Marinade

Teriyaki chicken marinade is an easy solution to transform a basic meal into one full of delicious flavor! Use this simple marinade for a quick skillet meal of stir fry chicken and rice, or allow more time to marinate chicken thighs and breasts for grilling out.

There’s no limit to how you can prepare family-friendly chicken dinners with this sweet and savory marinade. Use it for baking chicken drumsticks, air-frying or grilling chicken skewers with vegetables, or simply adding flavor to skillet-cooked chicken to meal prep and enjoy throughout the week.

With this base recipe, it’s easy to add teriyaki flavor to a variety of crowd-pleasing dishes such as Slow Cooker Chicken Pineapple Teriyaki Bowls and either Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken or Freezer Meal Teriyaki Chicken. Add a simple side or two, such as Perfect Slow Cooker Rice or Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic, and you’re set!

How long should you marinate chicken?

When marinating chicken, allow the meat to soak in the marinade for at least 30 minutes in the fridge. If you have the time, letting the chicken marinate for 4-12 hours is ideal for deeper saturation and flavor.

plastic bag containing chicken and marinade

How much marinade do you use?

Use about ½ cup of marinade per pound of chicken for even coverage and saturation.

Can you marinate chicken overnight?

You can marinate chicken (and other meats) overnight, but avoid marinating for more than 24 hours due to the salt content. Too much time will begin to break down the meat’s structure and texture.

Can you reuse teriyaki marinade?

Do not reuse marinade unless it has been fully cooked first. Dispose of any leftover liquid after marinating raw meat due to cross-contamination. You can include all the marinade in your preferred cooking method for the meat, such as a slow cooker or an Instant Pot.

Storing and Reheating

How To Best Store Leftovers

Fridge

Store homemade teriyaki marinade in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days (before applying to meat).

Freezer

Teriyaki marinade freezes well in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.