This easy Hibachi Chicken is ready in 30 minutes! With juicy, tasty bites of quick-seared chicken and tender sautéed veggies, you can recreate the Japanese restaurant experience right at home for a fraction of the cost. I love making chicken hibachi-style!
There might not be big, impressive flames or fancy knife work when you make hibachi chicken at home instead of at a restaurant, but the flavor of this easy hibachi chicken recipe is spot-on!
Plus, I was floored when I learned how simple and easy it is to make homemade hibachi chicken. All you need are your ingredients and a large skillet, plus about 30 minutes – and you’re good to go.
From there, it’s just a matter of cooking up your veggies then sautéing your chicken and adding the garlic, ginger, and sauces. Whip up a batch of hibachi chicken sauce (also known as yum yum sauce) on the side, add some vegetable fried rice, and you’ve got the full hibachi experience!
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- It’s fast – No need to spend extra time marinating the chicken, it cooks up fast, easy, and full of flavor with the hibachi preparation. I just really love how quickly this one comes together!
- Saves money – Japanese steakhouses are fun and delicious, but they can be pricey! So I love knowing how to make hibachi chicken at home.
- Family friendly – The whole family loves the flavors in this chicken hibachi recipe.
- Nutritious – With lean chicken and veggies, this hibachi chicken and vegetables recipe brings protein, fiber, and other nutrients to the table.
Recipe Notes
This Hibachi Chicken recipe is as simple as promised! Just 30 minutes for a family friendly meal.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to cook Hibachi Chicken to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
For the hibachi chicken:
- Chicken – You’ll use boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into one-inch cubes. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work well, too.
- Sesame oil – Be sure to choose regular sesame oil and not toasted sesame oil, which has a strong taste that can overpower the other flavors in your chicken hibachi recipe.
- Soy sauce – For gluten-free hibachi style chicken, opt for tamari or another gluten-free alternative.
- Hoisin sauce – This sweet and savory sauce adds rich color and flavor to your hibachi chicken seasoning.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic, minced fine.
- Ginger – You’ll want one pinky-sized hunk of ginger. For the easiest peeling, use the edge of a spoon.
For the hibachi vegetables:
- Oil – You’ll want a neutral-flavored cooking oil.
- Onion – I use yellow onion, but any other type of onion such as white, red, or sweet onion will be fine.
- Zucchini – For the freshest zucchini, choose one with firm, shiny skin and no soft spots.
- Mushrooms – I like white button mushrooms in this recipe, but cremini mushrooms work well too.
- Salt & pepper – For enhancing and highlighting flavors; adjust amounts to your preference.
For the hibachi chicken sauce:
- Mayo – Makes a deliciously creamy sauce.
- Ketchup – For a tangy, savory touch.
- Butter – Melted butter adds rich flavor.
- Sugar – Just a bit adds a touch of sweetness and helps round out the acidity of the ketchup.
- Paprika – For a subtle peppery kick.
- Garlic powder – An easy way to add garlic flavor.
- Hot sauce – I like to use Tabasco sauce or Frank’s Red Hot.
- Water – To bring the sauce to the perfect consistency.
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Gluten-Free Hibachi Chicken– Swap in Tamari for the soy sauce, or another gluten-free alternative.
- Spicy Hibachi Chicken– Add a couple of generous pinches of crushed red pepper flakes to the chicken when adding the other seasonings, and increase the amount of hot sauce in the hibachi chicken sauce to taste.
- Hibachi Teriyaki Chicken– Swap in teriyaki sauce for the hoisin sauce for more of a teriyaki-flavored spin.
- Hibachi Chicken & Shrimp- After the chicken is cooked, add some butter to the skillet and toss in a few peeled, deveined jumbo shrimp. Cook until it is seared in spots and is opaque in color. Serve with the hibachi chicken and vegetables.
- Hibachi Chicken & Steak- Substitute half the chicken with 1-inch pieces of beef tenderloin tips or another tender cut of steak and cook it together.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make Hibachi Chicken.
Heat cooking oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables, salt, and pepper. Cook until tender, then remove and set aside.
Add the sesame oil to the hot pan. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces to the skillet.
Let the chicken cook on one side to sear golden brown, then stir.
Add the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, garlic, and ginger. Cook until the sauce reduces and the chicken’s cooked through.
Scoot the chicken over to the side and add back the vegetables to serve.
