What To Serve With Teriyaki Chicken (15 Savory Sides)

Teriyaki chicken is a dish that uses the Japanese cooking technique of teriyaki, where foods are either broiled or grilled in a sauce made of soy sauce, mirin and sugar. This creates a sweet and tangy glaze that covers the chicken, making it an ideal chicken dish to serve up for dinner.

But for a lot of people who want to try out making their own teriyaki chicken, there is often one question that keeps recurring:

What should you serve with teriyaki chicken?

With so many possibilities available, we have decided to help you out by pulling together a list of our favorite side dishes that you can serve with teriyaki chicken. Each side dish will complement the flavors of the teriyaki sauce well and some may even share teriyaki chicken’s Japanese roots! 

So take a look below at our list of 15 savory side dishes to serve with teriyaki chicken. 

Roasted Mushrooms 

Roasted mushrooms pair amazingly well with the sweet and tangy teriyaki sauce that comes with teriyaki chicken. It’s savory flavors contrast well with the dish, so you can have a balanced meal of lots of different tastes and flavors. 

Cooked in their own sauce and with a balsamic-soy glaze that complements the soy sauce of the teriyaki chicken, this recipe for roasted mushrooms will leave you with the ideal side dish to go alongside your traditional Japanese dish.

It is juicy and delicious, and sure to provide you with a healthy dose of nutrients to create a balanced meal. 

Stir-Fried Asparagus

An often overlooked side dish, asparagus is a versatile vegetable that can be cooked in many different ways. To fit the Asian theme and for the best way to suit this traditional Japanese main dish, we decided that it would be best to stir fry asparagus this time. 

This makes the asparagus light yet still packed with flavor so you can enjoy plenty of nutrients alongside your deliciously sweet chicken.

It serves as a wonderful taste of savory flavor so you don’t find yourself overwhelmed by the teriyaki sauce, allowing you to enjoy both the main and side dish without overloading on one flavor alone. 

Steamed Broccoli 

This infamous vegetable has so much potential, especially when it is served up alongside a sweet chicken dish like teriyaki chicken. 

Broccoli can provide you with plenty of savory flavors and thai recipe takes it one step further by steaming the broccoli with garlic and lemon. Not only does the garlic pack a powerful punch of strong flavor, the fresh lemon juice also brings a sharp taste of zest to further diversify your meal. 

Spinach Gomaae

Another healthy vegetable side dish for you to try is Japanese style salad like spinach gomaae. 

This traditional Japanese side dish is dressed in a nutty sesame seed sauce that complements the tangy chicken teriyaki sauce. This makes the moist spinach salad very rich and nutty, a refreshingly light side to serve with a dish with more substance like chicken. 

It’s a delicious little salad that just screams Japanese cuisine, making it the perfect to serve up alongside another  traditional Japanese dish like teriyaki chicken. 

Nasu Dengaku 

If you are in need of another traditional Japanese side dish that is healthy and full of flavor, then try out this recipe for Nasu Dengaku. 

Nasu Dengaku is made from grilled eggplant. It is also the perfect balance between sweet and savory as it is made with a nutty sauce and has a smoky flavor from being grilled over a fire (or fried in a pan, the choice of cooking method is up to you). 

It is a very filling side dish that pairs beautifully with teriyaki chicken, so why not give this recipe a go and try out making your very own nasu dengaku?

Fried Rice

Rice is a staple food eaten all across the world, and things are no different in Japan. Rice is a huge part of their cuisine, so it only makes sense to serve a traditional Japanese dish like teriyaki chicken with a generous helping of fried rice. 

To make the perfect fried rice  that is light and fluffy yet packed with flavor, follow this very easy recipe. It combines white rice with soy sauce and sesame oil for a tangy and nutty taste, balanced with fine vegetables like carrot and scallions. 

Once cooked, this side dish is the perfect accompaniment to a teriyaki chicken dinner. 

