Are you staring into the fridge at 6 PM wondering how you’re going to pull off dinner without resorting to the same tired takeout menu? I’ve been there! Between balancing work and trying to eat clean, weeknight cooking can feel impossible, right? That’s why I developed this Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken Bowl. It tastes like something you’d order at a chic spot, but it comes together faster than your favorite streaming show loads. As a chef and photographer, I live by the rule that food should look gorgeous and taste incredible, all while keeping things simple. This vibrant bowl is proof you can achieve that restaurant-quality experience right on your stovetop in about 35 minutes. Forget stressing; we’re making something fantastic!
Why This Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken Bowl Works for You
I know you’re busy, so this recipe is designed to fit into your life, not the other way around! It scores high marks for flavor, speed, and that beautiful color profile that makes you excited to eat a healthy meal.
- It’s incredibly fast—we’re aiming for a full meal done in just 35 minutes. Talk about easy dinner recipes!
- It uses simple, whole ingredients, which keeps it perfect for your clean eating recipes journey.
- The presentation is stunning, which, let’s be honest, makes the food taste better!
Quick Preparation for a Gluten-Free Dinner
Seriously, total cook time is under 20 minutes once you chop everything. That means you can have a satisfying, perfectly balanced gluten free dinner on the table before you would have even decided what to order out. It’s a weeknight game-changer, I promise.
Restaurant-Quality Flavor in Your Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken Bowl
This is where my chef background really shines through. I spent time perfecting that glaze balance. We aren’t dealing with that overly sweet, syrupy stuff you get in bottles sometimes. Instead, we hit that perfect spot between savory tamari, bright vinegar, and sweet honey. It’s that attention to detail that elevates this simple bowl into something you’ll want to make every week. If you’re looking for more speedy, delicious options, check out some of my other easy gluten-free recipes!
Essential Ingredients for Your Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken Bowl
Okay, let’s talk about what’s going into this masterpiece. Since this is a Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken Bowl, ingredient quality really matters because there are so few moving parts. Everything has a job! You’ll need one pound of chicken breast, cubed up nicely after pounding it thin—this ensures it cooks evenly, which is super important when you’re moving fast.
For the aromatics, don’t skimp! We need one tablespoon of sesame oil for that nutty starting flavor, plus a tablespoon of minced garlic and two teaspoons of fresh grated ginger. And grab the white part of your green onions for the sauté; save the green tops for garnish later, deal?
For the sauce base, which brings all the flavor, you’ll need low sodium chicken broth, rice vinegar, and honey. That’s your sweet and tangy backbone. Then we hit the crunch and color with one chopped red bell pepper and two cups of broccoli florets. Make sure your raw veggies are chopped consistently so they cook at the same rate for you!
Ingredient Notes and Gluten-Free Substitutions
Here is the most crucial part when making any gluten free recipes: the soy sauce replacement. Traditionally, teriyaki uses soy sauce, but if you want this bowl truly gluten-free, you MUST swap it out for tamari. Tamari is basically Japanese soy sauce made without wheat, and it tastes incredible, often richer, in my opinion. Don’t worry, I have another favorite sauce coming up soon, but for this one, tamari is your best friend.
Finally, we thicken everything up using just a touch of cornstarch mixed with water to create a slurry. This is how we get that beautiful, thick coating on the chicken and veggies without adding a ton of extra sugar! Trust me, using fresh ginger and good quality tamari makes a huge difference in the final product.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making the Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken Bowl
This is where the magic really happens, and honestly, it’s all about organization. Since we’re moving fast, get everything chopped and ready to go—mise en place, as we say in the kitchen! The most important technique here, which helps us immensely with the Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken Bowl timing, is flattening the chicken. Pounding it to about half an inch thick ensures every cube cooks through at the same speed, giving you that perfect golden sear and avoiding tough bits.
Preparing the Chicken and Aromatics
First thing? Pound those chicken breasts down evenly and slice them into one-inch cubes. Toss them with just salt and pepper. Grab your non-stick skillet and get that toasted sesame oil hot over medium heat. Toss in the garlic, ginger, and the white parts of the green onion—let them sizzle for about 30 seconds until they smell amazing. Then, add your seasoned chicken. We want to cook this for about 2 to 3 minutes per side until it gets nice and golden brown. This sear traps all the flavor inside! Once they look mostly done, scrape them out onto a plate and set them aside. Don’t clean the pan; those chicken bits add flavor to the veggies!
