Japanese Teriyaki Chicken Bento

I did a little dance after eating these

Chicken Teriyaki Bento

When I took a bite of these teriyaki chicken thigh, I did a little dance, they were so good. These chicken thighs are glazed with a homemade teriyaki sauce and baked. It’s an easy recipe: just mix the sauce ingredients, heat it up, glaze the chicken, and bake. Serve with steamed rice, assorted veggies, and a soft-boiled egg for a bento box. Find assorted veggie recipes here. 

Notes: 

• Cornstarch Slurry: This thickens the sauce, so don’t skip it! Just mix cornstarch and water until smooth, and it’ll make the sauce cling perfectly to the chicken.

• Veggies: Customize the bento with any vegetables you like. I use mung bean sprouts, broccoli, and soy-ginger cucumbers.

  

Recipe

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Teriyaki Sauce

• ¼ cup white sugar

• ¼ cup brown sugar

• ½ cup soy sauce

• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• ½ tsp red pepper flakes

• 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced

• 1 Tbsp sesame oil

• 1 Tbsp cornstarch

• 1 Tbsp water

Chicken

• 2lb chicken thighs

• Black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly grease a baking dish with nonstick spray.

2. Make the Teriyaki Sauce: In a small pot, combine the white sugar, brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, ginger, and sesame oil.

3. In a small bowl, mix 1 Tbsp cornstarch with 1 Tbsp water to make a slurry. Stir this into the sauce mixture.

4. Simmer Sauce: Heat the sauce over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it thickens, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.

5. Bake the Chicken: Place chicken thighs in the prepared baking dish and pour the teriyaki sauce over them. Bake for 30 minutes.

   

6. Baste: Flip the chicken, brush with more sauce, and continue baking. Every 10 minutes, spoon sauce over the chicken, until cooked through, about 20-30 minutes more.

   

7. Serve: Place the teriyaki chicken thigh over steamed rice, and add assorted veggies and a soft-boiled egg to complete the bento.

   

Bento Assembly Serve the teriyaki chicken thigh over steamed rice, alongside veggies like mung bean sprouts, broccoli, and soy-ginger cucumbers. Add a soft-boiled egg to complete the meal. Enjoy!