Oven Baked Teriyaki Chicken Thighs (boneless or bone-in) are tender and juicy in a sweet and savory teriyaki marinade and sauce that bakes to sticky perfection in about 30 minutes. Easy dinner recipe the whole family will love.
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You're going to love this delicious, simple recipe for oven baked teriyaki chicken thighs with homemade teriyaki marinade and glaze.
They're super moist and juicy on the inside and the sweet/savory home-made teriyaki sauce bakes onto the chicken and caramelizes in a perfectly sticky way.
Why You're Going to Love This Recipe
- Juicy baked teriyaki chicken recipe with sweet and savory umami flavor
- Easy recipe for a quick weeknight dinner
- Versatile dish -- serve with your favorite sides, on a salad, or tucked in lettuce wraps
- Fast and easy homemade teriyaki sauce recipe with simple ingredients
How to Make Oven Baked Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
Make the teriyaki marinade and sauce. You probably already have the ingredients: soy sauce, brown sugar, water, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and cornstarch.
Bake the chicken thighs. Chicken thighs are perfect for oven baking because they're really hard to overcook and less likely to dry out than chicken breasts.
You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs or bone-in chicken thighs -- I'll show you how to do both and get a nice crispy finish on that chicken skin!
Dig in! Turn baked chicken teriyaki into a complete meal with white rice or mashed potatoes and a side of steamed broccoli or roasted green beans.
You can also make teriyaki chicken thighs in the air fryer! Click this link for the recipe.
Ingredients
Chicken thighs. You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs or bone-in chicken thighs. Boneless chicken thighs cook a bit more quickly, but both are absolutely delicious!
Soy sauce. I always get reduced-sodium soy sauce, which is still plenty flavorful.
Rice vinegar. If you don't have rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar will also work.
Fresh garlic. If you don't have fresh garlic, I wouldn't substitute garlic powder -- I think it throws the flavor off. And since garlic isn't an ingredient in authentic teriyaki sauce (which this recipe definitely isn't), it's okay to skip it.
Ground ginger. If you have fresh ginger, add 1-2 tablespoons of fresh grated ginger instead.
Cornstarch. You'll use some of the teriyaki marinade to soak the chicken and turn the rest into a luscious sauce by thickening it with a little cornstarch and water.
Step-by-Step Directions
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and cooking times.
1. Marinate the chicken.
- Mix the teriyaki marinade ingredients together in a small bowl. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Marinate the chicken in a covered bowl or resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator for at least 15-30 minutes, up to overnight.
- If making ahead of time, store the rest of the marinade in a jar in the fridge.
2. Make the teriyaki sauce.
- Bring the unused marinade to a boil in a small saucepan over medium to medium high heat. Mix the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl.
- When the marinade comes to a boil, add the cornstarch mixture, stir, and reduce heat to a simmer.
- Simmer over low heat and stir for 10-12 minutes until thickened and reduced by about ⅓.
- While the sauce is simmering, preheat the oven and prep the baking sheet.
- Set aside 2-3 tablespoons of sauce to brush onto the finished chicken.
- Place the remaining sauce in a separate bowl for basting the uncooked chicken.
- Avoid cross contamination by not using the same sauce, bowl, or utensils for uncooked chicken and cooked chicken.
4. Bake the chicken.
- Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade and discard the used marinade.
- Place the chicken in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
- Brush with teriyaki sauce and bake at 375 degrees F. Flip the chicken over, brush with more sauce, and bake until cooked through to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.
- If desired, broil for 1-3 minutes to lightly char the sauce.
- Discard any leftover basting sauce that has been in contact with raw chicken.
5. Serve and enjoy.
Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes.
Brush with the reserved sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
Serve with white or brown rice or mashed potatoes, a side of steamed snap peas or roasted green beans, and a fresh salad.
STORAGE & REHEATING
Store leftover teriyaki chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Reheat in the oven at 400 degrees until warmed through to 165 degrees, 10-15 minutes. To re-crisp the skin, broil for a minute or two. If desired, brush with more teriyaki sauce before reheating.
Success Tips
Avoid cross contamination by not using the same sauce, bowl, or utensils for uncooked chicken and cooked chicken.
Marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours -- any longer and the meat can get mushy.
Exact baking time will vary depending on the thickness of the chicken.
Cook the chicken to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees, then take it up to 175-195 degrees for the most flavorful, juicy chicken.
FAQs
The best temperature to ensure the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce is perfectly baked on, but not burned, is 375 degrees.
This teriyaki chicken thighs recipe bakes in about 25 minutes for boneless skinless chicken thighs and about 30 minutes for bone-in chicken thighs.
To give a nice crispy skin on oven baked teriyaki chicken thighs, broil them for the last 1-3 minutes.
Yes, you can start marinating the chicken the night before. You can also bake teriyaki chicken thighs ahead of time and reheat them in the oven.
Stuff I Use
Parchment paper sheets are handy to have around the kitchen for everything from baking chicken to lining pans for brownies.
This instant read meat thermometer is waterproof and magnetized -- I keep our stuck to the side of the fridge next to the stove.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
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Oven Baked Teriyaki Chicken Thighs (Boneless or Bone-In)
Ingredients
- 2 to 2 ½ pounds chicken thighs boneless skinless or bone-in skin on
Teriyaki Marinade and Sauce
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 clove minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- cornstarch slurry 1 teaspoon cornstarch + 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
Teriyaki Marinade & Sauce
- Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, water, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Place the chicken thighs and ½ cup of the marinade in a covered bowl or freezer bag in the refrigerator for at least 15-30 minutes, up to overnight. If making ahead of time, store the rest of the marinade in a jar in the fridge.
- Place the unused marinade in a small saucepan over medium to medium high heat. Make a cornstarch slurry by stirring together 1 teaspoon each cornstarch and water in a small bowl. When the teriyaki mixture comes to a boil, add the slurry, stir, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer and stir for 10-12 minutes until thickened and reduced by about ⅓. While the sauce is simmering, preheat the oven and prep the baking sheet.
- If desired, set aside 2-3 tablespoons of sauce for brushing onto the finished chicken. Place the remaining sauce in a separate bowl for basting the uncooked chicken.
Oven Baked Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade and discard the used marinade.
- For boneless skinless chicken thighs: Place the marinated chicken thighs top side down in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the top with teriyaki sauce and bake for 12 minutes. Flip the chicken over, brush the top with more sauce and bake for 12 minutes or to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees. If desired, broil for 1-3 minutes to lightly char the sauce.
- For bone-in skin-on chicken thighs: Place the marinated chicken thighs skin side down on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the top with teriyaki sauce and bake for 15 minutes. Flip the chicken over, brush the top with more sauce and bake for 15 more minutes or to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees. If desired, broil for 1-3 minutes to crisp up the skin and lightly char the sauce.
- Cook chicken thighs to an internal temperature of at least 165 to ensure it's fully cooked. Then take it up to 175-195 for the juiciest, most flavorful chicken. Discard any leftover basting sauce since it has been in contact with raw chicken.
- Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes. Brush with the reserved sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
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