Sautéing Vegetables and Creating the Glaze
Now for the vibrant color! Toss your chopped pepper and broccoli right into that same skillet. If the pan looks dry, add just a tiny splash more oil. Sauté these until they start to look tender—usually about five minutes when you want them to still have a nice bite to them. While that’s happening, you *must* make your cornstarch slurry. In a tiny separate dish, whisk that cornstarch into cold water until it’s completely smooth. If you dump it straight into the hot liquid, you’ll get lumps, and nobody wants lumpy teriyaki sauce! Into another small bowl, quickly whisk your tamari, broth, vinegar, and honey. You’re building layers of flavor here, so give it a good whisk to combine everything before it hits the heat.
Finishing the Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken Bowl
Time to bring it all back together! Return that reserved, seared chicken back to the pan with the tender vegetables. Now, pour that beautiful sauce mixture right over everything. Keep it simmering gently for a few minutes. This is the crucial step where the sauce starts to bubble, and thanks to that little cornstarch slurry, it thickens up beautifully, clinging perfectly to the chicken and veggies. I always cut one chicken piece open here—just a quick check—to confirm it’s cooked all the way through before serving. Load this over your rice base, maybe some quinoa or cauliflower rice—I’ve got a great tip for making rice that pairs perfectly—then sprinkle on those reserved green onions, maybe some crushed red pepper flakes if you like a kick, and you’ve nailed a fantastic, quick Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken Bowl!
Tips for Perfect Gluten-Free Meal Prep with This Recipe
Because this dish comes together so quickly, it is naturally amazing for Gluten Free Meal Prep. You are already spending about 35 minutes cooking, so doing it once to cover lunches for the next few days is just smart! This recipe yields four satisfying servings, which is perfect for four lunches or a dinner plus lunch the next day.
The secret to making sure your leftovers taste just as good as the fresh batch is handling the sauce separately. When you store the chicken and vegetables, they will still be coated in plenty of sauce, but if you plan on freezing or storing it for more than two days, toss the veggies and chicken with maybe half the amount of sauce you think you need.
When you reheat, the sauce will loosen up. If you put too much on before storing, the vegetables—especially the broccoli—can get super soggy during the reheating process. Store the rice or whatever grain you use in a separate compartment in your meal prep container. Then, right before you eat it, quickly reheat the chicken/veggie mix and pour the remaining sauce you saved aside over the top. It keeps everything looking vibrant and tasting crisp!
If you want more ideas on making your life easier during the week, I’ve shared some great tips over on how to organize your cooking for the week, like my fun meal prep pasta recipe. Smart prepping saves so much stress later!
Serving Suggestions for Your Healthy Gluten Free Recipes
When you plate this dish, the visual appeal is just as important as the taste—that’s just how I roll being a food photographer! Serving this Healthy Gluten Free Recipes option is where you can really customize it to fit your macros or cravings for the day. The recipe instructions mention serving it over rice, which is a classic for a reason, but let’s explore some other excellent bases for your Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken Bowl.
If you’re looking to keep things lighter and packed with even more veggies, try serving the saucy chicken and peppers over a bed of fluffy quinoa or maybe even some lovely, slightly nutty brown rice. For those aiming for super low carbs, cauliflower rice is a fantastic, neutral base that soaks up that teriyaki glaze beautifully. I love using it when I want to feel extra virtuous but still crave big flavor.
Now, for the fun part: toppings! This is where you add texture and a final pop of color. Sesame seeds, toasted lightly, are a must for me—they look so professional sprinkled over the top and give a wonderful little crunch. Avocado slices are a game-changer; the creaminess cuts through the savory-sweet sauce perfectly.
Try adding thin slivers of fresh red chili or maybe some extra chopped green onion tops for brightness. These small additions turn a simple weeknight dinner into something you’d happily serve company. If you want more ideas on keeping your meals both healthy and interesting, definitely browse my collection of healthy recipes for weight loss!
