Seared to golden perfection in a savory sauce, you’re going to love enjoying this hibachi chicken from the comfort of your kitchen! Serve it up with fried rice and yum yum sauce for the ultimate dinner experience!
For more delicious Asian-inspired meals you can easily make at home, try pork katsu, sticky Asian glazed chicken, or these Asian turkey lettuce wraps!
Hibachi Chicken
I have a weakness for sauces, and the combination of the soy sauce and vinegar on the chicken and the yum yum sauce it’s served with is heavenly. This easy hibachi chicken recipe comes together quickly, and it’s something a little different that you can try for dinner without having to put in too much time/effort!
The key to this recipe is to not overcook the chicken. You want your chicken seared and juicy! I highly recommend getting an instant read meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is just done (165F is the safe internal temperature). If the chicken breasts you buy are particularly large, you may want to cook the chicken in two batches so the pan isn’t over-crowded. The chicken should brown (it needs a little space) vs. steam (when it’s all clustered together).
What is Hibachi Chicken?
“Hibachi” refers to the cooking method – it’s a type of grill that’s found in Japanese restaurants (a metal cooking plate where food is cooked over a very high heat). It’s similar to teppanyaki. For the at-home version of this recipe, we simply use a hot skillet. Hibachi chicken is quickly seared and then finished in the delicious sauce.
Ingredients for Hibachi Chicken and Sauce
Here’s the lineup so you can create the perfect hibachi experience at home! Seared, savory flavor awaits.
- Chicken Breasts: Cut them up small so they cook quickly. (About 1-inch cubes.) You can also use chicken thighs if you prefer, just be sure they’re cooked to 165 F.
- Salt and Pepper: First layer of seasoning for the chicken.
- Carrots and Zucchini: Chopped to add bits freshness and texture.
- Vegetable Oil: For cooking the chicken and veggies in the skillet.
- Rice: Optional, but great for serving the hibachi chicken with!
- Green Onions: Chopped, for a pop of fresh onion flavor on top.
- Yum Yum Sauce: Another optional ingredient, but I highly recommend serving your hibachi chicken with this! It’s perfect for dipping and so savory and creamy.
What is Yum Yum Sauce?
Yum yum sauce is found at Japanese steakhouses and commonly served with Hibachi Chicken. It’s quick and easy to make at home with simple ingredients. You can use Japanese mayo or regular mayo if that’s what you’ve got on hand.
Hibachi Sauce
- Yellow Onion: Chopped finely, so each bite has sweetness and depth.
- Garlic and Ginger: Your tasty aromatics.
- Soy Sauce: Base of the sauce, adds savory flavor. Use low-sodium soy sauce so the sauce isn’t too salty. Or use tamari sauce as a gluten-free alternative!
- Rice Wine Vinegar and Chinkiang Vinegar: Tangy vinegars for bright, acidic flavor. If you can’t find chinkiang vinegar at the store, try your local Asian grocer!
- Lemon Juice: Adds a bit of brightness/acidity to finish the chicken with.
- Brown Sugar: Balances the acidity with sweetness.
- Black Pepper: So your chicken has a little extra warmth and spice.
Let’s Make Hibachi Chicken!
Get that skillet nice and hot, it’s time to make some golden, flavorful hibachi chicken that the whole family will love!
- Cut and Season Chicken: Prepare the chicken by dicing it into 1 inch pieces. Then toss the chicken with the salt and pepper to season.
- Prepare Hibachi Sauce: Add the onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, chinkiang vinegar, lemon juice, brown sugar, and pepper to a blender and pulsing until the sauce is pureed to the desired consistency.
- Sauté: Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Then add in the seasoned chicken. Sauté until the chicken is just seared on each side.
- Add Vegetables and Sauce: To the pan add the carrots, zucchini, and ½ cup hibachi sauce. Saute until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has reduced. You can also add more sauce as needed.
- Enjoy: Remove the chicken and vegetables from the skillet and then serve over rice with the yum yum sauce.
Tips for the Best Hibachi Chicken
- More Vegetables: You can change out the vegetables in this recipe for any of your favorites. Broccoli, water chestnuts, mushrooms, or green beans would also go great with this recipe!
- Adjust the Amount of Sauce: Start with ½ cup of hibachi sauce and add more as you like, I ended up using ¾ cup total.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Reheat on the stove over medium heat when you’re ready to enjoy your hibachi chicken again! This keeps the chicken seared and juicy, not rubbery.
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Hibachi Chicken
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Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup carrots, sliced
- 1 cup zucchini, chopped
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Rice for serving
- Green onions, chopped for serving
Hibachi Sauce
- ½ yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 ½ tablespoons ginger, grated
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chinkiang vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Yum Yum Sauce
Instructions
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Prepare the chicken by dicing it into 1 inch pieces. Toss the chicken with the salt and pepper to season.
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Add the onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, chinkiang vinegar, lemon juice, brown sugar, and pepper to a blender and pulsing until the sauce is pureed to the desired consistency.
-
Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add in the seasoned chicken and sauté until the chicken is just seared on each side.
-
To the pan add the carrots, zucchini, and ½ cup hibachi sauce, saute until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has reduced. Add more sauce as needed.
-
Remove the chicken and vegetables from the skillet and serve over rice with the yum yum sauce.
Notes
Updated on January 27, 2023
