Paleo Teriyaki Chicken
by Paleo Teriyaki Chicken with super crispy skin! Juicy chicken brushed with sweet savory teriyaki sauce and pan fried to golden crispy! Whether you use my homemade keto teriyaki sauce or paleo Whole30 teriyaki sauce, simply brush the sauce over and you’ll have the best chicken dinner ready in no time!
The first time I made this Crispy Chicken Teriyaki dish: Gone. Every crispy crunchy morsel was gone in less than 20 mins.
If you are looking for an air fryer version, my Air fryer teriyaki chicken is another one you don’t want to miss!
I also know you’ve been burnt a few times.
A recipe that says easy and quick to put together but ends up taking you more time than expected and leaving you with more dishes to clean.
I tested this recipe on Instagram live stories after a long-day at work + gym after 7pm. It’s always a rush to prepare dinner but I enjoy sharing real-life dishes with you. You get to see exactly what ideas I came up with and I get to create amazing meals in real time, real life.
Sometimes I eat out, sometimes 80/20 Paleo, but most times I prepare meals like this Crispy Teriyaki Chicken to reward myself after a long day at work.
After all, dinner should be a rewarding experience.
There are two ways to prepare this dish but please make sure you purchase the chicken (breast or thigh) with skin on.
Wear an old t-shirt (or an apron if you own one) and use a lid to cover the frying pan. The chicken will render a lot of fat during the crisping process so be careful about the splatter.
Watch and share the cooking video below. I guarantee this Crispy Whole30 Teriyaki Chicken will become one of your favorite last minute weeknight meals !
Paleo Crispy Teriyaki Chicken (Paleo, Whole30, Keto)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs chicken thigh, skin on (alt. Chicken breast with skin on), about 4 pieces
- Sea salt to taste
- Toasted white sesame seeds, optional
- Chopped scallions, optional
- ½ tbsp ghee, to pan fry the chicken
Teriyaki sauce:
- 3 ½ tbsp coconut aminos
- ¾ tbsp red boat fish sauce
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, I use a brand called Spectrum
- 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
- 1 tsp fresh grated garlic
Instructions
Pan-fry method:
- Pat dry the chicken and remove the bone (if you use chicken thigh). Lightly season the chicken with a bit salt over the skin.
- Heat 1/2 tbsp ghee over medium/high heat. When hot, add chicken. Skin side down. Pan fry about 10 mins until the skin is crispy. *be careful about the splatter. Use a lid to cover the pan and prevent from splattering.
- Flip and pan fry the other side until the chicken is completely cooked through. Drain the oil from the saute pan and set chicken aside.
To make the sauce:
- Combine ingredients under “Teriyaki sauce”. Heat the sauce over medium to medium-low heat. When the sauce is thickened, add chicken back to the pan. Coat the sauce over the chicken.
To serve:
- Wait for 5 mins before slicing the chicken into bite sizes. Sprinkle toasted white sesame seeds and chopped scallion (optional). Serve with steamed broccoli, mashed potato, or cauliflower rice.
Hi! I need to cook for many people and would love to try out this recipe… I was wondering if it would work well in the Instant pot? Thank you!
Hi Estela, I have not tried this recipe in Instant Pot. My guess is you will need to adjust the sauce quantity as instant pot needs more liquid to cook. When I do make an Instant Pot version I’ll be sure to share it with everyone here!
Sounds good! I’ll give it a try adding some extra liquid and let you know how it goes. Thank you for being such an inspiration!
Love this sweet and sticky chicken!! Yum!
Oh gosh, this looks so very yummy! Dinner tomorrow!
All that crispy goodness!!! Yes please!!! This looks amazing, my famliy would devour this so fast.
Thank you, Emily !
This recipe looks divine. I love that your teriyaki chicken is crispy. You always make the BEST things.
Crispy and teriyaki is a perfect combo! We will be trying this one soon!
Awesome !! Thanks, Melissa !
There’s nothing quite like teriyaki chicken, so addicting! Also intrigued with the crispy part, that new to me with teriyaki and it sounds to good!
Thanks so much, Kari !
That teriyaki sauce sounds amazing! I love good crispy chicken and this recipe is right up my alley.
Looks like a perfect family dinner…and love how easy the sauce is!! Trying soon!
I love the way you fry the chicken then add it back to the pan to coat it with the hot sauce. The skin ends up looking like the best texture!
This was delicious!! my new family fave. Super easy to make…. I put extra garlic and just used my 3 crabs fish sauce…(but I will now buy Red Boat instead in the future). I actually had to RE-fry the chicken- Skin side down again- last- to re-crisp the skin up though. I didn’t mind because this dish is so yummm! i’m so happy to have found your site. I’m looking forward to trying your other dishes. thank you so much!!
That sounds wonderful. Thank you !
what is red boat fish sauce and what is substitute?
thanks
Does boneless skinless chicken breast work in this recipe?
Hi Camille, it’s best to use chicken breast with skin. When you pan fry the chicken, it will give you that crispy texture. The sauce will still work with skinless chicken breast but you won’t get the crispy skin which most people love. 🙂
Try to use thin sliced chicken breast or butterfly it before pan fry. 🙂
Made this tonight for dinner and it was so good! Terrific flavor! I think I need to get a cast iron pan so I can get the skin just a bit crispier next time.
That’s so awesome Sarah ! So happy to hear that and thank you for taking the time to share it with us !
Hey. Love it! What type of pan is that?
Thanks Janice ! It’s a cast iron. Best way to make crispy teriyaki chicken ! :))
I made this tonight and it was a hit. I personally did find the apple cider vinegar a bit too strong. Is there a substitute that you would recommend?
Hi there! That’s so great to hear. My family loves this dish as well. I’d use organic rice vinegar for a less acidity taste. Hope that helps and thanks for reaching out here ! :))
Thank you!