Storage and Reheating Instructions for Leftover Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken Bowl
One of the best things about this Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken Bowl is that it seriously holds up well in the fridge. I often make a double batch just so I don’t have to cook the next day! Since this recipe yields four servings, you should have some leftovers unless you’re feeding a very hungry crowd.
To maximize freshness, you definitely want to store this properly. If you used a grain base like rice, the best method is to keep the rice separate from the chicken and vegetable mixture. When you store the cooked chicken and veggies, they will still be slightly coated in that delicious sauce, but give them the headspace they need; don’t cram them into the container.
I usually store my leftovers in airtight glass containers—they look better when you pull them out, plus they don’t stain, which is nice for such a colorful dish! This will comfortably keep for about three to four days in the refrigerator. Trust me, you’ll look forward to that lunch break!
When it comes to reheating, you absolutely must be gentle if you want to keep those broccoli florets from turning mushy! Microwaving works fastest, of course, but start low. Heat it in 30-second bursts, stirring well between each round. If it seems a bit dry after the first round—which can happen when the starch thickens further in the cold—add just a teaspoon of water or plain broth to the container before starting the second heating cycle. That splash of liquid helps reintroduce steam and loosens the sauce back up without making it watery. It brings it right back to that fresh-from-the-pan texture, making this a perfect option for your gluten free meal prep rotation!
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Sometimes, even when following instructions perfectly, things just don’t go exactly as planned in the kitchen. That’s totally normal! As a chef, I’ve learned that the key isn’t avoiding mistakes, but knowing how to fix them quickly so the meal can still shine. Don’t panic if your Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken Bowl acts a little weird while cooking; we can troubleshoot together!
For instance, if you get to Step 11 and the pan looks… watery. Uh oh. It happens! This means the cornstarch slurry just wasn’t quite enough, or maybe you didn’t let it simmer long enough for the starch to activate fully. Don’t dump the whole batch!
Sauce Too Thin
If your sauce is just not locking onto those veggies and chicken, here’s my fix: make a TINY extra slurry. Mix half a teaspoon of cornstarch with one teaspoon of cold water until smooth. Turn the heat of your pan down to low, pour in that tiny bit of slurry, and stir constantly for about 60 seconds. You’ll see it thicken right up. If it starts getting too thick for your liking after that, just add a splash of chicken broth to loosen it back to that perfect, glossy coating we want.
Chicken Sticking to the Pan
Did your chicken bits weld themselves to the bottom of your skillet when you tried to turn them? That’s almost always a temperature issue. If your pan wasn’t hot enough when the sesame oil went in, the chicken essentially steams instead of searing, and the sugars stick. My advice? When you pull the chicken out (Step 5), scrape up any nice brown bits—we call that fond, and it’s pure flavor! Then, before adding your veggies, toss them in quickly. If the sticking is really bad, just add a tiny drizzle more oil for the vegetables. For the next time you make this easy dinner recipe, make absolutely sure that oil is shimmering slightly before the chicken goes in.
Vegetables Too Soggy
This is the saddest one, especially since we want those vibrant colors! If your broccoli and peppers look lifeless and mushy, it means they cooked too long or the heat was too high without enough liquid to help them steam evenly. Next time, pull them off the heat about two minutes sooner than you think you should, right before you return the chicken to the pan. Remember, they’ll cook a little bit more when you add the simmering sauce later. For the current soggy batch, there’s no magic fix, but next time, focus on that shorter sauté time for the freshest crunch!
Frequently Asked Questions About Gluten Free Recipes
I always get questions after people try this Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken Bowl for the first time. It’s like once people realize how easy and delicious a truly great gluten free recipe can be, they want to know every secret! Here are the top things I usually hear.
What makes this recipe a great Gluten Free Dinner option?
It’s an absolute winner because every single component is naturally free of wheat, barley, and rye. We don’t rely on finding a specialty pasta or bread substitute here; we use whole foods! The main thing, as I’ve stressed, is using pure Tamari instead of standard soy sauce. That simple swap makes all the difference in keeping this a safe and incredibly flavorful gluten free dinner option. Plus, since it’s packed with chicken and vegetables, it hits all the marks for a balanced, clean meal.
Can I use store-bought teriyaki sauce?
