You ever have one of those nights? It’s 6 PM, everyone’s hungry, and the thought of cooking something complicated makes you want to just order a pizza. I’ve been there more times than I can count, even after years in a professional kitchen.
This is the recipe for that night. I’m going to show you how to make chicken teriyaki noodles that are faster, cheaper, and way tastier than takeout. And the best part? It’s so easy, you’ll actually feel good making it.
Why This Recipe Just Works
Here’s the thing. Most teriyaki recipes are either a gloopy, sugary mess from a bottle or they have a million ingredients you don’t have. This one is different. We make a simple, amazing sauce from scratch in about five minutes.
The whole meal comes together in one pan, which means less cleanup. And it’s flexible. You can swap veggies, use different noodles, whatever you have. It’s a real-life recipe for real, busy people.
What You’ll Need
Okay, let’s talk ingredients. Getting the right stuff is half the battle, but don’t worry, it’s all easy to find. I’m pretty specific about a few things because they make a huge difference.
For That Killer Teriyaki Sauce
This sauce is the star of the show. We’re not using any weird thickeners or mystery ingredients. Just simple stuff that packs a punch. I really prefer low-sodium soy sauce because it lets you control the saltiness.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Low-Sodium Soy Sauce | ½ cup |
| Mirin (Japanese sweet wine) | ¼ cup |
| Brown Sugar, packed | ¼ cup |
| Fresh Ginger, grated | 1 tbsp |
| Fresh Garlic, minced | 2 cloves |
| Sesame Oil | 1 tsp |
| Cornstarch | 1 tbsp |
| Cold Water | 2 tbsp |
For the Main Event
The chicken and noodles are the heart of the dish. I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they stay juicy and have more flavor. Breasts work too, but they can dry out if you’re not careful. For noodles, any long noodle will do, but I love Udon.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Chicken Thighs | 1½ lbs |
| Udon Noodles (or spaghetti) | 1 lb |
| Avocado Oil (or other high-heat oil) | 2 tbsp |
| Salt | ½ tsp |
| Black Pepper | ¼ tsp |
For the Veggies & Garnish
You can honestly use whatever vegetables you have hanging out in your fridge. Broccoli and carrots are classics for a reason—they hold up well and soak up the sauce. Don’t skip the green onions and sesame seeds at the end; they make it look and taste special.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Broccoli Florets | 2 cups |
| Carrots, julienned | 1 cup |
| Green Onions, sliced | ¼ cup |
| Toasted Sesame Seeds | 1 tbsp |
The Tools for the Job
You don’t need any fancy kitchen gadgets for this. A good pan is probably the most important thing.
- A Large Skillet or Wok: You need room to toss everything together without it flying out onto your stove. A 12-inch non-stick skillet is perfect.
- A Medium Pot: Just for boiling the noodles.
- A Small Bowl or Jar: For mixing up that amazing teriyaki sauce.
- Cutting Board & Knife: For prepping the chicken and veggies.
- Whisk: To get the sauce nice and smooth.
- Tongs: For flipping the chicken and tossing the noodles.
My Pro Tips for Perfect Noodles
I’ve made this dish hundreds of times, and I’ve learned a few things that take it from “good” to “wow, I made that?”
- Don’t Crowd the Pan. This is the biggest secret to getting crispy, browned chicken instead of sad, grey, steamed chicken. Cook the chicken in two separate batches if you have to. Giving each piece space lets it get a nice sear, which is where all the flavor is.
- Slightly Undercook Your Noodles. The noodles will finish cooking in the pan with the hot sauce. Pull them out of the boiling water about a minute before the package says they’re done. They should still have a little bite. This stops them from turning into mush when you toss everything together.
- Prep Everything First. This is what chefs call “mise en place,” which is just a fancy way of saying “get your act together before you start cooking.” Chop your veggies, mix your sauce, and have everything ready to go. The cooking part happens fast, and you don’t want to be frantically trying to mince garlic while your chicken burns.
Let’s Get Cooking: The Step-by-Step Guide
Alright, time for the fun part. Just follow along, and you’ll be sitting down to a delicious meal in no time.
H3: Step 1: Make the Teriyaki Sauce
First, we’ll make the sauce so it’s ready to go. In that small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, grated ginger, minced garlic, and sesame oil. Just get it all combined.
In a separate, even smaller bowl, mix the cornstarch and cold water together until it’s a smooth slurry. It’s super important the water is cold, or the cornstarch will get lumpy. Set both of these bowls aside for now.
