Oven-Baked Teriyaki Chicken Rice

Name: Oven-Baked Teriyaki Chicken Rice
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 33 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 4 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger; 1/2 teaspoon onion powder; Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1/2 cup diced onion; 1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots; 1 cup broccoli florets; 1 cup long grain white rice; 1 1/4 cups low sodium chicken stock; FOR SAUCE === 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons mirin (or dry sherry), 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1 clove garlic minced, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water; Green onions sliced thin for garnish; 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 29 January 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

Chicken thighs seasoned and browned in olive oil, then baked atop rice and vegetables absorbing savory broth. Teriyaki sauce thickened with cornstarch brings shiny glaze and just-right balance. Green onions and sesame seeds lift flavors at finish. Timing flexible with sensory checks; chicken juicy when internal temp hits 165°F or juices run clear. Butter enhances veggies’ softness, and subtle carrot crunch remains. Simple pantry swaps like chicken breast or different greens add versatility. Avoid soggy rice by eyeballing broth absorption rather than strict timings. Sauce tweaks based on sweetness or tang preferred.

Prep: 12 min

Cook: 33 min

Total: 45 min

Servings: 4 servings

#Asian-American #chicken thighs #oven baked #teriyaki sauce #one pan meal

Once chicken skin starts crackling in the pan, you’re halfway to dinner nirvana. For years I under-seasoned and overcooked thighs, ending up dry or bland. This time I tweaked—the seasoning mix leans heavier on garlic, just enough ginger to tease without shouting. The rice cooks soaked with savory broth and buttery veggies, absorbing every drop. Watch that rice – sogginess killed many attempts. I toss in broccoli and carrots for a touch of crunch and color to offset the soft, tender chicken and rice bubble. Teriyaki sauce? No prepackaged junk here. Fresh garlic, ginger, controlled sweetness thickened just right for clingy shine. Green onions and sesame seeds finish with a crunch note contrasting the moist tenderness. Expect fingerprints on the skillet from constant stirring and scents filling the kitchen like good luck.

Ingredients

4 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup long grain white rice
1 1/4 cups low sodium chicken stock

FOR SAUCE === 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons mirin (or dry sherry), 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1 clove garlic minced, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water

Green onions sliced thin for garnish
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

About the ingredients

Drying chicken skin before seasoning is non-negotiable for crisp browning. Skip bone-in thighs? Use skin-on boneless but reduce oven time by a bit. No mirin? Dry sherry swaps well or add a teaspoon sugar to make up sweetness loss. Any sturdy vegetable like snap peas or bell peppers can replace broccoli and carrots. Use low sodium broth to avoid over-salty outcomes, adjust salt in seasonings accordingly. Butter softens and carries flavor; substitute with coconut oil or olive oil if dairy-free. Cornstarch slurry must be smooth or your sauce clouds unevenly; whisk separate before pouring in, no lumps. Long grain rice preferred; jasmine adds aroma but needs slight water reduction. Tight foil seal in oven traps steam into rice so no drying out.

Method

Preheat oven to 345°F. Why lower a few degrees? Gives gentler heat preventing drying out chicken while rice cooks through.
Mix garlic powder, ginger, onion powder, salt and black pepper in small bowl. Pat chicken thighs dry; moisture ruins browning. Rub seasonings all over chicken evenly. Dry skin needed for crispness. If you skip drying, oil spatters too.
Heat olive oil in large heavy skillet over medium heat. When oil just starts shimmering, add chicken skin side down. Listen for steady sizzle. Brown chicken 2-3 minutes each side until deep golden but not blackened. If heat’s too high, skin chars and tastes bitter.
Remove chicken, set on plate. No resting time needed yet, will finish in oven. Keep pan with fond.
Add butter to pan, melt fully and swirl coating bottom. Toss in onion, carrots and broccoli. Salt lightly. Cook veggies stirring occasionally about 6-8 minutes. Watch for aroma to turn fragrant and veggies soften but not mushy. Crisp-tender is the goal, especially carrots and broccoli stalks.
Stir in rice, coating grains with butter and veggies for ~1 minute. Toasts rice slightly, brings nuttiness. Add chicken stock and cover pan without heat. Shutting off burner here avoids reducing broth before oven bathes rice and chicken gently.
Nestle browned chicken atop rice and veggies, skin side up. Cover tightly with foil; seals moisture and steam. Place skillet or pan in oven. Bake 33-38 minutes. Rice should absorb liquid fully, chicken internal reaches 165°F measured in thickest part or juices run clear when pierced. Avoid opening too early or rice dries.
While oven works its magic, make sauce. Combine soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, rice vinegar, minced garlic, and fresh ginger in small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to gentle simmer, bubbling around edges. Whisk cornstarch slurry until evenly blended and pour in. Sauce thickens quickly. Remove from heat when glossy and coats spoon. If too thick, thin with splash of water.
Serve chicken nestled on rice with drizzle of teriyaki sauce. Sprinkle with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds. The crunch, the sheen, the umami punch all play here.
Storage tip: Refrigerate leftovers covered tightly. Reheat in oven avoiding microwave sogginess. Sauce reheats easily in small pan with splash water if thickened too much.

