Teriyaki Chicken Salad

Enjoy this Teriyaki Chicken Salad filled with tender teriyaki glazed chicken, creamy avocado, crisp cucumbers, and sweet carrots. It has the familiar flavors sushi lovers adore, all brought together in a fresh and satisfying bowl. The simple homemade dressing doubles as the marinade, which means every bite carries that rich teriyaki flavor without extra steps.

This teriyaki chicken salad recipe is our easy go to when we want something bright, bold, and ready in minutes. It is the kind of salad with teriyaki chicken that feels both comforting and refreshing, making it good for lunch, dinner, or a quick meal you can rely on any day of the week. If you enjoy those sweet and savory Asian-inspired flavors, our honey sesame salmon baked in foil is another simple option that pairs beautifully with crisp salads like this.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

What makes this Teriyaki Chicken Salad so good is the way each part earns its place. The chicken is marinated and cooked in a simple homemade teriyaki sauce, giving you deep flavor without extra effort. The fresh vegetables add texture and balance, while the creamy avocado rounds everything out.

This teriyaki chicken salad recipe also stands out because the same dressing acts as the marinade, so the flavors stay consistent and rich from start to finish. You get a teriyaki salad that tastes like something you would order at a favorite café but made quickly in your own kitchen.

What Goes Into Teriyaki Chicken Salad

This Teriyaki Chicken Salad uses simple pantry staples but gets its standout flavor from a well balanced homemade marinade.

• Soy Sauce: Forms the base of the teriyaki marinade and gives the chicken its deep savory backbone without overpowering the other flavors.
• Mirin: Adds gentle sweetness and shine to the sauce, helping the glaze cling beautifully to the chicken as it cooks.
• Chicken Thighs: Juicy and forgiving, they soak up the marinade quickly and stay tender even when cooked at high heat.
• Avocado: Adds creaminess that balances the sweet and savory teriyaki flavors, making the salad feel complete and substantial.

Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingedients with measurements.

On the stove

1. Mix the Marinade: Combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and garlic in a bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves.

1. Reserve the Sauce: Pour out one half cup of the marinade into a small bowl and set it aside for the dressing.

1. Marinate the Chicken: Add the chicken thighs to the remaining marinade and coat them evenly on all sides.

1. Cook Chicken: Heat oil in a skillet over medium high, sear chicken on both sides, then add the leftover marinade and let it reduce.

1. Make the Dressing: Whisk the reserved marinade with rice wine vinegar and sesame oil, then add a splash of water to loosen it.

1. Assemble: Arrange vegetables in a bowl, slice chicken over the top, add sesame seeds and seaweed, and finish with the dressing.

If you want a little extra comfort on the side One Pot Orzo Primavera works wonderfully. It is light, colorful, and has a mild buttery flavor that does not compete with the teriyaki glaze. For something warm and savory Buttery Garlic Mushrooms add richness and depth, making the whole meal feel more complete without weighing you down. If you prefer something fresh and crunchy Caprese Stuffed Avocado brings creaminess and brightness that tie in perfectly with the flavors of the chicken salad.

Kitchen tip

• We get a reliable flavor when we give the chicken at least twenty minutes in the marinade, even if we are in a rush. A short soak still makes a noticeable difference.
• Cooking the chicken in a well heated pan helps the sauce thicken quickly and gives the glaze that glossy finish.
• If the dressing tastes too strong, we like adding a little extra water to soften the flavor without watering it down too much.
• Slicing the vegetables right before serving keeps the salad crisp, especially the cucumbers and carrots.

Recipe FAQ's

Let it rest after cooking so the juices settle, and avoid over reducing the sauce. A quick sear over medium high heat is enough to keep it juicy.

You can swap both with an equal amount of water mixed with a little extra sugar. The flavor will be milder but still works well for this recipe.

Whisk in small amounts of water until it reaches the consistency you prefer. Add slowly so the flavor stays balanced.

What you need

• 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons mirin
• 3 tablespoons sake
• 2 tablespoons sugar brown or white are both fine to use
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast fillets
• 1/4 cup untouched teriyaki dressing from above
• 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 4 cups Romaine lettuce or Cos lettuce leaves, washed and dried
• 1/2 cucumber large, sliced
• 1 carrot sliced thin or grated
• 1 avocado sliced
• 1 green onion Australian shallots, sliced
• 1 pinch sesame seeds
• 1/4 seaweed sheet shredded

Method

1. Combine together the soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar and garlic in a medium-sized shallow bowl; mix well until sugar dissolves. Pour out 1/2 cup of sauce into a small bowl for later use; set aside.
2. Add the chicken thighs into the marinade in the bowl, and coat evenly.
3. Heat the oil in a good quality non-stick pan or well seasoned skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for about 5 minutes, flip, and continue to sear for a further 3 minutes. Add in the remaining sauce leftover in the bowl, and continue cooking with the chicken until the sauce thickens and reduces down. Once cooked, allow to rest for 5 minutes while preparing the dressing.
4. Whisk together the reserved marinade from step 1, with the rice wine vinegar and sesame oil. Add 2 tablespoons water; mix well.
5. Prepare all of the salad ingredients in a large salad bowl and mix. Slice the chicken and arrange over salad. Top with the green onion slices, sesame seeds, shredded seaweed, and drizzle with dressing.