Copycat Panda Express Teriyaki Chicken Grilled
Takeout teriyaki chicken seems a little strange. Not bad, exactly. Just… not quite what you want it to be.
The Panda Express teriyaki chicken everyone keeps talking about is actually grilled, not fried. Whole chicken thigh, scored, seared on a flat-top grill, then sliced and glazed with that sweet, sticky mandarin teriyaki sauce. Simple. That’s it. But somehow it hits different when you watch someone make it properly and think, Wait, I could do that.
I reviewed this recipe from Steven Rivera’s YouTube channel. But I watched every second of that video carefully and pulled out what matters most for you. He makes it feel easy. Honestly, it looks delicious.
Table of Contents
What Makes This Work
The short answer? Chicken thighs and a real sauce.
Thighs stay moist under high heat. Breasts dry out. That’s not an opinion; that’s just what happens. The fat content in dark meat helps preserve the texture when you grill at medium-high. If you’ve ever made teriyaki with chicken breast and felt disappointed, that’s probably why.
The sauce is where the flavor actually lives. Garlic, sugar, soy sauce, a little ginger, and cornstarch for thickness. When those ingredients hit a hot surface together, something called the Maillard reaction kicks in. The amino acids in soy sauce react with sugars as the sauce heats, creating the deep aroma and glossy coat you see on restaurant-style teriyaki. That gloss isn’t decoration. It shows that the sauce and chicken are combining.
Steven’s approach in the video keeps things clean. No fancy ingredients. No 12-hour marinating. He leans into technique over complexity. I liked that part. It’s honest cooking.
Ingredients for Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
For the chicken:
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the teriyaki sauce:
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (low-sodium works well)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoons cold water (slurry)
How to Make Copycat Panda Express Teriyaki Chicken: Step-by-Step
Pat your chicken thighs dry. Coat them lightly with oil, then season both sides with salt and pepper. Don’t skip drying them first. Moisture on the surface fights browning.
Heat a cast-iron grill pan or grill to medium-high. Target around 375°F to 400°F. You want actual sear marks and some char at the edges. That char is flavor.
Grill the thighs for five to six minutes on each side.. Don’t press them down or move them too early. Let the surface release naturally.
For thicker thighs (over 1 inch), add 2 extra minutes per side. For thinner pieces, 4 minutes per side is usually enough. Use a thermometer. Internal temp should hit 165°F.
In a small saucepan, mix soy sauce, sugar, water, lemon juice, garlic powder, and ginger while the chicken cooks.. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Stir your cornstarch slurry into the boiling sauce after making it separately. Lower the heat and cook until it thickens and becomes glossy, two to three minutes.
After removing the chicken from the grill, let it five minutes to rest. Then slice it against the grain into pieces. Spoon the sauce over the top rather than tossing. That’s actually what Panda does. Sauce on top, not cooked into the meat.
Plate with sticky rice or steamed vegetables. Or build a full, easy teriyaki chicken bowl with both. It takes roughly the same amount of time to cook sticky rice in a rice cooker as it does to prepare chicken. Perfect timing.
Cooking Time by Thickness
| Thigh Thickness | Grill Time Per Side |
| Under 3/4 inch | 4 minutes |
| 3/4 to 1 inch | 5 to 6 minutes |
| Over 1 inch | 7 to 8 minutes |
Always confirm with a meat thermometer. 165°F internal temperature, no exceptions.
Is Panda Express Teriyaki Chicken Healthy?
Honestly, it’s one of the better items on their menu.
A standard 6-ounce serving of Panda Express Grilled Teriyaki Chicken contains approximately 275 calories, 33 grams of protein, 14 grams of carbohydrates, 10 grams of fat, 470 milligrams of sodium, and 9 grams of sugar. Panda Express Menus
That’s a good amount for a high-protein chicken dish. Over 30 grams of protein in one serving, no breading, no frying. If you’re tracking teriyaki chicken macros for meal prep or a calorie deficit, this is a dish worth building into your week.
The sodium sits at 470mg per serving at the restaurant. When you make a healthy alternative to Panda Express teriyaki chicken at home, you can cut that significantly by using low-sodium soy sauce and controlling how much sauce you add. The sugar in the glaze is the main thing to watch if you’re going for low sugar teriyaki chicken.
Cook two batches of teriyaki chicken on Sunday and refrigerate the sauce separately for supper prep. The chicken keeps nicely in the refrigerator for four days. Reheat gently and add fresh sauce when serving.
Wondering if Panda Express teriyaki chicken is healthy compared to their other items? It’s genuinely one of the cleaner choices. The orange chicken, by comparison, is breaded and fried. This one is better than Panda Express teriyaki chicken versions you’d find elsewhere on the menu.
A Few Notes from Watching the Video
Steven keeps the sauce simple and doesn’t overthink it. Smart move. One thing I noticed: he lets the sauce reduce fully before spooning it over. That step matters. An under-reduced sauce just slides off.
If you want to try a different cooking method, you might also enjoy using an air‑fryer technique for a slightly different texture with the same marinade. Works surprisingly well for weeknight speed.
Or if you want the flavor of outdoor grilling with additional charr, check out these chicken drumsticks grilled over charcoal. Same energy, different cut.
Food Safety Tips
- Always wash your hands before and after handling raw chicken.
- Use a separate cutting board for raw poultry.
- Never use a marinade that has touched raw chicken as the final sauce. Make a separate batch.
- Internal temperature must reach 165°F. Don’t guess.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking.
Bonus Tips
- For a deeper flavor in your teriyaki chicken marinade, let the seasoned chicken sit in the fridge for 30 minutes before grilling, even without full marinating.
- If your sauce gets too thick, add a tablespoon of water and stir over low heat.
- For a marinade for delicious grilled chicken, a splash of rice vinegar in the sauce brightens everything.
- Leftovers make an excellent filling for a delicious sandwich with chicken patties the next day.
Tell me what you think of this recipe in the comments below. Did the sauce turn out glossy? Did you adjust anything? Leave your questions there, too, and I’ll answer them.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Pat chicken thighs dry. Coat with oil, season with salt and pepper.
- Preheat grill or grill pan over medium-high heat (375°F to 400°F).
- Grill chicken 5 to 6 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Combine sauce ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil, stir in cornstarch slurry, simmer 2 to 3 minutes until thickened.
- Rest chicken 5 minutes. Slice against the grain.
- Spoon teriyaki sauce over sliced chicken. Serve with rice.
Notes
- Use low-sodium soy sauce to reduce sodium.
- Sauce can be made 3 days ahead and refrigerated.
- Chicken thighs are strongly preferred over breast for moisture and texture.
- For meal prep teriyaki chicken, store chicken and sauce separately for up to 4 days.
- Credit for original recipe method: Steven Rivera on YouTube.
