It’s everything you love about takeout without leaving your house. Teriyaki chicken casserole full of fried rice, chicken and veggies for dinner!
Learning to Be Grateful for What We Have
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. I love this fried rice recipe with the ham in it (if you haven’t already, you’re going to want to read this post because there’s a secret to making perfect fried rice).
Well, 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!
Thankful Despite Having No Fridge or Furnace
We’ve always worked really hard on trying to be grateful for the things that we have in our lives. It can actually be kind of hard sometimes too. Either you’re going through a rough time and the blessings seem to be distant memories, or you just get lazy and stop thinking about them.
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?).
Actually, it wasn’t that bad. Now don’t get me wrong, living without a fridge STINKS. First, we lost a ton of the food in our fridge and freezer. Some of it was frozen, which is why were able to have this chicken teriyaki casserole, but the rest in the fridge molded faster than I could believe — overnight, in fact.
Creating This Teriyaki Chicken Casserole
We eat a lot of produce and green smoothies, protein shakes, and dairy — all of that went out the window. Thankfully it was still crazy cold, so we were able to put a few things outside in a little cooler that didn’t matter if they froze or not. And don’t tell me sour cream, cheese, milk etc does well frozen because it doesn’t. Not to me at least. It changes the consistency and texture.
Anyway, we also stored milk and eggs at a sweet neighbor’s house (the one I’m desperately trying to learn from since she’s such a pure, tender hearted person) and the rest we did without. What a blessing it was that it was winter so we were able to keep those 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.
I love the stories of the pioneers and feel such strength from what they endured, so it may be cheesy to you but I feel like I can shoulder my burdens a little better and with a happier heart knowing they endured much worse than I. And that’s what we did, we joked about it and moved on.
The furnace, well, we froze for 3 days and wore snow clothes inside the house and used space heaters but it wasn’t that bad. Definitely a lot of snuggling up.
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.
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, corn starch, 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.
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:
- Make the fried rice (we’ve linked our go-to recipe in the recipe card below).
- 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.
- Place the chicken in a baking dish and pour a little teriyaki sauce over top. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove from oven and shred the chicken (I just used two forks).
- Stir together the steamed veggies, shredded chicken, fried rice, and teriyaki sauce and bake until heated through.
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!
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.
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.
More Asian Recipes:
- Easy Asian Orange Chicken
- Korean Asian Braised Short Ribs
- Quick and Easy 15-Minute Chicken Stir Fry
- One Pan Simple Asian Shrimp Noodles
- Thai Noodles with Peanut Butter Sauce
- Asian Chicken Skewers with Honey Garlic Sauce
- Pork Dumplings
- Quick and Easy Cashew Chicken
- Teriyaki Chicken Noodles
- Sweet and Spicy Orange Salmon
- Grilled Sweet and Sour Chicken
- …All of Our Asian Recipes!
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
- Pina Colada Teriyaki Chicken Strips
- Teriyaki Chicken Noodles
- All our family friendly ASIAN INSPIRED RECIPES here!
Teriyaki Chicken Casserole
Teriyaki Chicken Casserole
Description
Ingredients
- 3 cups [Fried Rice]
- 1 breast of chicken
- 1 package stir fry vegetables, found in produce department, including broccoli, sprouts, carrots and snow peas
teriyaki sauce
- 3/4 cup San-J Tamari soy sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 small garlic clove, minced fine
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
- Make the fried rice per the link above.
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
- for the teriyaki sauce
- in a medium saucepan, stir together the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, honey, ground ginger, sesame oil, and garlic.
- bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute.
- in a small bowl, stir together the water and cornstarch.
- add 1 teaspoon of the hot soy mixture to the cornstarch mixture and then slowly pour everything into the boiling soy mixture, whisking until it begins to thicken. set aside.
- Place the chicken in a baking dish and pour 1 cup of the teriyaki sauce over the chicken.
- Bake for 30 minutes, remove from the oven and shred.
- Steam the veggies and then add the veggies, rice and chicken to an 8x9" baking dish.
- Add 3 tablespoons of the leftover teriyaki sauce and stir to combine.
- Place the dish back in the oven for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and drizzle with a little more sauce.
- Serve immediately.
