Teriyaki Chicken Casserole [+ Video]

Teriyaki Chicken Casserole [+ Video]

This classic baked teriyaki chicken casserole recipe is easy to make and the perfect crowd pleasing recipe for a busy weeknight dinner or potluck.

It’s everything you love about takeout without leaving your house! Casseroles are great for dinner because they’re easy to throw together and comforting to come home to. This casserole combines chicken with a sweet savory glaze mixed with tasty fried rice and loads of healthy vegetables!

Before You Begin…

I know, this is kind of like a souped up fried rice, but I’m still calling it a casserole since we are adding in a few extras. We start with our ham fried rice recipe for the base of this casserole. If you haven’t already, you’re going to want to read that post because there’s a secret to making perfect fried rice. Both the fried rice and the teriyaki sauce can be made a day or two ahead of time.

How This Recipe Came to Be

One night after we made a huge batch of the fried rice, our fridge died. And I mean, died. We went just over two weeks without the dang thing while we waited for parts to come in. That first day I knew I needed to throw together a casserole because we didn’t have anything for dinner that night, so the teriyaki chicken casserole was born and what a blessing in disguise because it turned out awesome-sauce!

Well, there were a few months that were bitterly cold and we were feeling so grateful for a warm house. Because almost two weeks after the fridge died our furnace went out. Yaaaaaay. (Can you hear my sarcasm?). What a blessing it was that it was winter so we were able to keep condiments, butter, and such outside.

We learned that we can survive without the fridge. It changed our eating habits and was quite hard, especially for a food blogger, but it just took creativity for meals and helped us to remember to be grateful for our modern day conveniences.

And in the end we made a killer rice casserole recipe with teriyaki chicken, broccoli, fried rice and extra sauce. So maybe in the end the whole fridge debacle was worth it. Because this teriyaki chicken casserole is that delicious. 

Where Does Teriyaki Chicken Come From?

Teriyaki is a cooking technique where foods are grilled or broiled in a glaze of soy sauce, mirin and sugar. It is usually associated with Japanese cuisine, but the technique is used in many Asian cuisines. Teriyaki chicken is a Japanese-American cuisine.

What’s in Teriyaki Chicken Casserole? 

For this easy chicken casserole, you’ll need fried rice, a chicken breast, a package of stir-fry vegetables, and teriyaki sauce (either homemade or store-bought). We prefer making homemade teriyaki sauce whenever possible, and we make ours with soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, ground ginger, water, garlic, cornstarch, and sesame oil. 

For the stir-fry vegetables, you should be able to find a blend of bagged, pre-chopped veggies in the produce section of your grocery store. If your store doesn’t carry them, you can buy whatever veggies you want! Think: snow peas, baby corn, grated carrots, bell pepper, etc. 

Do I Have to Use Frozen Veggies?

No, you don’t have to use frozen vegetables, but they sure are convenient! Feel free to use fresh veggies if you want to. You’ll just want to cook the veggies beforehand until they are al dente.

How to Make Teriyaki Chicken Casserole

This teriyaki baked chicken and rice casserole takes just 10 minutes to prep and is a great clean out the fridge meal (which in our case we literally had to do). Here’s how to make this teriyaki chicken casserole recipe:

1. Make the fried rice (we’ve linked our go-to recipe in the recipe card below). 
2. Make the homemade teriyaki sauce. If you’ve never learned how to make teriyaki sauce, don’t worry, it’s super easy! You basically just add all the ingredients into a pan, bring the mixture to a boil, and let it simmer until thickened. 
3. Place the chicken in a casserole dish and pour a little teriyaki sauce on top of the chicken. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove from oven and shred the chicken (I just used two forks).  
4. Stir together the steamed veggies, shredded chicken, fried rice, and teriyaki sauce and bake until heated through. 
5. We like to sprinkle some sesame seeds and sliced green onions on top and drizzle a little extra teriyaki sauce right before serving.

When making this recipe, I highly recommend using up any leftover white rice you may have when prepping the fried rice. Properly stored, cooked white rice will last for 4 to 6 days in the refrigerator, so keep this chicken teriyaki casserole in mind the next time you have leftover rice! 

Watch This Easy Chicken Teriyaki Casserole Come Together…

Does Teriyaki Sauce Go on Before or After Cooking?

My answer for this question is yes…both! The more sauce the better is always my motto! Especially when it comes to teriyaki sauce. I like to add some of the sauce to the chicken before baking the casserole and use the remaining sauce to drizzle over the top after baking.

How Do You Make Teriyaki Sauce Thicker?

The easiest way to thicken teriyaki sauce to use a cornstarch slurry. Whisk equal parts cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl and add it to a small saucepan of simmering teriyaki sauce. It should start to thicken up immediately.

Can Teriyaki Sauce Be Frozen?

Yes, teriyaki sauce can be frozen. Place it in an airtight container or heavy duty freezer bag and freeze. Teriyaki sauce can be frozen indefinitely.

Can I Make This Chicken Casserole Recipe with Plain Rice? 

Absolutely! If you don’t have the time to make fried rice, feel free to use plain white or brown rice instead. The homemade teriyaki sauce is really flavorful, so your baked chicken and rice casserole will still taste amazing. 

Storage/Make Ahead

Teriyaki chicken casserole should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 5 days. This dish also freezes very well. It will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.

This is a great make ahead meal. If you already have the fried rice made, and you’ve cooked the teriyaki chicken, combine everything in a baking dish and store in the fridge until ready to bake. It will keep for a day or two before baking.

How to Reheat Teriyaki Chicken Casserole

Thanks to the homemade teriyaki sauce in this casserole, it reheats really well and doesn’t dry out easily. To reheat leftovers (or if you want to prep this casserole ahead of time and reheat for dinner later), I recommend covering it with aluminum foil and baking for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. 

Everybody loves easy casserole recipes, and this teriyaki chicken casserole is always a family favorite! Chunks of sweet and savory teriyaki chicken with fried rice and assorted vegetables…it’s just the best combination!

More TERIYAKI Recipes:

• Teriyaki Chicken Pasta Salad
• Teriyaki Beef Casserole
• Easy Chicken Teriyaki
• Teriyaki Pina Colada Burger
• Teriyaki Veggie Bowl
• Easy Teriyaki Chicken Salad
• Teriyaki Beef Wrap
• Teriyaki Chicken Quesadilla
• Teriyaki Chicken Noodles
• All our family friendly ASIAN INSPIRED RECIPES here!

READ: Teriyaki Chicken Casserole [+ Video]