Dinner gets a delicious upgrade with these easy, gluten-free chicken teriyaki bowls! Chicken thighs are marinated and baked and served on top of a nutritious bowl for a dinner recipe the whole family will love!
Is there anything better than teriyaki?! I think not. It’s one of my favorite foods, and these gluten-free chicken teriyaki bowls are the best of both worlds with saucy, flavorful chicken thighs and nourishing ingredients like vegetables, rice and salad greens. Top it all with furikake and green onions and dang, you have an incredibly delicious dinner on the table in no time!
steps for preparing the chicken for the gluten-free chicken teriyaki bowls
In this gluten-free chicken teriyaki recipe, I’m using chicken thighs. I personally love chicken thighs because they are an affordable option and so flavorful! They’re a great choice for when I want to buy organic chicken meat but don’t want to spend as much money as chicken breasts cost.
I typically opt for boneless and skinless chicken thighs, but you absolutely could get bone-in and skin-on thighs! You will just need to adjust the cooking time, as cuts with bones take much longer to cook.
When you’re ready to start marinating the chicken, first trim off any excess fat or white pieces using a knife or poultry shears.
So, what is teriyaki?
Teriyaki is a Japanese cooking technique in which fish or meat is marinated in soy sauce and then grilled. Teriyaki sauce typically has four components: soy sauce, sake/mirin, sugar and ginger. The word teriyaki refers to a sauce AND a cooking technique, which I think is very interesting!
It is known (and loved!) all over the world for its bold, savory-salty-sweet flavor with lots of umami (savoriness!).
Although traditional teriyaki is definitely the most delicious, my version in these gluten-free chicken teriyaki bowls is not a traditional teriyaki for the sake of keeping it gluten-free and sugar-free.
how to make a teriyaki marinade
The teriyaki marinade for these gluten-free chicken teriyaki bowls includes:
Coconut aminos- coconut aminos is a great alternative to soy sauce, as it is gluten-free and typically lower in sodium. It is made from the coconut tree sap (not the coconuts), so it doesn’t have a coconut flavor. You should be able to find it at most grocery stores. Check the health-food aisle if they have one!
Minced Garlic- I’m personally a believer that there are few things that aren’t made better with the addition of garlic. I prefer to use fresh minced garlic in this recipe, but you could sub garlic powder if that’s all you have!
Minced Ginger- ginger is an important component to that teriyaki flavor we all know and love. I used fresh minced ginger. I almost always have a ginger root in my fridge!
Rice Vinegar- okay, so rice vinegar happens to be one of my favorite things ever. I’m obsessed with the flavor. If you haven’t tried it yet in Asian-inspired dishes, you must! Rice vinegar gets its name because it’s made from fermented rice!
Fish Sauce- is a staple in South and East Asian cuisine. It’s made from coating fish or krill in salt and fermenting them for up to 2 years. It is so yummy. It’s salty and has a punch of umami!
Balsamic- my secret ingredient to this teriyaki sauce is balsamic vinegar. I love using balsamic because it’s sweet and gives teriyaki a depth of flavor. Don’t knock it ‘til you try it!
the other ingredients in the gluten-free chicken teriyaki bowls
There’s a lot of flexibility in the rest of the bowl ingredients. I personally like to serve the gluten-free chicken teriyaki bowls with white rice, salad greens, sautéed vegetables like snow peas and cabbage, green onions and furikake. The possibilities are endless!
Gluten-Free Chicken Teriyaki Bowls
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken thighs trimmed
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp fresh minced ginger
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp arrowroot starch or sub corn starch
- 1 cup white or brown rice
- salad greens
- 8 oz snow peas
- 1/2 head small cabbage chopped
- optional toppings: thinly sliced cucumbers, sesame seeds, furikake seasoning
Instructions
- Combine the minced garlic, coconut aminos, fish sauce, balsamic, rice vinegar, ginger and sesame oil in a bowl. Whisk together well and set aside half of the marinade.
- To the remaining half, add the chicken thighs and massage the marinade in. Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour.
- Cook rice according to directions.
- Preheat oven to 425. Place chicken thighs on a parchment lined baking sheet or a greased baking dish and bake for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165.
- In a skillet, sauté your vegetables with some oil and a small splash of sesame oil until softened, about 7-10 minutes.
- In a saucepan, heat the remaining marinade over medium-low heat. Whisk 1 tbsp of arrowroot starch with a splash of water in a small bowl and pour into the saucepan. Allow to simmer and thicken for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Assemble your gluten-free chicken teriyaki bowls with the greens, rice, sautéed vegetables, sliced chicken thighs and drizzle the teriyaki sauce on top.
- Garnish with toppings of your choice.
Thanks so much for making these Gluten-Free Chicken Teriyaki Bowls! I hope they become a staple in your home like they are in ours. If you loved this recipe, it would mean the world if you took a moment to leave me a comment below!
In need of more dinner inspiration? Try this One-Pan Chicken with Creamy Chive Sauce. It’s SO GOOD!
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