Easy Teriyaki Sauce (Marinade and Glaze)

Adding teriyaki sauce to your everyday chicken or fish is a great way to elevate a weeknight meal!

Homemade teriyaki sauce can intensify the flavour of foods you combine it with. It's made with tamari, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and a sweetener.

Whether you're looking to add a burst of flavor to your grilled chicken or want to marinate some tofu for a flavorful stir-fry, this gluten-free teriyaki sauce has you covered. Take your taste buds on a trip to the East!

❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

• Flavour: Teriyaki sauce has a rich umami flavour, perfect for a variety of recipes. It's a sweet, savoury sauce that enhances the flavour of chicken, fish, shrimp, tofu, and vegetables.
• Common ingredients: This easy teriyaki marinade and sauce recipe uses ingredients you probably have on hand. Using tamari instead of soy sauce makes this recipe gluten-free.
• Quick to make: Simply combine the ingredients in a jar or bowl and whisk together.
• Versatile: Use this recipe to make a marinade for meat, poultry, or seafood, or thicken it to make a teriyaki sauce to brush on grilled meats or to add to a stir-fry dish.
• You control the ingredients: Making it yourself lets you avoid additives and make just the amount you need. No need to have a large bottle sitting in your refrigerator for months!
• Free from gluten, it's suitable for those with dietary restrictions or allergies.

This recipe includes two ways to make teriyaki sauce: as a marinade and as a glaze.

Teriyaki marinade has a thinner consistency and is ideal for flavouring chicken, fish, beef or tofu before cooking.

Teriyaki glaze or sauce, on the other hand, is a rich and glossy sauce that has been reduced by cooking. It is thickened with either cornstarch or arrowroot. It's perfect for brushing on baked or grilled meats or vegetables. It makes finger-licking good Teriyaki Chicken Wings!

It also brings everything together in this Japanese Chicken Stir-Fry with Broccoli.

You'll find a complete list of ingredients with amounts in the recipe card below. But before we get to the full recipe, here are a few notes about some of the key ingredients.

• tamari: Tamari is a gluten-free soy sauce alternative. It has a rich texture and deep flavour. Most brands are gluten-free, but it's always important to check the label to be sure.
• rice wine vinegar
• toasted sesame oil: you can substitute regular sesame oil.
• garlic cloves (or ½ teaspoon powdered garlic)
• fresh ginger: peeled and finely grated
• brown sugar: or substitute coconut sugar if you'd like
• cornstarch and water: to make a slurry to thicken the marinade to make a sauce or glaze.

To make a thin teriyaki marinade, whisk all ingredients except the cornstarch slurry together. Add meat or chicken and the marinade in a resealable bag and refrigerate. If you don't plan to use the marinade right away, store it in a glass jar in the fridge.

I often freeze a bag of marinated chicken so I have a meal ready to go. Gently press out as much of the air as you can. If you have a vacuum sealer machine like a FoodSaver, you'll be able to remove even more air and be able to store your food in the freezer for longer.

To make teriyaki sauce to brush on meat, poultry or seafood or to use as a stir-fry sauce, add cornstarch mixed with water to the marinade ingredients to make a beautiful thick, rich and glossy sauce.

Gradually bring the mixture to a boil in a small saucepan. It will thicken and turn glossy in a few minutes, making a perfect glaze for chicken, salmon or shrimp.

1. How to make teriyaki chicken

Marinate chicken thighs or breasts in half of the marinade for 30 minutes to 4 hours, then either broil, bake or grill.

• Broil on a foil-lined pan for 12 minutes (6 minutes per side).
• Bake in a baking dish for 30 minutes or until the chicken has reached at least 165°F.
• Grill on a greased outdoor grill or indoor grill pan. An instant-read meat thermometer is helpful to make sure your chicken has reached a safe temperature.

For all three cooking methods, thicken the remaining marinade by combining it with ½ tablespoon cornstarch mixed with ½ tablespoon water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until thick and glossy.

Brush with this thickened teriyaki glaze before serving.

To store: You can store teriyaki marinade in a glass jar in the fridge for a week or more.

To freeze: Allow the sauce to cool completely, then store it in a resealable freezer bag. Lay the bag flat in the freezer to save space. When you're ready to use it, thaw overnight in the fridge.

If you like to make freezer meals, combine chicken thighs or breasts in a resealable bag with the marinade for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then cook the chicken according to your recipe. See the section on Serving Suggestions above.