Description
Hearty teriyaki chicken and rice casserole delivers classic Asian-inspired comfort with tender chicken and savory sauce. Quick weeknight meal combines simple ingredients for a satisfying dinner you can confidently prepare and enjoy.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs (0.68 kg) boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ¾ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup water
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tbsp honey
- ¾ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsps cornstarch
- 2 tbsps water
- 32 oz (907 g) frozen mixed vegetables (unsauced Asian varieties)
- 1 cup pineapple tidbits (drained, packed in juice)
- 3 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 tsp olive oil
Instructions
- Sauce Preparation: Whisk soy sauce, water, brown sugar, honey, ginger, olive oil, and minced garlic in a saucepan until sugar dissolves completely.
- Thickening Process: Create a cornstarch slurry by blending cornstarch with water, then gradually incorporate into the simmering sauce, stirring until the mixture becomes glossy and thickens.
- Initial Baking: Preheat oven to 350°F and place raw chicken breasts in a casserole dish, thoroughly coating with teriyaki sauce.
- Chicken Cooking: Roast chicken for 30-35 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F, then shred into bite-sized pieces within the baking dish.
- Side Preparation: Cook brown rice and steam frozen vegetable medley according to package instructions, ensuring precise cooking times.
- Flavor Fusion: Combine shredded chicken, cooked rice, vegetables, and pineapple chunks in the casserole, mixing with most of the remaining teriyaki sauce.
- Final Baking: Return casserole to oven, warming for 15 minutes to blend flavors, then finish with a final drizzle of teriyaki sauce before serving.
Notes
- Master Sauce Consistency: Whisk ingredients thoroughly and simmer slowly to prevent burning, ensuring sugar dissolves completely for a smooth, glossy teriyaki base.
- Perfect Chicken Doneness: Use a meat thermometer to confirm 165°F internal temperature, preventing dryness while guaranteeing safe consumption.
- Rice and Vegetable Timing: Cook rice and vegetables separately to maintain individual texture and prevent mushiness in the final casserole.
- Flavor Layering Technique: Drizzle sauce gradually during cooking stages to build depth, allowing each ingredient to absorb teriyaki’s sweet and savory notes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 365
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg