Teriyaki Marinade is loaded full of all the classic flavors that teriyaki should be! From soy sauce, to pineapple juice, to brown sugar, to garlic and additional seasonings, this marinade is purely delicious! Marinate chicken, steak or pork, or toss it in to create a luscious teriyaki sauce for your stir-fry. The possibilities are endless!

Ingredients Needed for Teriyaki Marinade
Making a homemade marinade should be hassle-free and simple. That’s exactly why I created this teriyaki marinade to be made of ingredients that you most likely already have in your pantry and refrigerator! Keep these ingredients needed on hand so that you can whip up a homemade marinade whenever you need!
- Soy sauce
- Pineapple juice – I keep a 6-pack of these 6 fl oz cans in my pantry for occasions such as this!
- Brown sugar
- Garlic – this is a STAPLE in my house! Quick and hassle-free chopped garlic.
- Onion powder
- Ground ginger
Since this is a homemade marinade, it may not be as “dark brown” as you are used to if you use this marinade as a sauce for your dish, and that’s ok! Trust me, the allll the flavor is still there! It just lightens up a bit naturally as it cooks.

How to Use the Teriyaki Marinade
After you have the marinade whipped up, there are endless ways that you can use it! From different meats, veggies, to different cooking applications. Let’s break down all the ways you can use this Teriyaki Marinade:
Meats:
- Chicken: breasts, tenders, thighs, legs or rub it all over a whole chicken! Marinade the chicken, or sauté it in the sauce! The marinated chicken is also perfect on the grill.
- Steak: skirt steak or flank steak love marinades! Grill or pan-sear it afterwards.
- Pork: pork chops, pork tenderloin or thinly sliced pork marinated and then sautéd or grilled.
- Seafood: shrimp, cod, salmon. Instead of marinating the seafood, sauté or glaze the seafood with the marinade while cooking!
Vegetables:
- Stir-fry vegetables: bell peppers and onions sautéd in a bit of the marinade!
- Portabella mushrooms: glaze with the marinade before grilling.
Cooking Methods:
- Sauté
- Grill
- Roast
- Bake
- Slow Cooker
- Smoke
Ways to Serve the Teriyaki Marinated Cooked Meats & Vegetables:
- Grilled with rice and veggies
- Stir-fry
- Noodle bowls – try out my Teriyaki Beef & Broccoli Noodle Bowl recipe with this marinade!
- Kabobs – layer the marinated meat with fresh pineapple chunks, onion quarters and bell pepper pieces on your kabob before grilling!
- Salad toppings

Marinade FAQ’s
-
How long should I marinate chicken or steak?
A general rule of thumb, don’t go over 24 hours. Anywhere from 1 hour to 8 hours is prime marinating time! Another thing to keep in mind is the toughness of the meat you are marinating. Chicken will marinate faster than a flank steak since it is not as dense and tough as a flank steak.
-
What do I do with the leftover marinade from the meat?
Unfortunately, it will need to be discarded. Since it has been infusing with the meat and vice versa, you don’t want to risk any cross-contamination issues.
-
How do I sauté with a marinade and use it as a sauce?
If you are wanting to use the teriyaki marinade more as a sauce, then skip the whole marinating process. Here’s an example of how you can do this: cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders into 1-inch pieces, sauté the chicken until golden brown and then add in about half to all of the marinade to create a saucy, chicken teriyaki recipe. This application can be applied to shrimp, thinly sliced beef or pork as well.
-
How long does the marinade last in the refrigerator?
Un-used marinade will keep in the refrigerator for 5 days in an air-tight container.
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How do I thicken Teriyaki Marinade to use as a sauce?
After you pour the marinade into the skillet and it starts to bubble and cook, spoon a few tablespoons of the sauce into a small dish. Whisk in 1 teaspoon of corn starch in until clump free, then pour everything back into the pan. Stir to combine and the sauce should instantly start to thicken!

Teriyaki is one of my absolute favorites, and I can’t wait to see how you bring this marinade to life in your own kitchen! From grilling, to sautéing, to roasting, you can’t go wrong with a full-flavored teriyaki marinade!

Teriyaki Marinade
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
Description
Teriyaki Marinade is loaded full of all the classic flavors that teriyaki should be! From soy sauce, to pineapple juice, to brown sugar, to garlic and additional seasonings, this marinade is purely delicious! Marinate chicken, steak or pork, or toss it in to create a luscious teriyaki sauce for your stir-fry. The possibilities are endless!
Ingredients
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 6 fl oz pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients together in a bowl, glass or Mason jar and whisk until smooth. Use teriyaki marinade as desired.
Notes
- How to use as a marinade: marinade the chicken, steak or pork for 1 hour minimum to 8 hours maximum. Discard leftover marinade prior to cooking the meat.
- How to use as a sauce: sauté the desired meat or vegetables and add in about half of the marinade to create a sauce. If you want a really saucy outcome, add in all of the marinade.
- How to use as a glaze: baste your meat with the sauce while it is roasting or grilling. Perfect option for seafood!
- Serving ideas: stir-fry, kabobs, noodle bowls, salad toppings, grilled meats and vegetables with rice.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Sauces
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 66
- Sugar: 11.7g
- Sodium: 1800mg
- Fat: 0.1g
- Carbohydrates: 14.9g
- Fiber: 0.4g
- Protein: 2.2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: teriyaki, marinade, teriyaki marinade, teriyaki chicken

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