You *can*, but I really, really advise against it unless you are in a huge pinch! Most pre-made teriyaki sauces have wheat as a thickener or use regular soy sauce, which immediately defeats the purpose of making this a dedicated Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken Bowl. If you absolutely must use a bottle store version, you need to turn that bottle upside down and read the ingredient list very carefully to ensure it explicitly says “Tamari” or “Certified Gluten-Free.” Honestly, though, the flavor you get from whisking together the broth, lime, honey, and tamari yourself is so much brighter and cleaner. It only added about 90 seconds to my prep time, and the quality jump is huge!
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breast?
Oh, absolutely, yes! Chicken thighs are my secret indulgence when I’m not strictly photographing the dish, because they have more fat, which keeps them even juicier. The only thing you need to remember is that because thighs are usually a bit thicker and have more connective tissue, you might need to add an extra minute or two to the searing time in Step 4 to make sure they are cooked through and beautifully browned. The sauce still works perfectly with them!
Do I need to use sesame oil?
Not strictly necessary, but I highly recommend it! Toasted sesame oil is one of those ingredients that pack a massive flavor punch without adding any bulk or calories. It gives our sauce that recognizable, slightly nutty Asian flavor profile. If you don’t have it, you can start with a bit of neutral oil (like canola or avocado) when sautéing the chicken, but then add about half a teaspoon of sesame oil right near the end when you add the vegetables, just to give yourself that authentic aromatic base. It’s worth tracking down a small bottle for recipes like this!
Estimated Nutritional Information
Listen, I am a cook and a photographer—not a registered dietitian! So, please take these numbers with a grain of salt, because they are rough estimates based on my standard recipe yield of four generous servings. We all know how much those little differences in chicken size or the exact amount of honey you drizzle in can skew things, but this gives you a good baseline for what you’re eating!
Overall, for a single bowl—which includes the chicken, veggies, and sauce served over an assumed serving of rice or grain base—you’re looking at a fantastic balance of protein to keep you full and carbs for energy. It feels like eating something indulgent, but the nutritional breakdown keeps it firmly in the clean eating recipes category.
Here is what my rough calculations show for one serving:
- Calories: 251 (Wow! That’s low for this much flavor!)
- Protein: 28g
- Carbohydrates: 21g
- Fat: 7g
- Sugar: 13g
- Sodium: 600mg (I kept this lower by using low-sodium broth and tamari!)
- Fiber: 2g
Keep in mind that if you use avocado or add extra seeds as a topping, those numbers will shift slightly, usually adding healthy fats. But for a quick, customized, healthy gluten free dinner, these macros are hard to beat!
Print
Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken Bowl
- Total Time: 35 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Make a quick, flavorful gluten-free teriyaki chicken bowl with vibrant vegetables for a satisfying weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
- 1/4 cup chopped green onion (white part only)
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 2 cups chopped broccoli florets
Instructions
- Pound the chicken to about 1/2 inch thick and cut into 1 inch cubes.
- Toss the chicken cubes with the salt and pepper.
- Heat a non-stick skillet with the sesame oil. Add the garlic, ginger, green onion, and seasoned chicken.
- Saute everything over medium heat, cooking the chicken on each side for 2-3 minutes until golden brown and mostly cooked through.
- Transfer the chicken mixture to a plate and set it aside.
- Add the chopped pepper and broccoli to the same pan. Add more oil if needed.
- Saute the vegetables for about 5 minutes or until fork tender.
- While the vegetables cook, whisk the cornstarch and water in a small dish until smooth.
- Whisk together all sauce ingredients (tamari, broth, vinegar, honey, and cornstarch slurry).
- Return the chicken to the pan with the vegetables.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Cut a piece of chicken to confirm it is completely cooked through.
- Serve the mixture over rice and top with red pepper flakes and the remaining green onion.
Notes
- This recipe is good for meal prep.
- Use tamari instead of soy sauce to keep the recipe gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 251
- Sugar: 13g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 21g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
Keywords: Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken Bowl, Gluten Free Recipes, Gluten Free Dinner, Healthy Gluten Free Recipes, Easy Dinner Recipes, Clean Eating Recipes, Gluten Free Meal Prep, Teriyaki chicken bowl, Healthy chicken dinner