It’s been a while since I’ve posted a “one pot” recipe, but I’m really excited about this one. This One Pot Teriyaki Chicken and Rice is incredibly easy, requires very little chopping, and is one of those super satisfying meals that I look forward to every time I make it. Oh, and did I mention that it meal preps really well, too? I mean, what doesn’t this Teriyaki Chicken and Rice do? (Answer: the dishes. But since it’s one pot there aren’t many to do anyway!)
Can I Make This in a Rice Cooker?
This recipe is essentially a chicken version of my Rice Cooker Teriyaki Shrimp and Rice, but cooked in a skillet instead of a rice cooker. Could you cook this recipe in a rice cooker as well? Probably so! But I haven’t tested it yet myself. If cooking this in a rice cooker, I would sauté the chicken, garlic, and ginger first, then add the rice and water, and cook until the rice is finished. Add the frozen vegetables, cook five minutes more, then pour on the sauce and fold until combined.
Do I Have to Use Jasmine Rice?
No, but jasmine rice does give it a LOT more flavor. Luckily, jasmine rice is becoming more and more common in the U.S. and I’ve been able to find 5lb. bags of jasmine rice for very good prices at most grocery stores. They’re usually hiding on the bottom shelf in the rice aisle. If you can’t find jasmine rice, use long grain white rice instead. I don’t suggest short or medium grained rice for this recipe.
Tips for One Pot Rice Recipes:
One pot recipes can be tricky because every stove top and every piece of cookware transmits heat a little differently. I suggest mastering the skill of cooking rice in a pot on the stove top before attempting a one pot rice recipe. Here are a few other tips that will help you get perfectly cooked rice without burning and scorching:
- Use heavy or thick bottomed cookware. This will evenly cook the rice instead of scorching the bottom or leaving pockets of rice partially cooked.
- Make sure the pot/skillet comes up to a FULL boil before turning it down to low. This will help make sure it stays at a simmer when it continues to cook on low.
- Don’t skip the last step of letting the rice rest with the lid on and heat turned off for at least five minutes. This allows the steam to redistribute throughout and loosen any rice that may be stuck to the bottom.
But other than that, it’s super easy. I swear. ;)
What Kind of Skillet Should I Use?
You want something that is thick, heavy, has a wide bottom, and is about 3 quarts in volume. I am using a 3 quart deep sauté pan made by OXO. A good Dutch oven would also work well.
You might also like my One Pot Lemon Garlic Shrimp and Rice!
One Pot Teriyaki Chicken and Rice
Servings 4 about 2 cups eachIngredients
- 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 2/3 lb.) ($2.81)
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.04)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.16)
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger ($0.10)
- 1.5 cups uncooked jasmine rice ($0.99)
- 2.5 cups water ($0.00)
- 12 oz. frozen stir fry vegetables ($1.59)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce ($0.24)
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.08)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil ($0.10)
- 2 green onions, sliced ($0.15)
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breast into very small pieces, about 1/2 to 3/4-inch in size.
- Add the cooking oil, garlic, and ginger to a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium heat for about 1 minute, then add the chicken pieces and continue to sauté just until the outside of the chicken is no longer pink. Do not over cook the chicken here, it will finish cooking with the rice.
- Add the uncooked rice to the skillet and continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes more. You should hear the rice popping. Finally, add the water and give everything a brief stir to make sure there is no rice stuck to the bottom of the skillet.
- Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high, and allow the water to come to a full boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
- While the skillet is simmering over low, prepare the teriyaki sauce. In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, brown sugar, and toasted sesame oil. The brown sugar may not fully dissolve, but that’s okay. Set the sauce aside.
- After the rice has simmered for 10 minutes, lift the lid briefly to sprinkle the frozen vegetables on top, then replace the lid immediately. Make sure the vegetables are spread evenly over the surface. Let the skillet continue to heat over low for an additional five minute.
- After steaming the rice and vegetables together for 5 minutes, turn the heat off and let the skillet rest with the lid in place for an additional five minutes.
- Give the teriyaki sauce another brief stir, lift the lid on the skillet, and drizzle the sauce over the vegetables. Make sure to scrape out all the sugar from the bottom of the bowl. Using a spatula or large spoon, gently fold the rice and vegetables together until everything is mostly coated in the sauce. Make sure to scoop all the way to the bottom of the skillet when folding, as the sauce will sink to the bottom.
- Place the lid back on top and let the skillet rest for a final 5 minutes to let the flavor soak in (heat turned off). Sprinkle sliced green onions over top just before serving.
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Nutrition
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Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make Teriyaki Chicken and Rice – Step by Step Photos
Start by cutting one boneless, skinless chicken breast into small pieces, about 1/2 to 3/4-inch in size. This one chicken breast weighed about 2/3 lb.
Add 1 Tbsp cooking oil, 2 cloves of garlic (minced), and about 1 tsp minced fresh ginger in a large deep skillet. Sauté over medium for about one minute, then add the chicken and continue to sauté just until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside. Don’t over cook the chicken at this point because it will continue to cook with the rice.
Add 1.5 cups jasmine rice to the skillet and continue to sauté for a minute more. You’ll hear the rice popping. Then add 2.5 cups water and stir briefly to make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Place a lid on top, turn the heat up to medium-high, and let it come to a full boil. As soon as it reaches a full boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer over low for 10 minutes (lid on).