Yakisoba

The Japanese version of stir fry noodles, yakisoba, consists of vegetables and sometimes meat. However, we decided to go with a vegetable yakisoba recipe as there will already be plenty of meat on your plate with the teriyaki chicken. 

So this side dish is a great addition to your meal to help balance the nutrients while also providing your taste buds with plenty of different flavors.

This recipe uses lots of tangy and sharp sauces like oyster sauce and Worcestershire sauce to match the tangy teriyaki sauce.

It also contains lots of fine vegetable ingredients like carrots, onions, mushrooms and cabbage to make a filling and plentiful side dish that contains some delicious, soft noodles. 

Yasai Itame

Another Japanese stir fry dish is yasai itame. 

This one is mainly vegetables, although meat can be added or removed to make a vegetarian dish. This stir fry is incredibly fresh and crunchy as it contains delicious ingredients such as onion, cabbage, carrot and bean sprouts. 

What makes yasai itame different from yakisoba is that it does not contain any soft or tender noodles – it is a side dish purely made of vegetables and sometimes meat.

Spiced with ginger and dressed with soy sauce, yasai itame is a deliciously tangy and sharp stir fry that complements the sweetness of teriyaki chicken perfectly. 

So if you are looking for a very quick and easy to make side dish with Japanese roots, then you should try out yasai itame! 

Japanese Potato Salad

Potato salad is an iconic side dish in the US, and is often served up at barbecues and picnics so it seems like a strange choice to serve with a traditional Japanese dish like teriyaki chicken.

However, Japan has their own spin on the classic potato salad! It keeps its creamy texture but uses rice vinegar seasoning and Japanese mayonnaise to give this side dish a unique flavor that is all it’s own. 

This tanginess complements teriyaki chicken perfectly, so it is worth giving this original recipe a try and serving this side dish up during your Japanese style dinner!

 Kabocha Squash

Squash is typically viewed as rather sweet, but Japan has their own native squash that is far more nuttier and savory in taste. 

So – this recipe for roasted kabocha squash is sure to leave you with a great savory side dish that is easy to make. Just how adding this side to your teriyaki chicken meal will balance the sweet and savory, this side dish also balances soft and crunchy textures with a crunchy shell yet soft center. 

Trying out this recipe for roasted kabocha squash will give you the opportunity to serve up a small yet authentic part of Japanese cuisine to your dinner guests – so give it a try! 

 Bean Sprout Salad

Another great salad to serve up with a traditional Japanese dish like teriyaki chicken is a bean sprout salad!

Bean sprouts are used throughout Asian cuisine, so this recipe will fit right in with any other Japanese foods you choose to serve up to your guests for an authentic Japanese meal. 

This salad is crunchy and nutty, dressed with both sweet and savory ingredients like honey, soy sauce, and ginger. Couples with nutritious ingredients like bean sprouts, cabbage and carrot, this salad provides a satisfying crunch and taste with every bite. 

So if you are looking for a savory yet Japanese authentic salad to serve for dinner, then try out this recipe for a bean sprout salad! 

 Green Bean Shiraae

Shiraae is a mashed tofu salad that gives a tangy kick thanks to its soy sauce cressed and sesame seeds ingredients, making this salad a great savory side to complement a sweet dish like teriyaki chicken. 

Creamy yet nutty, this salad is right at home when served up with other traditional Japanese foods so to make your Japanese-style dinner party feel real and authentic, we recommend you try out this recipe for some green bean shiraae.

 Tsukemono

For a simple and easy side dish to serve with your teriyaki chicken, try out this recipe for tsukemono. 

Sharp yet delicious, this recipe includes pickled Japanese vegetables like cucumbers and eggplant as well as some other crunchy vegetables like celery and carrots. Once pickled, you can serve up these vegetables as sides to your teriyaki chicken to provide a taste of savory to balance out the sweetness. 

It’s very easy to make, so follow this recipe to make your own tsukemono!

 Hijiki Seaweed Salad

Another traditional Japanese side dish is this salad made from seaweed. 