Sheri B.
Hi,
In you recipe for teriyaki chicken casserole, it says to use “San-J Tamari soy sauce”
Can I just use low sodium soy sauce?
And where is your recipe for the Homemade Teriyaki sauce that you make?
Sweet Basil
Hi Sheri! You can definitely use whatever soy sauce you prefer! Here’s the link for our homemade teriyaki sauce: https://ohsweetbasil.com/easy-teriyaki-chicken-recipe/
Aili D
Seriously so happy i made this tonight! I live overseas and didn’t have all of the ingredients for homemade teriyaki sauce on hand, so I used some store bought kind we had, but it still turned out great. Can’t wait to try the sauce the next time I make this!
Sweet Basil
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for taking time to leave us a comment!
Julia Griego
Hey! So I’m looking at the page and I don’t see the actual recipe anywhere. Where can I find it??
Sweet Basil
oops, had it hidden but it’s showing now
Lesley De La Torre
Can I make this with brown rice? Do I put it in raw or cooked?
Sweet Basil
Hi Leslie, you can certainly use brown rice. Just make sure you turn it into fried rice first. 🙂
Layla
Would I be able to use just regular white rice for this?
Sweet Basil
Hi Layla,
Absolutely.
Rebekah
Is this a good freezer meal?
Sweet Basil
Hi Rebekah,
It’s actually a great freezer meal! We add that final drizzle of teriyaki after baking but otherwise freeze it all. 🙂
sharon
do you have to use that fried rice or can you use what you have on hand?? Thanks
Sweet Basil
Hi Sharon, you can use what you have on hand for sure!
Vera
I tried this recipe in my slow cooker and I’m happy to report it is AWESOME! I did not do fried rice, but rather 2 cups of brown rice. I also threw in some cabbage and some celery that I happened to have in my fridge. So I mixed up the teriyaki sauce in the saucepot and poured it over all the other ingredients (including raw chicken and uncooked brown rice and still frozen veggies). It cooked in 7 hours on low and is so yummy. Thanks!
Sweet Basil
Oh I’m so glad you let us know! I can’t wait to do it as well now!
Amber
Was there enough liquid to cook the brown rice completely in the crockpot or did you add a little water or chicken broth? (I only ask because 2 cups of brown rice generally needs 4 cups of water to make and I’m amazed at the magic!!) Thanks for sharing?
Sweet Basil
A little more liquid was needed but I just watched and added. Thanks Amber!
Linda
I used an extra cup of chicken broth and it was perfect. I’d like to try this one in the pressure cooker.
Sweet Basil
Oh, I’d love to hear how it does in the pressure cooker!
Christine
I know I’m late to the party, but I wonder if this is a good make-ahead meal? Would you suggest preparing up to the baking step and then refridgerate or fully bake and then refridgerate? Maybe there is no real difference… Thanks!
Sweet Basil
Absolutely! You can prepare until baking and then freeze or refrigerate. 🙂
Adam
Cool recipe and blog! I recently have got into cauliflower rice, after a health-oriented friend pleaded with me to try it. This recipe would be great with that. Have a wonderful weekend:)
Sweet Basil
Oh it totally would!
Joanne
What is meant by “1 breast of chicken”? Seems like a lot of sauce for 1 chicken breast.
Andrew
I use a pound of chicken. Cut up for stir fry.
Cheryl
Loved the homemade teriyaki sauce!!!
Sweet Basil
Thanks so much Cheryl!
Lindsey Crowder
I’m making this for someone else as an “after baby” meal. They have certain allergies so the recipes were limited. I’m weary about rice dishes and having to reheat. Is it still good left over? If so, how long do I put it in the oven for to reheat to take to them? (I have to make it ahead of time.)
Sweet Basil
I like fried rice as a leftover, especially with the teriyaki sauce which can be drizzled upon serving. My only worry would be if they have a gluten allergy as soy sauce would cause a problem.
Jana
Instead of using soy sauce I use Bragg liquid aminos. Much better for you and tastes similar to soy sauce.
Sweet Basil
What a great idea! Thank you!
Sweet Basil
Lindsay, I forgot to answer the how long part. Sorry! I would place tinfoil over it and bake for 20 minutes to reheat.
