Panda Express Chicken Teriyaki
Hand-sliced Chicken Teriyaki coated in a flavorful teriyaki sauce. This is my favorite Chinese grilled chicken from the one and only Panda Express. Chicken Teriyaki from Panda Express is one of the main courses I order when I crave this style of chicken. I love to recreate those favorites from my favorite fast food restaurant, and Panda Express is no exception.
Quick Look: Panda Express Chicken Teriyaki
✅ Recipe Name: Panda Express Chicken Teriyaki
🕒 Ready In: ~1 hr 30 minutes
👪 Serves: 4
🍽 Calories: 550kcal per serving
💪 Protein: chicken
🥣 Main Ingredients: Chicken, basic sauce, ginger garlic in oil, sesame-flavored oil
📖 Dietary Info: High-protein, low-calorie, lean, and balanced
⭐ Why You’ll Love It: It’s juicy, flavorful, and packed with protein without feeling too heavy. Delivers smoky grilled flavor with a sweet teriyaki glaze.
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This juicy chicken teriyaki really reminds me of the original Panda Express teriyaki chicken I bought a long time ago. Now you made happy, because Panda Express is my favorite!
Amanda
Easy Chicken Teriyaki from Panda Express
I want to make sure that I provide the real copycat recipe for you, so you can make the same delicious grilled chicken in your kitchen, and no need to waste gasoline. It may look like it has a bunch of ingredients, but if you work ahead of time, you can throw this dish together in no time.
What do I mean by "work ahead of time"? What I mean is that I prefer and recommend making the sauces first, before we even start cooking. So, when you start making the chicken, you have prepared all the sauces.
I'll be honest with you. The original recipe contains MSG (Monosodium glutamate) to boost flavor; whether you add it is up to you. I don't use MSG regularly, but sometimes yes. Depends on what I try to make. Chinese food is known to use this ingredient, and sometimes I add it in to get the best taste.
I also provide natural alternatives you can use instead of MSG.
This is such a fun way to enjoy this recipe with my Dominican White Rice and steamed broccoli on the side.
Do you love Chinese Food and enjoy doing it? These are some of my favorite ones that my family enjoys. Chinese Ground Beef Stir Fry is a perfect choice. Do you want more Panda Express copycat recipes? Then check out the Panda Express Honey Sesame Chicken, the all-time favorite copycat take-out recipe.
the sauces
You have in total 3 sauces to make. They are really easy to make, and you can make more to store for later use. I like to make all the tree sauce ahead of time and just store it in the refrigerator.
Basic Sauce
Now, the basic sauce is just called basic, but actually, this is the sauce that Panda Express uses for other foods too. For example, their original Chow Mein is made with this sauce, their Fried Rice, and Shanghai Angus Steak.
Ginger Garlic Oil and Sesame Flavored Oil.
These 2 sauces (oils) really make the difference. I like to make these right before I start making the chicken because they need 2-4 ingredients. These oils are also added to different foods in the restaurant. Like in the Beijing Beef, Black Pepper Chicken, or Broccoli Beef.
Why You'll Love It
- Delicious Panda Express take-out food
- Easy instructions and ready in no time
- Sauces can be made ahead (days, weeks)
- Flavorful teriyaki chicken
- The number 1 original recipe for the Chicken Teriyaki from Panda Express.
Ingredients needed for the chicken teriyaki
It has a total of 7 easy ingredients that will give perfection to our chicken.
- Chicken - I used Chicken breast, but Panda Express likes to use Chicken thighs. You can have whichever you have at the moment.
- Water - We will add to the marinade.
- Lemon Juice is good for tenderizing any meat and also gives a fresh and clean taste.
- Sugar - gives sweetness to the food
- Basic Sauce - This sauce is one of the most popular sauces they use in take-outs. If you want to make several foods, Panda Express uses this as a staple ingredient.
- water
- soy sauce - alternatives for soy sauce can be Tamari, Worcestershire Sauce, Fish Sauce, Oyster Sauce or Coconut Aminos is a good choice.
- sugar - alternatives can be honey or brown sugar
- dark corn syrup - substitutes can be honey, maple syrup, or molasses
- salt
- MSG - natural alternatives for MSG are soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, or fish sauce. These alternatives can also be used to enhance the taste of dishes.