While the rice is simmering over low, prepare the teriyaki sauce. Stir together 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, and 1 tsp toasted sesame oil in a small bowl. The brown sugar won’t fully dissolve, but that’s okay. Set the sauce aside. It will be added at the end.
After the rice has simmered over low for 10 minutes, lift the lid only long enough to pour on one 12 oz. bag of frozen stir fry vegetables (not thawed). Make sure the vegetables are spread fairly evenly across the rice, and replace the lid immediately. Let them continue to steam with the rice over low heat for another 5 minutes. Then, turn the heat off and let everything rest with the lid on, no heat, for another five minutes.
After the vegetables have been in the skillet with the rice (five minutes over low, five minutes no heat), remove the lid and drizzle the teriyaki sauce over top. Make sure to scrape out any sugar that is left in the bowl.
Use a spatula or a large spoon to gently fold the rice and vegetables together until everything is mostly coated in the sauce. Make sure you’re scooping all the way down to the bottom of the skillet because that’s where all the sauce will pool. Don’t vigorously stir or your rice will get gummy. Put the lid back on the skillet and let it rest for about 5 minutes more to let all the flavors soak in.
Top it off with sliced green onions just before serving!
Would a sauce pan work or would I be better off using a rice cooker?
A sauce pan or skillet would be best.
Could you use chicken thighs instead of breast for this?
Yep, absolutely, and you don’t have to do anything differently. :)
Definitely too much fluid, with the water AND the sauce AND the moisture from the frozen veggies. I suggest adding another half cup of rice or reducing the water by half a cup. It was edible, but fairly soggy.
I used unfrozen vegetables and they turned out perfect as well! Love the simplicity and tastes perfect.
Thanks Brooke!
I made this for dinner last night and just finished eating the leftovers for lunch. I wouldn’t call it “teriyaki,” but it’s very good! I make a chicken stir-fry that’s similar, but this is much easier, and maybe even better! I used chicken broth instead of water, and added a dash of red pepper flakes and some fresh ground black pepper. I’ll definitely be making this again and throwing out my old stir fry recipe!
If I want to you vegetables that are not frozen do I add them in a little later?
If you want to use fresh vegetables, you’ll actually need to add them a little earlier, since frozen vegetables are par-boiled (partially cooked) so all they need less cooking time. :)
First things first, this does not taste like teriyaki. BUT, that being said this is a great recipe does taste very good, just little to no sweetness. I did this in my dutch oven and the vegetable mix I used was a 14.5 oz bag so I let them steam on top of the rice and chicken for an extra 2 minutes and made just a hair more of the sauce mixture. Everything came out cooked perfectly, tender chicken, well cooked rice and crunchy veggies. This is definitely more of a savory recipe and the sesame oil was prevelant in a nice way.
Made this tonight and it was easy and delicious!! Been trying to add recipes to my rotation – saw this post and happened to have all the ingredients!! Love that it’s one pot and the directions were so clear and easy to follow – as a baker at heart I love the details and the reason why behind each step :-)
I want to make this for a family who just lost a child. Can you give me freezing/reheating instructions?
Unfortunately I’ve never tried to reheat this dish whole. I only microwave single portions, so I’m not sure the best method to reheat as an entire dish.
Alright, thank you for responding!
What are the odds that 3 Beth’s respond to each other lol
Oops…I need my eyes checked haha!
Ha!
Delicious and quick recipe!!! I used a can of chickpeas instead of chicken so it’d be vegan. Also used basmati rice as that’s what I had! Will def make again!!
CAN YO USE CHICKEN STOCK INSTEAD OF WATER FOR THE TERIYAKI CHICKEN AND RICE?
Yes, that will add even more flavor. :)
This tastes so good! I made it in the pressure cooker, and I used brown basmati rice, and I doubled the sauce, though I probably used 2/3 of it doubled. I think the flavors are lovely. Thanks for this guide!
You’re accompanying me on yet another move, Beth! This time to a summer research position where I’m living in a small studio apartment with limited kitchen supplies. I have a chopping board, a knife, and a pot = Budget Bytes to the rescue!
Made this tonight and it was delicious. I don’t have any measuring utensils so I just eyeballed everything (a dangerous game to play with rice) but it came out amazing. I added sriracha to the teriyaki sauce.
My plan is to cook my way through many more of your one-pot meals over the next few months. You don’t even know me, but you’re saving my butt again.
Awesome! And I’m seriously impressed with your eyeballing skills! Even when I try to do that it goes very wrong. LOL!
Has anyone doubled this?! I’m hoping to make it tonight and have leftovers for the whole family. :)
Hey, I found this recipe (clearly plagiarized from here) at <>. I don’t know if you want to get it taken down but I thought I’d let you know.
Thanks for the heads up! Unfortunately your link didn’t post. :(
Recipes are meant to be shared get off your high horse
Sharing is one thing, plagiarizing and profiting off of someone else’s work is another. Unfortunately there are a lot of scraper sites that use other peoples’ copyrighted content in order to generate ad revenue. If that’s the case, it’s not legal and not ethical.