Jamie
Yummy! Fresh teriyaki sauce without MSG & preservative.
Like your blog. Easy to follow even on the asia part of the world.
Joan
Looks great! My question is, do you use the sauce you cooked the chicken in?
Sweet Basil
we set aside a little sauce, or use that from the dish. Just never use sauce you were marinating with 🙂
Christina
Could I use a frozen stir fry vegetable mix?
Sweet Basil
Absolutely! I do that in a pinch all the time!
Ashley
When making the Fried Rice for the Teriyaki Ckn Casserole, do you use the Ham too?
Sweet Basil
Yup! You can skip it if you want but I like it in there
Taylor
I am on last step cooking the last 15minutes. I hope it turns out bc I have never used so many dishes, pans and pots on one meal ever! Smells great!
Crystal
Do you use the leftover teriyaki sauce from the dish that you cooked the chicken in? Sorry if this is a silly question!
Jenny
So , I’m a little unsure on how much of the fried rice recipe to follow. Do I just fry up the rice? Or do I also add the sauce mixture and egg? Just want to make sure I get it right. Thanks.
Sweet Basil
Yup, make the whole thing. 🙂 We love it so I hope you do too!
Rebekah
I do not see the link for making fried rice could you please email it to me?
Sweet Basil
just click the words, fried rice and that’s the link. 🙂 Here it is just in case, https://ohsweetbasil.com/2014/01/secret-ham-fried-rice.html
Erin
Made this over the weekend and it was delicious! I only had regular soy sauce, so I will definitely be sure to follow your recipe exactly next time! Thank you so much for sharing!
Lacy
Hi there. Do you have the info for calories fat carbs etc.. For this recipe? Thanks!
Melissa
Am I able to make this into a freezer meal?
Sweet Basil
Melissa, I’ve never frozen this dinner, but I imagine you could if it was wrapped well and you didn’t add the egg until you’re ready to bake.
Chandler
Hi! This looks amazing, and I’m so excited to try it. I may be crazy, but I don’t see the link for the fried rice recipe. Could you point me in the right direction. Thank you.
jenny
I don’t see it either but I think its the one that’s titled the secret to ham fried rice that’s just a little above the comment section 😉 ↑↑↑↑
Sweet Basil
I wish they would bold those links. In the recipe it says, “3 cups Fried Rice” and the words, “fried rice” are a link. Just click it and you’ll find the recipe. 🙂 I hope you both get this reply!
Sweet Basil
I replied below, just click the words “fried rice” in the recipe. It’s a link. I hope this reply makes it to ya! xoxo
jenny
This looks ahhhhmazing! Mmm I’m going to make this for my hubby and I’s anniversary dinner! And by the other reviews I’m going to use low sodium soy sauce…a little less brown sugar and no ginger. Can I substitute sesame oil with peanut oil?
Sweet Basil
You can, but it’s not what I would recommend. I prefer it with the ginger, but I suggest doing it with those changes and then if you feel like it’s lacking add accordingly.
Sarah
Made this with my family last night…it was so good!
My family thought the sauce was a bit too sweet for them, but I loved it (tho I would remember to get low sodium soy sauce next time instead of regular bc I could tell there was a lot of sodium/salt in mine…my own error tho!)
Sweet Basil
Yes, for sure always do Low sodium. I’m going to make it a bigger note so everyone remembers. SOrry it was a little sweet. I think I must like really sweet sauce
Tessa
I made this tonight, but I can’t say that we were fans. WAY too sweet and the recipe is somewhat confusing to follow.
Sweet Basil
I’m sorry Tessa. It is a lot to follow. And please feel free to cut down on your brown sugar if needed.
Jenna
Hi sounds and looks delish. Making for fam of 4. Could I use 2 breasts instead of just one and any hints on how to shred meat. Thanks
Sweet Basil
Hi Jenna, You can certainly use more chicken in it, though be carefully because it will fill your dish quickly so you may want to use a bigger pan. I just use two forks, pulling the meat in opposite directions to quickly shred my meat. Thanks!
