Teriyaki Chicken Stir-Fry with Charred Scallions and Jasmine Rice

This teriyaki chicken stir-fry is packed with bold flavors from smoky grilled scallions, crisp bok choy, tender snow peas and sweet yellow pepper. Strips of chicken breast marinated overnight add depth and a healthy protein boost.

Love these flavors? Try our baked Teriyaki Salmon for another easy, flavorful dinner.

This Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry was inspired by our favorite local Japanese takeout. When we want a healthy Asian-inspired meal, we often order Teriyaki Donburi Rice Bowls. They’re delicious, but recreating the flavors at home gave us a lighter, faster option that’s perfect for weeknights.

To capture that classic teriyaki profile, the recipe uses a simple sweet-savory sauce and a few smoky touches. Key to the flavor is marinating the chicken in the teriyaki mixture so the meat soaks up all the aromatics and seasoning.

What goes into Teriyaki Sauce?

Technically, “teriyaki” describes a cooking method—grilling with a glaze—but in practice the teriyaki sauce defines the dish. Think of it as a Japanese-style barbecue sauce: balanced between sweet and salty with a touch of acidity.

This recipe blends mirin, soy sauce, rice vinegar, fresh grated ginger, garlic, red chili flakes and honey (or sugar). The sauce serves two roles: it marinates the chicken and becomes the finishing sauce for the stir-fry.

Marinating the chicken overnight (or for at least 3 hours) intensifies the flavor. If you plan to use the leftover marinade in the stir-fry, be sure to bring it to a boil for at least five minutes to ensure it’s safe to pour over the cooked chicken.

What vegetables to use

One of the greatest perks of a stir-fry is flexibility: you can clear out the vegetable crisper and still end up with a perfectly balanced dish. The only guideline is to use vegetables with similar textures so everything cooks evenly.

If you have firmer vegetables—like carrots or broccoli stems—slice them thinly so they’ll cook at the same rate as softer vegetables. For this recipe I chose snow peas and yellow pepper for sweetness and snap, bok choy for leafy crunch, a small red onion for mild sweetness, and grilled scallions for a smoky finish.

The quick char on the scallions lends a subtle grilled flavor that echoes traditional teriyaki preparations. A minute or so on a hot pan is all you need to get beautiful char marks without burning them.

Vegetable suggestions for stir-fries

Here are vegetables that work well in stir-fries—mix and match to your taste:

• Broccoli
• Asparagus
• Carrots (thin strips or matchsticks)
• Baby corn
• Kale
• Bok choy
• Red, yellow and green peppers
• Mushrooms
• Zucchini
• Snow peas

Protein suggestions for teriyaki stir-fries

• Skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs
• Salmon
• Thin beef strips
• Shrimp
• Duck
• Tofu

Swap proteins or vegetables freely—just pay attention to cooking times so everything finishes tender-crisp and well-coated in sauce.

Serving suggestions

Serve this stir-fry over a mound of fluffy white rice so the sauce can soak into each bite. For more aromatic rice, coconut rice is a great alternative. The dish is a complete meal on its own with protein and vegetables, so no extra sides are needed.

Storage and leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. To reheat, return the stir-fry to a hot wok or skillet; add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened in the fridge. Reheating on the stove keeps the vegetables lively and the chicken juicy.

More favorite stir-fries

• Beef, Mushroom and Snow Pea Stir Fry
• Speedy Sesame Shrimp Stir Fry
• Filipino Noodles with Pork and Shrimp (Pancit Canton)
• Easy Shrimp Chow Mein
• Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

5 from 5 votes

Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry with Grilled Scallions

By Julia Frey of Vikalinka

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Total: 35 mins

Servings: 4

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Light and flavorful teriyaki chicken stir-fry with charred green onions, bok choy, snow peas and yellow bell pepper.

Equipment

• Carbon steel wok (or a large frying pan)

Ingredients

For the marinade

• 4 tbsp mirin
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 4 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
• 2 cloves pressed garlic
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
• 1 tbsp honey (or 2 tsp sugar)
• Juice of 1 lime

For the teriyaki chicken stir-fry

• 500g / 1 lb chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 scallions, cut in half
• 2 bok choy, cut into quarters lengthwise
• 1 small red onion, sliced
• 1 yellow pepper, sliced
• 120g / 2 cups snow peas
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp corn starch
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Instructions

• The night before, whisk mirin, soy sauce, rice vinegar, grated ginger, garlic, chili flakes, honey and lime juice in a wide shallow bowl. Add the chicken strips, toss to coat, cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least 3 hours.
• Prepare and slice all vegetables before you begin cooking so everything is ready to go.
• Heat a grill pan or skillet over high heat and char the scallions for about 1 minute per side until you see marks. Remove and set aside.
• Heat a large wok or pan over medium-high, add vegetable oil. Remove chicken from the marinade and shake off excess liquid. In batches, sear chicken 2 minutes per side until browned but not fully cooked. Reserve the marinade (about 2/3 cup / 175 ml).
• Stir-fry sliced red onion, bok choy, pepper and snow peas over high heat for about 3 minutes until they develop some color but remain crisp.
• Return the chicken to the pan, pour in the reserved marinade and bring to a boil. Mix corn starch with a little water and add to the pan, stirring until the sauce thickens. Simmer 5 minutes to cook through, finish with sesame oil and grilled scallions, then remove from heat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with sticky rice or noodles.

Notes

• Have ingredients prepped before you start cooking—stir-fries move quickly.
• Marinating overnight gives the best flavor, though 3 hours will work if you’re short on time.
• High heat is essential to sear rather than steam the ingredients.
• Shake excess marinade from the chicken before searing to improve browning.

Nutrition

Calories: 367kcal
|
Protein: 34g
|
Carbs: 31g
|
Fat: 14g

Nutrition information is an approximation.