H3: Step 2: Cook the Noodles
Fill your medium pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add a good pinch of salt. Once it’s boiling, add your noodles and cook them according to the package directions, but remember to pull them out one minute early.
Drain the noodles in a colander and rinse them quickly with cold water. This stops the cooking process and keeps them from sticking together. Set them aside.
H3: Step 3: Prep and Cook the Chicken
While the noodles are cooking, let’s get the chicken ready. Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels. Seriously, get them super dry. Then, chop them into bite-sized, 1-inch pieces.
Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat your large skillet or wok over medium-high heat and add the avocado oil. Once the oil is shimmering hot, carefully add half of the chicken in a single layer.
Let it cook for 3-4 minutes without touching it. This is how you get that beautiful brown crust. Then, stir it and cook for another 3-4 minutes until it’s cooked through. Remove the first batch with a slotted spoon and set it on a plate. Repeat with the second half of the chicken.
H3: Step 4: Cook the Veggies
Turn the heat down to medium. Add your broccoli and carrots to the same skillet. There should be some chicken juices left in there for flavor.
Stir-fry the veggies for about 4-5 minutes. You want them to be tender but still have a little crunch. Nobody likes a soggy carrot.
H3: Step 5: Bring It All Together
Now for the magic. Add all the cooked chicken back into the skillet with the vegetables. Pour in your cooked noodles.
Give the teriyaki sauce a quick re-whisk and pour it all over everything in the pan. Give the cornstarch slurry another quick stir (it separates when it sits) and pour that in too.
Use your tongs to gently toss everything together. Let it bubble away for 1-2 minutes. The sauce will thicken up beautifully and coat every single noodle and piece of chicken. It should look glossy and amazing.
Serve it up hot, sprinkled with those sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
Swaps and Fun Variations
This recipe is a great starting point. Feel free to play around with it!
- Protein Power: Not a chicken fan? Use thinly sliced beef, shrimp, or even firm tofu. For tofu, press it well to remove extra water and pan-fry it until crispy before adding the sauce.
- Veggie Overload: Go wild with the vegetables. Sliced bell peppers, snap peas, mushrooms, or bok choy would all be fantastic in here.
- Noodle Swap: Spaghetti, linguine, or ramen noodles all work great. Just cook them according to their package directions (and remember to undercook them slightly).
- A Little Heat: If you like things spicy, add a teaspoon of sriracha or a pinch of red pepper flakes to your sauce.
Making Life Easier: Prep Ahead Tips
If you want to make weeknight dinner even faster, you can prep almost everything ahead of time.
- The Sauce: The teriyaki sauce can be mixed together (except for the cornstarch slurry) up to 3 days in advance. Just keep it in a sealed jar in the fridge.
- The Veggies: You can chop all your vegetables a day or two before. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
- The Chicken: The chicken can be cut into pieces and stored in the fridge for up to a day.
With all that done, all you have to do when you get home is cook. It turns this 30-minute meal into a 15-minute one.
What to Do with Leftovers
If you happen to have any leftovers, they store really well. Just pop them into an airtight container and they’ll keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, you can microwave them, but I think they’re best reheated in a skillet over medium heat. Add a tiny splash of water to help loosen up the sauce and bring everything back to life.
Quick FAQ
Here are a few questions I get asked all the time.
Q1. My sauce isn’t thickening. What did I do wrong?
Ans: No worries! Just let it simmer for another minute or two. If it’s still too thin, you can mix another teaspoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water and add that to the pan.
Q2. Can I use bottled teriyaki sauce?
Ans: You can, but I promise the homemade sauce is so much better and only takes five minutes. Bottled sauces are often full of sugar and preservatives and just don’t taste as fresh.
Q3. Is mirin the same as rice vinegar?
Ans: Nope, they’re very different. Mirin is a sweet rice wine used for cooking. Rice vinegar is sour. If you can’t find mirin, you can substitute dry sherry or marsala wine, but add an extra teaspoon of sugar.
Q4. Can I make this gluten-free?
Ans: Absolutely. Just use a gluten-free soy sauce (tamari is a great option) and make sure you use gluten-free noodles, like rice noodles.
Wrapping Up
See? That wasn’t so bad, was it? You just made a seriously delicious bowl of noodles that will beat takeout any day of the week. You controlled the ingredients, you saved some money, and you have a new go-to recipe for those crazy nights.
Now go enjoy it. And when you’re done, come back and leave me a comment. I’d love to hear how it went, if you made any fun changes, or if you have any questions. Happy cooking