Bonnie
Hello! Just found your blog. This looks delicious! I just want to make sure I have this right. . . it’s 3 cups of fried rice–do you mean already cooked rice you have in your fridge, or do you need to fry it in the pan first? Sorry if you already said that. Just want to try this and make sure I do it right! Thanks for sharing :0)
Sweet Basil
sorry, yes. So follow the link for the fried rice and use 3 cups of the fried rice. We like to make a big batch for dinner one night and two nights later turn the last 3 cups into the casserole.
Jenn
So I made it last night w/a few modifications. I baked some brown rice and used that instead of fried rice. I also forgot I didn’t have ginger! As I was in the throes of making the sauce, I discovered that, and of course wasn’t going to run to the store so I just ended up omitting it! And I also fried 2 eggs, chopped them up, and stirred them in before I put it in the oven. It came out so tasty and my husband, upon eating it, said, “Babe, this is good!”. So it was a win! Definitely will make again! 🙂 Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe 🙂
Sweet Basil
So good to know! I ALWAYS seem to forget to buy ginger so now I can just skip it if I need to. Glad you all liked it. You have no idea how much that makes my day!
Jenn
Making this in just a few minutes! 🙂 Yea!
Sweet Basil
Yay!! I hope you love it!
Consuelo @ Honey & Figs
This recipe is absolutely flawless Carrian! I love Teriyaki flavors, and easy-peasy casseroles are a winner at home. I guess this will be happening here so soon. Thanks for sharing such an incredible recipe!
Sweet Basil
Thanks Consuelo! I thought for sure everyone would think I was crazy for posting such a recipe!
Kevin @ Closet Cooking
What a tasty meal! Love teriyaki!
Sweet Basil
me too, it sucks me in every time. Now you go ahead and take it up ten notches so I can see you work your magic. 😉
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking
Oh, I love this! What a fun and easy idea for weeknights. And I love recreating takeout yummies at home, too! Great recipe, Carrian.
Sweet Basil
takeout is pretty much the coolest and anything you make I’m totally all for trying!
Sarah
This looks great but I have a soy allergy – which means no soy sauce or teriyaki. Do you have any suggestions for a sauce substitute that would work with this recipe?
Sweet Basil
Hi Sarah, this is the recipe that I’ve used when I forgot to buy soy sauce. I hope it works ok. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/soy-sauce-substitute/
Sarah
Thank you! I’m definitely going to try it. I didn’t think there was an option like that one 🙂
Sweet Basil
Thanks, Sarah!
mamabehr
You could try liquid aminos instead of soy sauce. That’s what I used and it came out great
Sweet Basil
Great tip! Thank you!
Tieghan
Ugh. I kind of know the feeling, but the heater and the fridge together is just plain rough! Glad things are up and running again!
Sweet Basil
me too! Woohoo!
[email protected]
Oh my gosh . . . I would be so sad if my fridge went out and I had to throw out all that stuff. Oh and the furnace . . . brrrrrr, especially in Utah. On a happier note – this casserole sounds delish!
Sweet Basil
thank goodness for modern appliances! I’ll never forget to be grateful now!
Nancy
The fridge and the furnace sounds like things that happen at my house. When our fridge died due to the compressor burning out, our homeowners insurance covered not only the cost of a new fridge but also all of the food that went bad. You might want to call your agent and ask about your policy coverage.
Sweet Basil
thanks Nancy!
Gaby
The heater and the fridge going out, no fun! This casserole does look some kind of comforting and that’s just what you need!
Chels R.
This looks so incredible! I’m so sorry about your fridge and heater. Ugh, they say bad things come in 3’s. Hopefully, you won’t meet the 3rd obstacle.
Sweet Basil
I know!! Hoping everything else holds up!
Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps
Oh my. What a rough go you guys have had in the last few weeks, I cannot imagine having to deal with the furnace going out. Yikes. I’d probably have to move in with my parents until it was fixed, way to be a trooper! Love this casserole! So inventive.
Sweet Basil
haha, it’s been an adventure!
Courtney @ Neighborfood
Whew! You all have had quite the stretch here! It’s so interesting how losing something we take for granted helps us appreciate it even more. Blessings in disguise–just like this teriyaki chicken! I’ll take a giant bowl please!
Marie @ Little Kitchie
I’m glad you have your fridge back! This looks so delicious!
Sweet Basil
Me too! Woop woop!!