Teriyaki Chicken Casserole (Easy Leftover Chicken Dinner)
Teriyaki chicken casserole is sweet, sticky, garlicky comfort you’ll want to eat straight out of the pan!!! Every grain of rice is drenched in warm homemade teriyaki sauce, and the tender chicken soaks up so much of it that each forkful drips. Fair warning, you’ll be sneaking a second scoop before anyone else sits down.
This teriyaki chicken casserole bakes cooked chicken, cooked rice and frozen stir-fry vegetables in a homemade teriyaki sauce. Starting with chicken and rice that are already cooked means dinner only needs a quick sauce and one bake.
Why You’ll Love This Teriyaki Chicken Casserole
- Your leftover chicken and rice turn into a brand-new dinner.
- It tastes like a takeout teriyaki bowl, baked in your own oven.
- The homemade sauce soaks into every grain of rice.
Let me tell you about Kyoto Bowl. Back when Chad and I were first dating, we used to go to this Asian bowl place and order teriyaki bowls: teriyaki chicken over rice with all the things on it, and plenty of teriyaki sauce. The one by us closed years ago.
This casserole is an easy, homemade version of that favorite I’m so fond of.
And the best part? It comes together perfectly with leftover chicken and leftover rice, if there ever was such a thing. It’s just so easy that it’s hard not to love it.
Donna’s Pro Tips for Teriyaki Chicken Casserole
- Break up cold rice first. Crumble clumps of leftover rice with your fingers before it goes in the dish, so the sauce reaches every grain.
- Shred the chicken small. Bite-size shreds hold more sauce than big chunks, and they heat through faster.
- Serve the reserved sauce on the side. Everyone adds as much as they like, and the casserole stays balanced for the folks who like it lighter.
Cold rice and cold chicken heat from the outside in, which is why the recipe has you check the middle.
Leftovers should reach 165°F all the way through, and the center of a full 9×13 dish is always the last spot to get there.
The cornstarch gets whisked into cold water first because cornstarch clumps the second it hits hot liquid.
Once it’s in the simmering sauce, it thickens as it heats and turns the sauce silky enough to coat every bite.
Baking uncovered lets the sauce bubble up and soak into the rice, but the rice on top can dry out.
That’s why you peek at 25 minutes. I know you want to dig in the second it comes out of the oven, so give the center that quick temperature check first.
Ingredient Notes
Cooked chicken: Leftover, rotisserie or chicken you cooked ahead all work. Rotisserie chicken makes this the easiest rotisserie chicken casserole around, and if you cook a big batch of chicken one day a week like I do, this is a great place to use it.
Rice: The recipe was tested with jasmine or long-grain white rice, which soaks up the sauce and stays tender.
Got extra leftover rice? My Easy Hot Dog Fried Rice Recipe is another great way to use it.
Low-sodium soy sauce: Soy sauce brings most of the salt here, and the full-flavored chicken stock brings more, so low-sodium soy keeps everything in balance.
Mirin or rice vinegar: Mirin is a sweet rice wine that adds a gentle sweetness. Rice vinegar adds a little tang instead and keeps the dish alcohol-free.
Variations
Skip the rice bake: Want teriyaki chicken on its own? My One Pan Teriyaki Chicken in the Oven is right up your alley.
Add pineapple: Pineapple chunks are a classic teriyaki pairing and would add sweet, juicy bites to every scoop.
Bring the heat: A pinch of red pepper flakes whisked into the sauce adds a gentle kick.
More teriyaki: If teriyaki is your love language too, try my Best Ever Teriyaki Meatballs, Easy Homemade Teriyaki Steak Recipe or Best Teriyaki Salmon in the Air Fryer Recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions About Teriyaki Chicken Casserole
Can I use rotisserie chicken in teriyaki chicken casserole?
Absolutely. One rotisserie chicken gives you just about the 3 cups you need, so it’s the easiest shortcut there is.
Why is my teriyaki chicken casserole dry?
Usually the rice on top lost its moisture in the oven. Check at 25 minutes, cover loosely with foil if it looks dry, and drizzle the reserved sauce over the top before serving.
Can I make teriyaki chicken casserole ahead of time?
You can assemble it, cover it and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake. Since it starts cold, plan on extra oven time and bake until the center reads 165°F.
Can I freeze teriyaki chicken casserole?
Yes! Freeze cooled portions for up to 3 months, then thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Can I use brown rice?
The recipe was tested with jasmine or long-grain white rice. Cooked brown rice is chewier and soaks up sauce differently, so the casserole will bake up a little firmer and drier.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Teriyaki Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
For the Teriyaki Sauce
- 12 ounces chicken stock, about 1 1/2 cups, , I use Kitchen Basics
- 3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons mirin or rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced , (about 2 teaspoons)
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
For the Casserole
- 4 cups cooked jasmine or long-grain white rice
- 15 ounces cooked chicken, shredded or chopped, (about 3 cups)
- 1 – 16 ounce bag frozen stir-fry vegetables, (about 4 cups)
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, optional
Instructions
- PREHEAT AND PREP THE DISH: Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
- SIMMER THE SAUCE: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 12 ounces chicken stock, about 1 1/2 cups, 3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce, 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 teaspoons mirin or rice vinegar, 2 cloves garlic, minced , 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon chili powder. Bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat, with small bubbles breaking steadily across the surface, and whisk until you can no longer feel brown sugar grains on the bottom of the pan.
- THICKEN THE SAUCE: In a small bowl, whisk 1/4 cup cold water and 3 tablespoons cornstarch until smooth with no lumps. Cold water lets the cornstarch mix in evenly, so the sauce stays silky. Whisk it into the simmering sauce and keep simmering, whisking often, about 5 minutes, until the sauce turns glossy and coats the back of a spoon. Remove the pan from the heat. For extra sauce on top, pour about 3/4 cup into a small bowl and set it aside.
- ASSEMBLE THE CASSEROLE: Spread 4 cups cooked jasmine or long-grain white rice, 15 ounces cooked chicken, shredded or chopped, and the 1 - 16 ounce bag frozen stir-fry vegetables in the greased baking dish. Add the vegetables straight from the freezer. They thaw in the oven and stay crisp-tender. Pour the teriyaki sauce from the saucepan over everything and toss until every grain of rice is coated, then spread it into an even layer.
- BAKE: Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, checking at 25 minutes. If the rice on top looks dry, cover the dish loosely with foil for the rest of the bake. It's done when the sauce bubbles around the edges, the vegetables are tender when you poke one with a fork, and the center is steaming hot. An instant-read thermometer in the center should read 165 degrees F. Cold rice and frozen vegetables heat from the outside in, so check the middle, not the edges.
- FINISH AND SERVE: Drizzle the reserved 3/4 cup teriyaki sauce over the top if you saved it, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sesame seeds. Serve warm.
Donna’s Notes
INGREDIENT TIP: Swap the stir-fry blend for 16 ounces of frozen peas and carrots, broccoli, or cauliflower. ALCOHOL-FREE VERSION: Mirin contains alcohol. Use the rice vinegar option instead.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published October 2026
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