Island Teriyaki Chicken

Who knew that it is so easy to make your own Teriyaki sauce?!  This stuff is delicious.  You'll be amazed at how quick and easy it is. 

 Tastes so great and

only 5 ingredients

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

3 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine soy sauce, sugar, water, garlic, and ginger in a saucepan and bring to a boil on medium-high heat.** 

Boil for 1 minute.  Remove 1/2 cup of sauce and reserve for later.

Tenderize the chicken with a meat mallet.  (I just put the chicken in a zipper bag and pound it with my rolling pin until it's an even thickness.)  Combine the sauce and chicken in a zip top bag or airtight container.  

Let chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes up to overnight.  (The longer you let it marinate the more flavorful it will be.)

Remove from the bag and arrange the chicken breasts and marinade in a 9 X 13 inch pan.  Cover with foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  (Or you can grill the chicken on medium-high heat until cooked through.)  You can cook it in a slow cooker by placing the chicken and marinade in a slow cooker and cook on low heat for 8 hours.

This is beef in the crockpot, not chicken.

It will have lots more Teriyaki flavor.

Serve with white or brown rice and reserved marinade.

**For Hawaiian Chicken that’s a bit spicier add the following to the marinade before boiling (I usually add the spices below):

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, less for Teriyaki that's less spicy

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, less for Teriyaki that's less spicy

This sauce also works great with beef.

Teriyaki Sauce will keep in your refrigerator for up to two weeks in a sealed container.

If you want a thicker sauce boil for 2 to 5 minutes.