These 5-ingredient oven-baked chicken thighs use a homemade gluten-free teriyaki marinade. It results in ultra-flavorful, tender meat that melts in your mouth. I’ve also included an optional technique for thickening the sauce into a glaze (with or without cornstarch) to serve alongside rice and broccoli!
I was a New York City kid, which is still a personal factoid that most people find shocking. There are many things I could say on the subject, but I think the most notable element of my personality that resulted was my love of various cuisines—especially Japanese restaurants.
I wasn’t an adventurous enough eater to dive right into the sushi counter (though cucumber maki was always an obsession) but I fell hard for chicken teriyaki.
Once I went gluten-free 15 years ago, it was one dish I really missed being able to enjoy as part of a lunchtime bento box. Luckily, I get the next best thing in this quick gluten-free chicken dinner that bakes chicken thighs in an easy teriyaki marinade.
You can choose your own adventure in terms of the prep time for this baked teriyaki chicken. The meat can marinate as long as you’d like—for best results, I recommend leaving it overnight (like I do with this teriyaki pork tenderloin).
However, the 4-ingredient gluten-free teriyaki marinade, which is packed with fresh ginger, garlic, gluten-free tamari and maple syrup, is so flavorful, you can get away with just tossing it with the chicken and throwing both right in the oven.
The chicken essentially braises in the marinade, resulting in ultra-tender chicken thighs in under 30 minutes. But to get that sticky, teriyaki glaze finish, you can reduce the extra marinade and whisk in a cornstarch (or arrowroot starch) slurry.
I find the easiest way to do this, while keeping the recipe a true one-pan affair, is to bake the chicken in a heavy-bottomed braiser or skillet that can also go on the stove. My enameled cast iron Staub roasting pan worked perfectly.
If you want to go the sheet pan route, like I do in this teriyaki salmon and asparagus recipe, more of the sauce will evaporate and naturally reduce.
For the baking dish version, all you need to do is remove the cooked chicken from the teriyaki marinade and reserve on a platter. Then place the whole roasting pan on the stove and reduce the sauce for 2 minutes. If you don’t have an appropriate pan, simply decant the gluten-free teriyaki marinade into a saucepan.
The teriyaki sauce can then be drizzled on the finished chicken thighs, or served alongside them with rice and steamed broccoli. All that said, if you’re tight for time, the baked teriyaki chicken thighs will still be delicious without this added step, and there will be plenty of sauce to douse whatever you serve them over.
Read on for this baked teriyaki chicken recipe which is sure to be a constant in your weeknight rotation!
With health and hedonism,
Phoebe
30-Minute Baked Teriyaki Chicken Thighs (Gluten-Free)
For a paleo or soy-free version, substitute coconut aminos for the tamari! For a low FODMAP version, simply omit the garlic.
Serve alongside steamed broccoli florets and rice with the remaining gluten-free teriyaki sauce on the side.
This can be easily scaled up for a crowd without doubling the sauce. I’ve given you the option to use 2 to 3 pounds of chicken to start, but the sauce could accommodate up to 4 pounds if you have a big enough baking dish.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup gluten-free tamari or soy sauce
- 1/2 cup organic maple syrup
- 4 large garlic cloves minced
- 4 inches fresh ginger peeled and minced
- 2 to 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot starch optional
- Thinly sliced scallions for serving
- Sesame seeds for serving
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, tamari, garlic, and ginger until smooth. Alternatively, you can whisk the sauce directly in the baking dish you plan on using.
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Add the boneless chicken thighs and swish around until fully coated in the marinade. For best results, allow the chicken to marinate for at least an hour, or covered overnight in the fridge. Even with no marinating time, it will be delicious.
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When you’re ready to bake the teriyaki chicken thighs, transfer the meat and the marinade to an oven-proof baking dish (if you’re not already using one to marinate the chicken). I like to use a cast iron braiser or roasting pan – ideally something heavy bottomed that can be used on the stovetop later to thicken the sauce.
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Bake the teriyaki chicken in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the pan, flip the chicken, and return to the oven for another 10 minutes.
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The teriyaki chicken thighs can be served immediately, directly from the pan, garinished with scallions and sesame seeds, alongside steamed broccoli or rice.
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For a thicker gluten-free teriyaki sauce to glaze the chicken, follow these optional steps: Transfer the chicken to a platter or serving bowl. Place the baking dish directly over a medium-high flame on the stovetop (if you used a thin aluminum or glass baking dish, you can just transfer the gluten-free teriyaki marinade to a saucepan).
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Whisk together the cornstarch and ¼ cup of water in a small mixing bowl. Add the slurry to the teriyaki marinade.
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Bring the teriyaki sauce to a gentle simmer and cook until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes. Drizzle the gluten-free teriyaki glaze over the chicken thighs or serve on the side.