You can also add the chicken and vegetables directly to plates. Serve with hibachi sauce for dipping.
Recipe Tips
- Prep ingredients first – Like stir fry, this recipe moves fast once you start. So make sure that all of your veggies are cut, your chicken is prepped, and your sauces are at the ready before you begin cooking.
- Use a high-smoke-point cooking oil – Because you’re cooking your ingredients at a relatively high heat, you’ll want a high-smoke point oil such as peanut, canola, or avocado oil. The sesame oil used to cook the chicken also has a high smoke point, and also lends some nice flavor.
- Use a cast-iron skillet if you can – This type of skillet will heat evenly and give your chicken a great sear. If you have a wok, you can use that instead.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Use pre-diced veggies – Grab already-minced garlic, diced onion, sliced mushrooms, and even pre-sliced zucchini the produce section of your grocery store to save a few minutes of prep time.
- Prep ahead – Get your ingredients ready up to 2 days ahead of time by cutting up your chicken and veggies and making the hibachi sauce. Store them all separately in airtight containers in the fridge.
What to Serve with Hibachi Chicken
Since this protein-based dinner has the delicious flavors of Japanese steakhouse cuisine, it will pair well with many of your favorite Asian-inspired side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
- Vegetable Fried Rice
- Oven-Roasted Green Beans or Sautéed Green Beans
- Asian Cucumber Salad with Ginger Soy Dressing
- Spicy Sriracha Asian Coleslaw
Hibachi Chicken Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to a month
Leftover Recipes
Here are a few ways to repurpose those leftovers and give them a delicious makeover!
- Hibachi Chicken Bowls– Add seasoned white or brown rice to a bowl and top with leftover hibachi chicken and vegetables. Drizzle with yum-yum sauce.
- Hibachi Chicken Fried Rice– Make my 15-minute chicken fried rice but swap in leftover hibachi chicken.
- Hibachi Chicken Stir Fry– Make an easy stir fry with fresh veggies, stir fry sauce, and leftover hibachi chicken.
- Hibachi Chicken Tacos– Stuff soft taco-sized tortillas with leftover hibachi chicken, spicy sriracha Asian coleslaw, and pineapple jalapeño salsa.
Recipe FAQ’s
What is hibachi chicken?
The word hibachi literally translates to the phrase “fire bowl.” While hibachi is a type of pot, in the U.S., the word has also come to mean a style of food as well. Hibachi chicken is made in Japanese steakhouses – the chicken pieces are seared at high heat, flavored with sauce and seasonings, and served with dipping sauce.
What vegetables are in hibachi chicken?
Typical hibachi vegetables include onion, zucchini and/or summer squash, mushrooms, and sometimes carrots.
What makes the hibachi flavor?
Signature hibachi flavor is achieved by mixing garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and soy sauce and/or hoisin sauce. Teriyaki sauce is sometimes used, too.
More EASY Chicken Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy chicken recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
Easy Hibachi Chicken
Ingredients
For the Hibachi Chicken
- 2 pounds chicken breast
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
For the Hibachi Vegetables
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 pound zucchini
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- Salt and pepper
For the Hibachi Chicken Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespooon melted butter
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon water, or as needed
Instructions
To prep:
- Cut the chicken breast in 1 inch pieces and season with salt and pepper.
- Cut zucchini in half moons. Dice the onion.
To make the hibachi chicken sauce (yum yum sauce)
- Mix together all ingredients except for the water until combined.
- Slowly add water and stir until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
To make the hibachi chicken
- Heat cooking oil over medium high heat in a large skillet.
- Once hot, add the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring regularly until the vegetables are tender. Then remove the vegetables and set aside.
- Add the sesame oil to the pan to heat. Once hot add the chicken pieces to the pan. Let sit on one side 2-3 minutes to sear, then stir.
- Add the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, garlic, and ginger to the chicken and mix to coat the chicken.Continue to cook, stirring regularly, until the sauce reduces to coat the chicken, and the chicken is done (165˚F internal temp,) about 4-6 minutes.
- Serve hibachi chicken by plating it with chicken and vegetables, then drizzle the sauce over the top, or leave it on the side for dipping.
Recipe Notes
- Chicken breast: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be swapped in.
- Soy sauce: Coconut aminos or tamari are good substitutes.
- Zucchini: Yellow summer squash works well in place of zucchini.
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