Weeknight Magic: Saucy Teriyaki Chicken Bowls in 20 Minutes For Under $20

A bold, flavor-packed dinner you can throw together faster than delivery 🥡

Today I am changing things up on Substack and we aren’t talking about my divorce or travel essentials and such and such. Today I am sharing an easy recipe I’ve been making on repeat for a long time (because it’s quick, delicious, and budget friendly) and I thought you guys would love it too! We’ve all been there—staring in the fridge at 6pm wondering how to pull off something homemade without losing your mind or overspending on subpar takeout.

These Saucy Ground Teriyaki Chicken Bowls are my go-to solution for busy nights—and good news, it’s picky kid approved too. This isn’t the kind of teriyaki that comes bottled and flat. We’re talking a homemade sauce made with pantry staples that clings to the ground chicken like it was meant to be there—punched up with ginger, garlic, and just enough heat to keep it interesting. The whole thing comes together in under 20 minutes, costs around $20 for four generous servings, and tastes like a low-key weeknight miracle.

I’m keeping this one just for you, my Substack family, because you’re the kind of home cooks who get it: real food, real fast, without compromising on flavor. Let’s get into it.

Ground Chicken Teriyaki Bowls

Serves 4

Magic Teriyaki Sauce

½ cup low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos

1 tb arrowroot or tapioca or corn starch

2 tb water

2 tb sesame oil

3 tb honey

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Chicken Bowls

2 tb avocado oil

1 small onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, mashed

1 lb ground chicken

¾ cup shredded carrots

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 ½ cups broccoli florets, diced into small pieces

2 cups cooked jasmine rice

Garnishes: sliced green onions, sesame seeds

Instructions

First, prepare your rice according to package instructions, and set aside. Next, make the magic teriyaki sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce/coconut aminos, arrowroot/tapioca/corn starch, and water until fully dissolved. Then whisk in the rest of the ingredients—sesame oil, honey, garlic powder, ginger, and black pepper.

Next, add the avocado oil to a large pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the onion and saute for ~4 minutes, until it begins to soften. Add the garlic and cook for one minute more. Next, add the ground chicken and cook, breaking it up into as tiny of pieces as you can. Cook for ~4 minutes then add in your veggies. Continue to cook until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies have softened. Finally, pour the sauce on top. Stir for a few minutes until everything is coated perfectly with the sauce.

Remove from the heat and assemble your bowls—rice on the bottom and chicken mixture on top. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds and ENJOY!

Please let me know if you give this recipe a go! Oh, and please let me know in the comments below what topic you’d like my next Substack to be about — yes, you get to decide, because your opinion matters and I am grateful for you!

Hugs,
Nicole