Minimal Effort. Maximum Flavor. This Ginger Soy Chicken Nails It

I think it’s my favorite one by far. You just can’t beat simple.

So, if you’re new to cooking, this Sticky Ginger Soy Glazed Chicken is probably a good recipe to start with because it’s so damn simple, and I promise you’ll impress yourself with the flavor. 😉 All recipes are rigorously tested in our Nashville Test Kitchen to ensure they are easy, affordable, and delicious. “This sauce is to die for, my son and I love it.

I usually make at least double the sauce recipe because it is that good! I’ve made this as a show-off recipe for my parents. I’m finally commenting because I have used this recipe for almost 2 years, I have it written down but looked it up again today too lazy to look for my notebook.

Thank you for our treasured “family” recipe.” Em

The easiest Sticky Ginger Chicken

The magic of this soy glazed chicken happens when the chicken hits the skillet.

The marinade, which is a simple teriyaki sauce-style mix, cooks down into a glossy glaze that clings to every piece. Because I really lean into the fresh ginger here, you get a warm, gingery kick, and as the sugars caramelize, the sauce gets irresistibly sticky and savory-sweet. It’s so, SO good, and really simple to put together.

Recipe Tips & Suggestions

• This super simple marinade can be used on chicken breast or thighs, but I prefer thighs because they’re usually already in small, manageable, and quick-cooking pieces that stay juicy and tender. If you’re using chicken breasts, I suggest cutting them into smaller pieces or pounding them thin to both increase chicken to marinade contact and to make sure they cook quickly.
• Love saucy chicken dishes? Go ahead and double (or even triple) the amount of marinade. You won’t regret having extra to drizzle over your rice. Promise.
• Once marinated, you can cook this soy ginger chicken in a skillet or on a grill. Grilled chicken probably gives you better browned edges and caramelized sugars, but a skillet is just SO easy. And I like easy.
• Feel free to add in some veggies! Sauté broccoli, green beans, sliced bell pepper, snow peas, or whatever you like before cooking the chicken. Add the veggies back to the pan at the end to heat back through.
• Cook the chicken over medium heat. Don’t be tempted to turn the heat up higher, as this can burn the sugars in the marinade before the chicken is fully cooked through.
• Be sure to cook your chicken thighs to an internal temperature of 165°F minimum!

Nutrition Information

See this recipe used in my weekly meal prep.

How to Make Soy Glazed Chicken Step-by-Step Photos

Make the marinade: To prepare the awesomely easy ginger soy marinade, mince two cloves of garlic and grate about 1 Tbsp fresh ginger (how to buy and use ginger).

Combine the garlic and ginger with 1/4 cup brown sugar, 3 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp cooking oil, and some freshly cracked pepper (about 15 cranks of a pepper mill). Marinate the chicken: Place 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a shallow container or gallon-size ziplock bag and pour the marinade over top.

Turn the thighs to coat in the marinade, then cover and marinate (refrigerated) the chicken for at least 30 minutes or up to one day. Cook the chicken: Heat a large skillet over a medium flame.

Once hot, add 1/2 Tbsp cooking oil and tilt the skillet to swirl the oil over the surface. Add half of the chicken thighs and cook on each side until well browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet onto a clean plate, then repeat with the second batch of chicken.

The reason the marinade is not poured in WITH the chicken and the chicken is cooked in two separate batches is because too much moisture in the skillet will prevent those nice browned edges and caramelized sugars. So, work in two batches and cook the marinade separately. Once the second batch of chicken has been cooked and removed from the skillet, pour in the leftover marinade and let it come to a boil.

Whisk the marinade as it boils to dissolve the browned bits from the skillet. Let it continue to boil until it reduces to a thick glaze (this only takes a few minutes because there isn’t much marinade).

This cooks the marinade, just like you cooked the chicken, to kill bacteria (it’s no less safe than the actual chicken or the marinade that is on the surface of the chicken when it cooks). FDA food safety guidelines for marinades.

If this still makes you uncomfortable, you can skip this extra glaze (the chicken will still be nice and sticky), or double the amount of marinade in the beginning and only use half on the chicken. You can cook the second “clean” half in a saucepan until it thickens to a glaze. Serve: Return the cooked soy sauce chicken to the skillet and dredge it on both sides in the sticky glaze.

Top the chicken with 2 sliced green onions and 1 tsp sesame seeds, if desired.

How to Serve Ginger Chicken

I paired my sticky ginger soy glazed chicken with coconut jasmine rice and my cucumber mango salad.

The cold and tangy salad was the PERFECT side to this dish (plus I was lucky enough to get mangoes on sale 3/$1 this week!!). I also think a bed of garlic noodles would be amazing, as would a side of sesame roasted green beans.

Oh, and I can’t forget a drizzle of sriracha on top before serving.😉

Storage & Reheating

Keep any leftover sticky chicken (once cooled) stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat it in the microwave or gently in a skillet on the stove until heated through.

You can also store the cooked chicken in the freezer for up to 3 months. Wrap it well in plastic wrap or foil and place in a freezer-safe bag or container.

Let it thaw overnight in the fridge for even reheating.