This recipe for healthy teriyaki chicken thighs is a delicious family crowd pleaser that is full of flavor from garlic and ginger and is sweetened with honey instead of sugar. Only using 6 ingredients, this healthy chicken teriyaki recipe is simple to make and is gluten free and dairy free. You're going to love it!
This easy chicken thighs recipe is inspired by my sister, who often makes it in large quantities for her family. She tries to eat gluten and dairy free when possible, so this is a staple in their house. She doubles the recipe and it makes amazing leftovers! This healthy teriyaki chicken recipe is very similar to my 20 cloves chicken, but with the addition of ginger.
Looking for more recipes with ginger and garlic? Try this recipe for Lion's Head Pork Meatballs, Indian Butter Chicken, or Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup.
You may be wondering…
Is Teriyaki Chicken Healthy?
And the answer is, it depends how your make it. In general, chicken teriyaki is not a healthy dish. Store Bought teriyaki sauce is generally full of sugar and other ingredients that are not great for you to have in large quantities. That is what makes this recipe so great! There are only six simple ingredients. And all of these ingredients are normal pantry items. Plus the sauce is so delicious and flavorful that you won't even think about the fact that it is a "healthy" version.
This healthy teriyaki sauce recipe is also sweetened with honey instead of sugar. Honey digests more slowly than sugar, so it is less likely to spike your blood sugar. The sauce is a little thinner than most teriyaki sauces, if you would like to thicken it up, feel free to add a bit of cornstarch. This will not affect the flavor, only the consistency of the sauce.
Ginger, garlic, and green onions are all super good for you ingredients. And this sauce has a LOT of those three. I wasn't shy with the amounts, and the flavor payoff is huge. I like to keep ginger root frozen in pre grated and measured portions for recipes like this. It helps to cut down on the prep time.
Ingredients for Healthy teriyaki Chicken Thighs
- boneless skinless chicken thighs (alternatively boneless skinless chicken breasts can be used)
- Liquid aminos/ low sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos if you would like this recipe to be soy free as well)
- garlic
- fresh ginger
- green onions
- honey
Instructions
Begin this teriyaki chicken recipe by making the healthy teriyaki sauce. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, minced garlic, grated fresh ginger, green onions, and honey. Whisk together to make a sauce.
Place chicken thighs in a 9x13 baking and cover with healthy teriyaki sauce.
Bake at 400 for 45-50 minutes or until chicken thighs are cooked through.
Garnish with sesame seeds, if desired.
Top Tip
This homemade teriyaki sauce makes a fantastic teriyaki chicken marinade as well. Feel free to marinade your chicken in it for a few hours (or overnight) and either bake or grill chicken thighs.
What to serve with Teriyaki Chicken
- Rice. Serve this teriyaki chicken with rice either on the side or mixed together. You could even make teriyaki chicken bowls by adding veggies!
- Vegetables. Add broccoli, green beans, or zucchini to the baking dish and cook the veggies alongside the chicken thighs. You could also steam vegetables separately and serve alongside the chicken.
- Noodles. Serve chicken teriyaki with rice noodles or chow mein noodles for a full take out night experience.
Storage
These teriyaki chicken thighs can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. They reheat in the microwave beautifully because the recipe produces a lot of sauce and so they don't dry out.
more chicken thigh recipes
- cast iron chicken thighs with garlic
- roasted chicken thighs with fennel
- sheet pan honey mustard chicken thighs
Healthy Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup Liquid aminos
- 10 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp. fresh ginger peeled and grate
- 4 green onions sliced
- ½ cup honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, minced garlic, grated fresh ginger, green onions, and honey. Whisk together to make a sauce.
- Place chicken thighs in a 9x13 baking and cover with healthy teriyaki sauce.
- Bake at 400 for 45-50 minutes or until chicken thighs are cooked through.
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