- ginger
- white pepper - an alternative is black pepper (which is a staple ingredient)
- Ginger Garlic in Oil - the second most useful oil (sauce) in the Panda Express takeout. This is unexchangeable. You must have this ingredient.
- minced garlic
- ground ginger
- vegetable oil
- water
- Sesame Flavored Oil - without sesame oil, we don't even talk about Chinese food, right? You're right. This oil is used for most of their food.
- sesame oil
- vegetable oil
How to make the Chicken Teriyaki from Panda Express?
Before you start
Make the 3 sauces. If you want, you can make these oils (sauces) in a big container and store them for later use. They are easy to make, and they will be ready to just add to the mixture.
- In a large resealable bag or container, combine water, sugar, Basic Sauce, ginger garlic in oil, lemon juice, and sesame oil. Mix well until fully blended.
- Add the boneless chicken breasts, making sure they are fully coated in the marinade. Seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to fully develop.
- - 4. When ready to cook, heat a grill or skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for about 5 minutes per side, or until fully cooked and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Common Questions
The first recommendation is the boneless chicken thighs, which remain juicy. The boneless chicken breasts are also highly popular for the Teriyaki Chicken. You can also use already boiled meat, but keep the steps recommended so it gets the beautiful color, texture, and flavor.
Three days. Cool the Teriyaki Chicken, then place it in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also freeze teriyaki chicken for up to 3 months. Make sure it's cooled down completely, then place it in a freezer container.
The fridge is the best place to store any sauce. Store your leftover homemade sauce in the fridge and use it within two days or freeze it. If you made the sauce ahead, seal the lid and store the jar in the fridge to have it ready for any time you want to use it.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipes on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Follow @one_sweet_harmony on Instagram and tag me in any of the recipes you make so I can repost them!
Panda Express Chicken Teriyaki
Equipment
- Large container or large plastic zip-top bag
- Measuring cups and measuring spoons
- Small bowls for preparing the sauces
- Grill pan, skillet, flat-top grill, or outdoor grill
- Bowles (for sauces and oils)
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless chicken breast or chicken thighs
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¾ cup basic sauce
- 2 teaspoon ginger garlic in oil
- 2 teaspoon sesame-flavored oil
Basic Sauce
- ¼ cup water make slurry with ⅛ teaspoon of xantham gum
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup dark corn syrup
- 1½ tablespoon salt
- ½ tablespoon MSG
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
Ginger Garlic In Oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon water
Sesame Flavored Oil
- 1½ teaspoon vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
Basic Sauce
- Mix all the ingredients in a bowl with a spoon. No need to boil, just make a mixture.¼ cup water, ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup dark corn syrup, 1½ tablespoon salt, ½ tablespoon MSG, 1 teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon white pepper
Ginger Garlic in Oil
- Mix the necessary ingredients together. Again, no need to boil.1 tablespoon minced garlic, 2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon water
Sesame Flavored Oil
- Mix sesame oil with vegetable oil.½ teaspoon sesame oil, 1½ teaspoon vegetable oil
Make the Chicken
- In a large plastic bag (or container), mix the water, sugar, basic sauce, ginger garlic in oil, lemon juice, and sesame-flavored oil.2 cups water, 1 cup sugar, 2 teaspoon lemon juice, ¾ cup basic sauce, 2 teaspoon ginger garlic in oil, 2 teaspoon sesame-flavored oil
- Place the boneless chicken breast in, and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight.1 pound boneless chicken breast
- In a pan or on a grill over MEDIUM-HIGH heat, cook chicken breast for 5 minutes on each side until internal temperature reaches 165℉.
Extra sauce for dipping (optional)
- You can use the leftover marinade, but be sure to heat it to a boil (165℉) to kill any bacteria from the raw chicken.
Notes
- For the best flavor, marinate the chicken overnight if possible. But even 1 hour makes a big difference.
- Preparing the sauces ahead of time makes cooking much faster and easier. The “Basic Sauce” can be stored in the refrigerator for future recipes.
- Chicken thighs will give a juicier, more restaurant-style result, while chicken breasts are leaner.
- If using leftover marinade as sauce, boil it thoroughly before serving for food safety.
- Serve with steamed rice, lo mein noodles, or broccoli for a complete Panda Express-style meal.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently to keep the chicken tender.
This juicy chicken teriyaki really reminds me of the original Panda Express teriyaki chicken I bought a long time ago. Now you made happy, because Panda Express is my favorite!