Grilled Teriyaki Chicken over a coconut lime rice with grilled pineapple and onion. If you don’t have a grill, try making this chicken in a grill pan or in a George Foreman!

Grilled chicken teriyaki over a coconut rice with grilled pineapple and onion

Teriyaki Chicken over Coconut Rice

Over the past year, I’ve grown to love grilling fresh fruit. The smoky flavor and soft texture are amazinggrilled peaches with ice cream are a favorite, along with pineapple and mango.

I also love grilled pineapple with chicken or salmon. These salmon mojo bowls and chicken bowls with a mango salsa are some of my favorite go-to recipes.

I’ve even upgraded it by pairing grilled pineapple with chicken teriyaki, and my family can’t get enough of it. When teriyaki sauce is involved, my boys eat tons!

How To Make Teriyaki Chicken:

  1. Start with chicken—breasts, thighs, or tenders. Slice breasts in half or pound to an even thickness for better marinade and even cooking.
  2. The sauce works as both a marinade and topping. Marinate the chicken in a bag with enough cooled sauce to coat.
  3. Grill times vary: thighs take longer, tenders cook faster. Breasts need 4-6 minutes per side on medium heat.
  4. Serve the chicken over coconut lime rice with fruits and veggies, and top with the same sauce for perfect teriyaki!
Coconut flakes used to top this dish.

Let’s Talk Sauce:

This easy homemade teriyaki sauce beats store-bought every time and only takes one pot and a few minutes:

  • In a small pot, combine all ingredients (except cornstarch and water) over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring for one minute.
  • Whisk cornstarch and water until dissolved, then drizzle into the sauce while stirring. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
  • Marinate the chicken in part of the sauce and serve the rest over the chicken, fruits/veggies, and coconut lime rice.

What To Serve With Teriyaki Chicken:

  • Grilled pineapple pairs perfectly with teriyaki chicken. Coat thick pineapple slices in canola oil and sea salt to enhance sweetness. It’s also great with Pineapple Salsa.
  • For convenience, look for pre-cored fresh pineapple in the produce or deli section of your grocery store, often near the vegetable trays.
  • Vegetables are another great side—grill, sauté, steam, or roast them. I love grilled red onion, broccoli, carrots, zucchini, and peppers.
  • Rice is a must. My family loves coconut lime rice, which is simple to make and adds a tasty touch.
Teriyaki chicken over coconut rice.

More Delicious Chicken Dinners:

5 from 5 votes

Teriyaki Chicken over Coconut Rice

Teriyaki Chicken over Coconut Rice features tender teriyaki-marinated chicken grilled to perfection, served over fragrant coconut rice, and paired with sweet, caramelized pineapple and smoky grilled onions.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Marinating Chicken: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1.5 pounds
  • Vegetable oil or canola oil, for grilling
  • 1/2 of a large pineapple core removed and cut into thick coins
  • 1 small red onion sliced into thick coins
  • Toasted coconut flakes optional
  • Fresh cilantro optional
Rice
  • 1 (13.5-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups jasmine rice
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar packed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 lime
Teriyaki Sauce
  • 1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon ginger paste
  • 1 teaspoon garlic minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch plus 1/2 tablespoon water

Instructions 

For the Coconut Rice:

  • Add coconut milk, water, salt (I add 1 teaspoon), and brown sugar to a pot. Bring to a boil, then stir in the rice. Return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and cook 15 minutes, stirring every 5–6 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand (covered) for 10 minutes. Uncover, fluff the rice, and add the zest and juice of 1 lime.

For the Teriyaki Sauce:

  • In a small pot over medium heat, add soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger paste, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes.
  • In a small separate bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth. Drizzle into the pot slowly while whisking constantly. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, and boil for about 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and allow to thicken.
  • Slice chicken breasts in half widthwise and pound to even thickness to get 4 even pieces of chicken. Set aside in a large resealable plastic bag and pour 1/3 of the teriyaki sauce over the chicken beasts in the bag. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to 6 hours.
  • Make sure your grill grates are clean and greased. To grease, dredge a paper towel in vegetable oil and, holding it with tongs, rub it all over the grate. Preheat grill to medium heat, about 375–450°F. Don’t go hotter than 450 to avoid drying out the chicken. Grill the chicken until completely cooked through (about 4–6 minutes per side depending on heat of the grill) Chicken should be at 165°F at its thickest part. Remove 2 tablespoons from the reserved teriyaki sauce and brush it over the chicken as it grills. Reserve the rest of the teriyaki sauce for enjoying over the dinner.
  • Drizzle some olive oil and salt to both sides of the sliced red onions and sliced pineapple rings. Grill onion and pineapple (again, on a well greased grate), 1–3 minutes per side, then remove to a plate.

To serve:

  • Divide coconut lime rice evenly among 4 serves. Add the grilled chicken, grilled pineapple, and grilled red onion (you can chop up the onion if desired). Add fresh cilantro and toasted coconut as desired. Serve with remaining teriyaki sauce lightly drizzled on top or in a side dish (avoid adding too much!). Enjoy!

Video

Recipe Notes

Recipe adapted from Tastes Better from Scratch.
Storage: Store the rice and chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Keep the sauce separate, and it’ll last up to a week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 417kcal

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Meet Chelsea


Hello, and welcome to Chelsea’s Messy Apron! I’m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. I’m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping by—I hope you find something delicious to make!

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5 from 5 votes (1 rating without comment)

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17 Comments

  1. Amber says:

    Does you need to cook the rice before heating it up with the coconut milk or use uncooked rice?

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      Uncooked! It cooks in the coconut milk

  2. Dalia Shehyn says:

    5 stars
    I have made this so many times! I’m going to post it on my IG and tag you.

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      Oh I’m so excited to see! 🙂

  3. Lisa Simpson says:

    5 stars
    This recipe turned out so good. I’ll never make teriyaki without the coconut milk rice again. It made it so good. I made this without chicken, only vegetables and it was still great. I messed up and added 4 times the ginger, but I’ll just use less next time everything else was good.

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      So happy you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂

  4. Corrina T says:

    5 stars
    Delicious teriyaki sauce! Great recipe my family loved!

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      I’m so happy your family enjoyed it! Thanks so much for your comment Corrina! 🙂

  5. Ehu xi says:

    The rice was extremely salty using 1 tsp. of salt. If I make this again I’ll adjust the salt to 1/4 tsp. The chicken and teriyaki sauce was very good.

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      Yes, unfortunately, salts vary greatly so definitely salt to personal preference. Sorry it was too salty for you! Glad you enjoyed the chicken and sauce!

  6. Gould Daddy says:

    5 stars
    Yummy!!

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      Thank you! 🙂 So happy you enjoyed 🙂

  7. Kris says:

    Chelsey, this looks and sounds amazing! Will try it this week 🙂 Thanks!

    1. Kris says:

      So sorry about posting with your name misspelled…

    2. chelseamessyapron says:

      Awesome! Hope you enjoy!! 🙂

  8. Brittany Audra says:

    Absolutely cannot wait to try making that homemade teriyaki sauce! Looks delicious 🙂

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      You’re going to love it! Enjoy! 🙂