It is an incredibly healthy choice that is packed with minerals thanks to its savory ingredients like hijiki seaweed, edamame, and carrots. 

This recipe also includes a dressing that is a mixture of soy sauce and mirin rice wine – just like the teriyaki sauce! This means that the flavors of the teriyaki sauce carry over to the salad very well without compromising on its savoriness, making this side dish a perfect match with teriyaki chicken. 

Tamagoyaki 

And finally, we have tamagoyaki – Japan’s version of an omelet. 

This easy side dish is sure to catch your guests’s eyes as tamagoyaki are rectangular rolls of layered yellow egg, cooked to perfection. Seasoned with a little soy sauce and mirin rice wine, this egg based dish combines both sweet and savory together wonderfully. 

Although this side dish is very simple, it is still very tasty and soft to eat – making it a favorite side dish all across Japan. 

This makes it a good choice of a savory side dish to serve alongside your teriyaki chicken. 

Conclusion

And there you go!

Those were 15 savory side dishes that you can serve up with some teriyaki chicken. 

Each recipe is unique, simple and easy to follow so you can quickly whip up your chosen side dish(es) in no time at all while your teriyaki chicken is cooking away. There are plenty of recipes to choose from, so there is bound to be one or two up there that have caught your eye. 

So what are you waiting for? 

Grab an apron, wash your hands, and get ready to start cooking! Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Does Teriyaki Sauce Contain?

The primary ingredients in teriyaki sauce are soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, honey and mirin. Mirin is a sweet rice wine from Japan that helps with sweetening the teriyaki sauce. 

These ingredients are combined together in a pan over a medium heat to make a sweet yet slightly sticky teriyaki sauce.

What Is The Difference Between Hibachi And Teriyaki Chicken?

The difference between hibachi style cuisine and teriyaki style cuisine is the sauce. Hibachi cuisine only cooks with soy sauce, while teriyaki is cooked with soy sauce that has been sweetened and seasoned. 

So, the difference between hibachi chicken and teriyaki chicken is the sauce. Hibachi chicken is cooked with soy sauce while teriyaki chicken is cooked with sweetened soy sauce. 

Both are cooked using the same method, but taste completely different due to the sauce.

Who Invented Teriyaki Chicken?

It is believed that teriyaki chicken was first invented in the 17th century by Japanese chefs.

The dish later became popular in the United States during the 1960s when more and more Japanese restaurants began to pop up in the cities. Now, teriyaki chicken is one of the most famous Japanese dishes eaten in the US.

What To Serve With Teriyaki Chicken (15 Savory Sides)

Teriyaki chicken is a sweet chicken dish from Japan, but what can you serve alongside it? Here are 15 savory sides to serve with teriyaki chicken!

Ingredients

• Roasted Mushrooms 

• Stir-Fried Asparagus

• Steamed Broccoli 

• Spinach Gomaae

• Nasu Dengaku 

• Fried Rice

• Yakisoba

• Yasai Itame

• Japanese Potato Salad

• Kabocha Squash

• Bean Sprout Salad

• Green Bean Shiraae

• Tsukemono

• Hijiki Seaweed Salad

• Tamagoyaki 

Directions

• Pick a recipe from the list above
• Click the recipe name and visit the website
• Collect the ingredients and cook the food
• Enjoy – don’t forget to leave a review

Recipe Video

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Jess Smith

Hi, my name is Jess Smith, and I love cooking in my spare time. Around three years ago, I decided to give up my day job as a teacher to pursue my passion for food. While I have enjoyed sharing tips and tricks on Social Media, I have decided to expand my horizons through this blog.

Through this blog I hope to help others learn the basics and more intricate details of cooking. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to cook a meal, only to realize you are missing one ingredient from your list. This is why I love to write articles chatting readers through some great substitutes that can be used in an emergency.

I hope you will find this blog useful, and that it will help you to develop your culinary skills, to help you cook up a storm!

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