Gluten Free Chicken Teriyaki

Chicken teriyaki is one of those comfort meals that never gets old. And this gluten free version is just as good as the original, if not better.

The secret is in the homemade sauce. It’s sweet, savory, and sticks to every piece of chicken perfectly. Way better than store-bought teriyaki sauces, which often contain gluten anyway.

By using tamari and rice flour instead of their gluten-containing counterparts, this whole dish stays 100% gluten free without sacrificing any flavor.

It comes together in about 30 minutes with one skillet, so cleanup is easy too.

Whether you eat gluten free by choice or necessity, this is one recipe you’ll want to keep in your regular rotation.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Crispy Then Saucy – The rice flour coating gives the chicken a golden crust that holds up even after being tossed in sticky sauce.

Chicken Thighs Stay Juicy – Using thighs instead of breast means the meat stays tender and flavorful even if you cook it a minute too long.

Better Than Takeout – This tastes like restaurant chicken teriyaki but you know exactly what goes into it and can make it in 20 minutes.

Thick Glossy Sauce – The cornstarch slurry creates that shiny sticky coating you see at Japanese restaurants instead of a thin watery sauce.

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 2 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
• 2 tbsp Rice Flour
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
• 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil

For the Teriyaki Sauce

• 1/3 cup Tamari
• 3 tbsp Mirin
• 2 tbsp Honey
• 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
• 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 tsp Fresh Ginger, grated
• 1 tbsp Cornstarch
• 2 tbsp Water
• 1 tsp Sesame Seeds
• 2 Green Onions, sliced

How to Make

Step 1

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Dust them lightly on both sides with rice flour, shaking off the excess.

Step 2

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs in the pan and cook without moving for 5 to 6 minutes, until the underside is deeply golden and crispy. Flip and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until cooked through and golden on both sides. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Step 3

While the chicken cooks, whisk together the tamari, mirin, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl. In a separate tiny bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water to make a slurry.

Step 4

Reduce the heat to medium and pour the teriyaki sauce into the same skillet. Let it simmer for about 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.

Step 5

Return the chicken to the skillet and flip it several times so every piece is coated in the thick, sticky sauce. Let it simmer together for about 1 minute so the flavors meld.

Step 6

Transfer to a serving plate and spoon any remaining sauce from the pan over the chicken. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Serve over steamed rice.

My Tips

Get the Chicken Really Dry

Before you season and flour the chicken, spend a good 30 seconds per thigh pressing down with paper towels to get as much moisture off the surface as possible. Chicken thighs hold a lot of moisture, and any wetness on the surface will turn that rice flour coating gummy instead of crispy.

Once they’re dry, season and dust with the rice flour right before they go into the pan. If you flour them too early, the rice flour will absorb moisture from the chicken and you’ll lose that light coating that gives you the golden crust.

Don’t Move the Chicken While It Cooks

Once the chicken hits the hot pan, leave it completely alone for the full 5 to 6 minutes. Rice flour browns differently than regular wheat flour – it needs uninterrupted contact with the hot pan to build up a proper golden crust.

If you move or peek under the chicken too early, the coating will stick to the pan instead of staying on the meat. When it’s ready to flip, it will release from the pan easily on its own. If it’s sticking, it needs more time.

Make the Cornstarch Slurry Smooth

When you mix the cornstarch and water together, stir it until there are zero lumps left. Even tiny clumps of cornstarch will show up as little white gummy spots in your finished sauce.

Also, give the slurry a quick stir right before you pour it into the pan. Cornstarch settles to the bottom fast, and if you pour it without stirring, you’re basically just adding water and leaving the thickening power sitting in the bowl.

More Tasty Recipes

• Gluten Free Chicken Fried Rice
• Gluten Free Crispy Sweet & Sour Chicken
• Gluten Free Orange Chicken
• Gluten Free Kung Pao Chicken
• Gluten Free Mongolian Beef

FAQ

Can I use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs?

You can, but chicken thighs are really the better choice here. They stay juicy and tender even when coated in that sticky sauce, while chicken breast can dry out quickly over high heat.

If you do go with breast, pound them to an even thickness and reduce the cooking time by a couple of minutes per side so they don’t turn tough.