By Jehan Yusoof  |  Updated September 23, 2026  |  ★ 4.8 (4 reviews)  | 

These one-dish teriyaki marinade baked chicken legs come together in 3 simple steps, with just a quick hands-on prep and only one dish to wash.
It’s so easy and quick to make with easy-to-find ingredients and no cleaning involved.
My kids use the remaining pan juices to drizzle over their rice, which turns the plain rice into a sweet and spicy dish they love.

★★★★★
If you try this, I’d love to know how it turned out. Just tap the stars in the recipe card; it helps other cooks find this recipe.

Teriyaki sauce Vs Teriyaki marinade

Whether it’s a marinade or sauce, teriyaki has a flavour profile that mainly includes sweetness and tang and is further elevated to include ginger, garlic and heat.
The taste is the same in both; the difference between the teriyaki sauce and marinade is the thickness and how we use them in the ingredients.
Teriyaki marinade has a much more watery consistency than teriyaki sauce.

• Teriyaki marinade is used to marinate chicken, beef or fish for a few hours so the meat absorbs all the flavours.
• Teriyaki sauce is much thicker because it’s made with cornstarch.
  Use my teriyaki sauce as an instant baste for grilled meat, or as a stir-fry sauce for chicken, beef and delicate seafood.

Ingredients for baked teriyaki chicken legs

• The ingredients mentioned below use standard measuring cups and spoons.
  • Minced ginger or substitute with ginger powder
  • Minced Garlic or substitute with garlic powder
  • Sesame oil
  • Sugar
  • Soy sauce
  • Paprika or red chilli flakes
  • Tomato sauce
  • White vinegar
  • Salt to season
  • Chicken leg quarters. You can use chicken thighs, drumsticks or breast.

• Tips and suggestions.
  • As you make the marinade, adjust flavours according to your needs.
  • Marinate the chicken as long as possible for maximum flavour.
  • For easier clean-up, you can cover the baking dish in foil.
  • As the chicken bakes, baste the chicken with the marinade.

What you will need in the kitchen

• Chopping board and knife.
• A medium-sized bowl to mix the marinade.
• Microplane zester/grater.
• Basting brush.
• Tongs
• Ovenproof mittens
• Ovenproof Pyrex dish to hold the chicken parts.

How to make baked teriyaki chicken legs

Photo tutorial.

Making the teriyaki marinade

In a bowl, add minced ginger, minced garlic, oil, sugar, soy sauce, paprika or red chilli flakes, tomato sauce, and vinegar.
Mix well until the sugar dissolves.
Taste and season with salt or adjust heat or sweetness as per your need.

Marinating the chicken quarters

Use a large ovenproof Pyrex dish with a lid to hold the chicken parts.
Make a few slits on the chicken quarters.
Place them in the dish and then pour the marinade over the chicken.
Gently swirling the dish will help to coat the chicken with the marinade.
Cover with the lid or cling film and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours(I marinated them overnight).
Halfway through the marinating time, you can flip the chicken parts over to give them an even time to soak in the flavours.

Baking the marinated chicken

Remove the dish from your fridge and let the chicken parts reach room temperature(15 to 20 minutes).
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Place the dish in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, then flip the chicken over, brush with the marinade and bake for another 15 minutes.
For the last 10 to 15 minutes, flip again, brush with the marinade and bake the rest of the way.
Total bake time: 40 to 45 minutes.
If you are using boneless chicken breast, bake for 20 to 30 minutes.
Flip and baste halfway through.
Internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C) in the chicken’s thickest part to be thoroughly cooked.

Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest. Use a basting brush to brush some teriyaki marinade over the baked chicken to keep them moist.
Let it rest for 5 minutes and serve while still warm with the side dish options given above.

FAQ: on teriyaki baked chicken

• How long should I marinate?
  • For poultry, marinate for at least 2-3 hours for maximum flavour.
    I marinated these chicken quarters overnight, hence a much darker colour once baked.
  • For beef, because the meat is thick, you can marinate it for 8 hours or overnight.
  • For seafood(shrimp, salmon), I would recommend just 30 minutes.
    The teriyaki marinade includes vinegar, and the longer you marinate seafood, the more easily the seafood will break down as it cooks
  • Tofu- 30 minutes.
  • Can I use boneless skin-on chicken instead of bone-in?
    • Yes, you can.
  • Can I make the teriyaki baked chicken ahead of time?
    • You can marinate the chicken ahead of time and bake the chicken just one hour before of serving. Make sure to remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator ahead of time.

