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!
Made this tonight and was super easy. Love that there wasn’t too many ingredients and only one pan. Never made my own sauce before but it was super simple and yummy. Would never buy store bought teriyaki again. Husband loved it and he usually has some feedback but he was 100% satisfied
I loved the tasts of this, i think the kind of soy sauce made a difference, i use a filipino brand soy sauce. I also made this using some fresh veggies and some frozen, yummy and quick!!
I used riced cauliflower and swerve brown sugar to make it low carb keto friendly!
I loved the ease of this dish and not too many ingredients or dishes! I used jasmine rice, and might cut back to about 1 or 1-1/4 cup rice next time since I had to add some water at the end. The family loved it!
Our family liked this and it was super easy and quick. I used chickpeas instead of chicken to make it vegan.
Best use of some common pantry ingredients!
This was a good recipe and the steps were easy to follow, but I kinda found it to be flavorless. I did everything as directed, but I ended up dumping more soy sauce and some sriracha in it towards the end. Next time, I think I will made double the amount of teriyaki sauce simply because there is a lot of stuff in the pan and I love teriyaki sauce. Otherwise, this is a solid, easy weeknight recipe!
This recipe is DELICIOUS and very easy but I did have a problem with my rice not cooking all the way. I should have listened to my own instincts, I always need to cook rice for 20 minutes on low. I think 5 more minutes on the heat would have done it. The family was so hungry after a long day in the sun that we didn’t even care, we ate it anyways. Even my super picky son said “oh my gosh this is soooo good.” I’ll just know to cook it for 15 minutes on low before adding the veggies instead of 10 next time.
Do you think you would be able to cook the rice separately in a rice cooker first?
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.
This was delicious and made quite a lot. I made it exactly as directed, it was super easy, fast, and I have leftovers for a few days. Will definitely make this again!
This was delicious! We used long-grain rice because we already had a full bag when quarantine started, and decided not to buy the jasmine rice. It cooked fine with the times given and wasn’t soupy at the end. Since we forgot to add the pineapple to the sweet chili chicken stirfry, we added the pineapple tidbits to this. I would do that again. Was a big hit with my family.
I enjoyed this far more than expected. It was a solid meal. I’d make it again for sure.
If I want to make 4 servings, should I double everything?? Can’t wait to try it. Sounds yummy.
Just simply add 4 to the servings box and the recipe will adjust! :)
So delicious, I made 4 servings but it would have been better as 6. My rice went very goopy at the end, not sure why, but I think I had the heat too high in the final stages. Definitely going to make this again!
Made this today and it was delicious. I had the same problem as a few others though, too much liquid. I even put a whole cut up raw potato in there and it was still too much liquid. Still tasty, just soggy rice. I used fresh vegetables and regular white sugar, still tastes really nice. Will just add less water next time.
You mentioned meal prepping, would this recipe also freeze well? I like to have single servings of frozen meals on hand.
I was hoping to find an answer to this question as well. I made this last night and I have enough leftovers to feed an army!