Cooking tips

Brown chicken carefully; avoid overcrowding pan which cools surface and steams skin, ruining crispness. A hot pan and dry skin create that golden crust that anchors flavor. When veggies soften but still hold shape smells sweet and savory—perfect time to add rice, not before or some starch tastes raw. Pour broth and then turn heat off avoids boiling off liquid prematurely, letting oven finish. Oven times approximate; check rice texture and chicken temp rather than clock obsessively. Foil cover traps steam, simulating a gentle bain-marie for rice to cook evenly beneath chicken. Sauce needs constant whisking, especially after cornstarch slurry addition or it clumps. Ready when thick enough to coat back of spoon but pourable. Leftover tip – separate sauce storage keeps rice from becoming limp.

Chef's notes

💡 Dry chicken skin before seasoning; wet skin steams, ruins crisping. Pat thoroughly, then season evenly. Skin sears best on hot pan, not crowded. Two to three minutes each side; hear steady sizzle not frantic pop. Watch heat. Too hot, char but taste bitter. If skin burns, sauce and rice suffer too.
💡 Veggies cook after chicken removed, butter melts and coats pan fond. Toss in onions, carrots, broccoli. Salt lightly. Cook six to eight minutes. Soft but hold snap, especially carrots stalks. Aroma changes—sweet, savory hints signal time for rice. Add rice last, coat grains to toast gently; nutty scent develops quick. One minute max, or raw starch flavor.
💡 Turn heat off after adding broth. No simmer. Broth must soak into rice slowly while baking. Oven does gentle steam bath. Foil seals moisture, traps steam. Rice texture varies by rice type; jasmine less water needed. Check rice after minimum time but rely on texture not clock. Avoid early foil lifts or drying.
💡 Sauce needs close watch. Combine all liquids, garlic, ginger first. Warm till edges bubble gently. Whisk cornstarch slurry smooth, small lumps cloud sauce. Pour in slowly, whisk constantly. Thickens fast; stops cooking once glossy coat clings behind spoon. Thin with splash water if too gelled. Sauce can wait, reheat easily later, add water as needed.
💡 Chicken fully cooked when internal 165°F or juices run clear. Check thickest part. Juices fogged or pink means more time. No overcook else dry. Resting on plate before oven finish wastes crust. Finish bake with rice steaming underneath chicken. Timing flexible, sensory cues rule. Butter can swap coconut oil for dairy-free.

Common questions

Skin not crisp?

Moisture on skin major culprit. Dry completely before seasoning. Pan overheating leads to burnt spots but wet skin steams. Avoid crowding pan making chicken sweat. Listen for steady sizzle, not spit pop. Low heat no good here.

Can chicken breasts swap?

Use skin-on boneless if possible. Oven time drops by few minutes. Thinner breast cooks faster, risk dry. Season and brown same, watch temp carefully. No skin option requires oil/oil coating to mimic crisp. Sauce and rice handle flavor.

Rice soggy?

Broth too much or rice too fine. Use long grain white as recommended. Don’t remove foil too early, traps steam. Turn off heat under pan before oven to avoid early evaporation. Check rice texture after 30 mins but sense important over timer.

How to store leftovers?

Cover tightly in fridge. Reheat oven better than microwave—retains texture. Sauce holds well, can reheat in pan with small water splash. Separate sauce keeps rice from getting limp. Freeze portions okay but expect slight texture changes.