What to serve with teriyaki baked chicken

• Serve with boiled vegetables, steamed vegetables or a mix of vegetables stir-fried (broccoli, green beans, cauliflower or carrots).
• Any type of salad, from coleslaw and fresh pineapple salsa to any type of fresh salad on the side.
• A bowl of
  • White rice
  • Lemon rice
  • Yellow rice
  • Ghee rice

Storage, Freezing and Reheating guide.

• Storing in the refrigerator
  • Let the curry reach room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container with some pan juices.
    Use glass containers, as the spices can stain plastic containers. Use within 3 days.
• Freezing
  • I would not recommend freezing the baked chicken, but you can freeze the marinated chicken in a freezer bag.
    To thaw, leave it in the fridge overnight, then bake once it reaches a slight room temperature.
• Reheating
  • Microwave in short bursts until the chicken is hot all the way through.

More Teriyaki Recipes

• Sweet and spicy teriyaki sauce (DIY recipe)
• Teriyaki chicken fried rice
• Teriyaki chicken with bell pepper and onion stir-fry
• Spicy pan-fried chicken wings in teriyaki sauce
• Beef teriyaki stir-fry(quick and easy recipe)
• Teriyaki mushroom stir-fry

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Teriyaki marinade baked chicken legs (Easy one-dish bake)

Yield: 3

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes

Juicy chicken leg quarters marinated and baked in one dish in a sweet, tangy, soy, ginger-garlic marinade.

4.8 Stars (4 Reviews)

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Ingredients

• Ingredients to make teriyaki marinade
• 1 tablespoon of minced ginger (2″ piece of ginger root)
• 1 tablespoon of minced garlic (3 garlic cloves)
• 2 tablespoons of oil (sesame oil is best, but any light oil works)
• 4 tablespoons of sugar
• 1/2 cup of soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon of paprika (substitute with red chilli flakes)
• 3 tablespoons of tomato sauce (ketchup)
• 3 tablespoons of white vinegar
• 3 to 4 chicken leg quarters skinless (can use chicken thighs, drumsticks, breasts)

Instructions

Making the teriyaki marinade.

1. In a bowl, add minced ginger (1 tablespoon), minced garlic (1 tablespoon), oil (1 tablespoon), sugar (4 tablespoons), soy sauce (1/2 cup), paprika (1 teaspoon; substitute with red chilli flakes), tomato sauce (3 tablespoons), and vinegar (3 tablespoons).
2. Mix well until the sugar dissolves. Taste and season with salt, or adjust heat or sweetness as per your need.
3. Marinate the chicken quarters.
4. Use a large ovenproof Pyrex dish with a lid to hold the chicken parts.
5. Make a few slits on the chicken quarters.
6. Place them in the dish and then pour the marinade over the chicken.
7. Gently swirling the dish will help to coat the chicken with the marinade.
8. Cover with the lid or cling film and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours (I marinated them overnight).
9. Halfway through the marinating time, you can flip the chicken parts over to give them an even time to soak in the flavours.

Baking the marinated teriyaki chicken quarters.

1. Remove the dish from your fridge and let the chicken parts reach room temperature(15 to 20 minutes).
2. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
3. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, then flip the chicken over, brush with the marinade and bake for another 15 minutes.
4. For the last 10 to 15 minutes, flip again, brush with the marinade and bake the rest of the way.
5. Total bake time: 40 to 45 minutes.
6. If you are using boneless chicken breast, bake for 20 to 30 minutes.
7. Flip and baste halfway through.
8. The internal temperature should reach 74°C (165°F) in the chicken’s thickest part to be thoroughly cooked.
   I'd love to know how it turned out.
   Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and a comment; I read every one — it helps other visitors trust the recipe and helps them find me too.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 200Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gSodium: 2325mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 1gSugar: 20gProtein: 4g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JEHAN
Recipe creator. Food Blogger. Video creator
I’ve been cooking and sharing Sri Lankan recipes, along with other dishes I love making at home on Island Smile since 2015. I’ve tested every recipe on this site more than once in my own kitchen before it goes on the blog.
I grew up eating this food, and I still cook it the way my family taught me, just written down clearly enough for you to follow.
If a recipe doesn’t work the way I say it will, tell me in the comments; I read every one, and I’ll help you fix it.