You can get four weekday lunches out of one pan in about 45 minutes. This chicken teriyaki stir-fry uses three chicken breasts, two cups of broccoli, two small bell peppers and one onion, and the sauce comes from three things you probably already have: soy sauce, honey and sesame seeds.
The trick is the order. The chicken cooks first and comes out of the pan so the sauce can reduce and the vegetables can soften in what's left. That's why the broccoli tastes like teriyaki instead of plain steamed broccoli.
One warning before you start: taste the sauce before you add salt to anything. Soy sauce is already salty, and the honey sweetens it fast. A lot of people oversalt this dish on the first try.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Cook the chicken
Heat a large pan, 12 inches or wider, over medium-high heat. Add the cubed chicken and cook until it's almost done, stirring now and then. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Use an instant-read thermometer and pull it at 165°F in the thickest piece.
2. Lower the heat and add garlic
Turn the heat down to medium. Stir in the crushed garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until you can smell it. Garlic added to a screaming hot pan burns.
3. Build the sauce
Pour in the soy sauce and honey, then add 1 tablespoon of the sesame seeds. Stir and let it bubble until it thickens enough to coat a spoon, usually 2 to 3 minutes at medium heat.
4. Pull out the chicken
Move the chicken to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the sauce in the pan. The chicken goes back in later, so don't worry that it looks saucy.
5. Soften the vegetables
Add the sliced onion, bell peppers and broccoli to the sauce. Cover the pan and let them steam for several minutes, until they start to soften. Take the lid off and stir until the sauce thickens again.
6. Return the chicken and pack
Stir the chicken back in and warm it through for a minute. Divide the rice, vegetables and chicken between four containers. Top with the remaining sesame seeds and the sliced green onion.
7. Cool and refrigerate
Let the containers sit uncovered until they stop steaming, then lid them and refrigerate. They keep up to 4 days.
Variations
- Swap the chicken for boneless thighs, cut to the same size, and cook them the same way.
- Use tamari instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free version. The flavor is slightly deeper and the salt level is similar.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic if you want heat. Start with a quarter teaspoon.
How to Store Weekday Meal-Prep Chicken Teriyaki Stir-Fry
Refrigerator
Keep the containers lidded in the fridge for up to 4 days. Add the green onion and extra sesame seeds fresh each day if you can.
Freezer
Freeze the stir-fry without the rice for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating
Microwave covered on high for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring halfway, until steaming hot all the way through. Sprinkle the green onion on after.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I know the chicken is done without cutting into every piece?
Use a food thermometer. Insert it into the thickest cube and look for 165°F. Color alone isn't a reliable test, especially with a dark sauce coating the meat.
Q: Why did my sauce turn out watery?
It didn't reduce enough, or the vegetables gave off water under the lid. Take the lid off and keep stirring over medium heat until it glazes the vegetables again.
Q: Can I make this without honey?
Brown sugar works as a one-to-one swap, though it thickens a little faster, so watch the pan. Maple syrup is thinner and needs a couple more minutes to reduce.
Q: Is it okay to eat this cold?
It's fine cold, but the rice is better warmed. If you're packing it for lunch away from a microwave, keep it in a cooler bag with an ice pack until you eat.
Q: How much rice should I use per container?
About three-quarters of a cup of cooked rice per container holds the portion together without drowning it. Scale up if you eat more at lunch.
Chicken Teriyaki Stir-Fry Meal Prep for Four Weekdays
Chicken teriyaki stir-fry in 45 minutes, portioned into four containers with rice and vegetables. A fast weekday meal prep that holds up for days.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1Cook the chicken — Heat a large pan, 12 inches or wider, over medium-high heat. Add the cubed chicken and cook until it's almost done, stirring now and then. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Use an instant-read thermometer and pull it at 165°F in the thickest piece.
- 2Lower the heat and add garlic — Turn the heat down to medium. Stir in the crushed garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until you can smell it. Garlic added to a screaming hot pan burns.
- 3Build the sauce — Pour in the soy sauce and honey, then add 1 tablespoon of the sesame seeds. Stir and let it bubble until it thickens enough to coat a spoon, usually 2 to 3 minutes at medium heat.
- 4Pull out the chicken — Move the chicken to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the sauce in the pan. The chicken goes back in later, so don't worry that it looks saucy.
- 5Soften the vegetables — Add the sliced onion, bell peppers and broccoli to the sauce. Cover the pan and let them steam for several minutes, until they start to soften. Take the lid off and stir until the sauce thickens again.
- 6Return the chicken and pack — Stir the chicken back in and warm it through for a minute. Divide the rice, vegetables and chicken between four containers. Top with the remaining sesame seeds and the sliced green onion.
- 7Cool and refrigerate — Let the containers sit uncovered until they stop steaming, then lid them and refrigerate. They keep up to 4 days.
Food safety: Check the thickest part with a food thermometer. Poultry must reach 165°F (74°C); color alone is not reliable.
Maya writes about easy American cookies and bars, plus eggs and breakfast casseroles for busy mornings. She focuses on pantry-friendly ingredients, reliable bake times, and make-ahead steps that fit real weekday schedules. Her recipes keep instructions short and checkpoints clear so nothing gets overbaked or underdone.
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