This teriyaki chicken noodles recipe is a quick stir fry made with tender chicken breast, noodles, bok choy, carrots and a glossy homemade teriyaki sauce. It's ready fast, and tastes just as good hot or cold for lunches through the week. Unlike many takeaway versions, this one is lighter, packed with vegetables and lets you control the sweetness and saltiness of the sauce.
I am a deeply impatient cook, so if a dinner drags on too long, I lose interest quickly. That's exactly why this recipe has stayed in my regular rotation for years. I can make four serves of these teriyaki chicken noodles in around 15 minutes, which means dinner is sorted now and lunches are sorted later.
Unlike a lot of takeaway options which often include fried chicken or unnecessary sugars and salts, my teriyaki chicken noodles is lighter and healthier with a heap of extra veg.
If you're a fan of these fakeaway style dishes, try out my chicken pad thai noodles or tofu pad see ew next!
TL;DR
- Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes
- Meal prep: Great for meal prep because it includes protein from chicken, carbs from noodles and vegetables from bok choy and carrots. The sauce also helps it stay moist when reheated (or you can have it cold!)
- Fridge storage: 4 days in airtight containers
- Freezer storage: 2 months in portions
- Reheating: Optional - microwave or stove-top works best. Don't move noodles until slightly heated to avoid breaking.
- Customise: Swap vegetables, use a different protein, use store-bought teriyaki sauce if needed
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Why you'll love this recipe
Homemade teriyaki sauce. You can adjust the sweetness, saltiness and garlic levels to suit your taste. If you love easy homemade sauces, try honey soy chicken noodles too.
Hot or cold. This is one of those noodle dishes that works hot for dinner or cold for lunch, making it ideal for office meal prep without microwave access.
Fast and practical. Ready in around 15 minutes, this recipe is perfect for weeknights when energy is low but takeaway isn't the goal.
Easy to customise. Use whatever vegetables you have on hand, or switch the flavour profile next week with satay chicken stir fry.
Ingredients
Chicken. Chicken breast keeps this recipe leaner while still giving plenty of protein, but chicken thigh works well if you prefer juicier meat. I've found that with thigh you don't have to tenderise it as the cut is naturally fatter so holds more moisture for a meal prep.
Cornflour. Cornflour (or corn starch) lightly coats the chicken which helps tenderise it and gives a better golden finish in the pan. It also helps to thicken up the sauce once it's added.
Soy sauce. Use an all-purpose soy sauce rather than dark soy or sweet soy so the flavour stays balanced. Low-sodium soy sauce or tamari also works.
See below for substitutions and variations and recipe card for quantities.
Best noodles for teriyaki chicken noodles
Long-life noodles (think ramen, instant, 2-minute noodles) are my preferred option for meal prep because they hold their shape and texture better than many fresh noodles. I use these in most of my noodle dishes - including my slow cooker beef and noodles - and they're great at holding their shape with liquid.
If you are using fresh noodles, consider having this as a cold meal prep option or making sure you're eating within a couple of days as they do tend to go soggy after about day 3.
Why should I make my own teriyaki sauce?
Making your own teriyaki sauce gives you far more control over the flavour profile than most store-bought versions. You can adjust the sweetness, saltiness, garlic or ginger to suit your taste, whether you prefer a richer savoury sauce or something slightly sweeter.
Homemade teriyaki sauce also lets you avoid overly thick, sugary sauces and create a fresher flavour that works better in recipes this teriyaki noodles and my other teriyaki recipes including my slow cooker teriyaki chicken and teriyaki chicken poke bowl.
Substitutions and variations
Store-bought teriyaki. Totally fine for convenience. I'd just recommend checking the label so it isn't mostly sugar, thickeners and fillers.
Different protein. Swap chicken breast for thigh, tofu or beef. If using beef, try a version inspired by beef teriyaki noodles.
Different vegetables. Broccoli, snow peas, capsicum, cabbage or frozen stir fry vegetables all work well.
Make it spicy. Add chilli flakes, sriracha or fresh chilli if you like heat with sweet sauces.
How to make teriyaki stir fry
Step 1: Slice chicken breast into bite-sized pieces. Toss with cornflour and soy sauce until evenly coated. Let sit for 10 minutes to tenderise.
Step 2: Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, garlic, ginger, maple syrup and water in a bowl. Stir until combined.
Step 3: Heat a large wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add oil and cook chicken for 5-7 minutes until golden and cooked through.
Step 4: Add sauce and stir until combined.
Note - it'll look quite runny at this stage but will thicken during the cook
Step 5: While the chicken and sauce is cooking, rehydrate the noodles according to packet instructions (minus 2 minute) then drain and rinse in cold water to prevent further cooking.
Step 6: Add carrots and other heartier veg. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes.
Step 7: Add noodles and bok choy and toss until coated. Portion for meal prep or serve once bok choy has wilted.
Note - for meal prep, no need to make sure bok choy is wilted as it will continue to soften when storing and reheating.
Lauren's Top Tips
Use high heat. A hot pan helps the chicken brown quickly instead of steaming.
Don't overcrowd the pan. Cook in batches if needed so the chicken gets colour.
Slice everything first. This recipe moves quickly, so have all ingredients ready before turning on the stove.
Why this recipe works for meal prep?
This teriyaki chicken noodles recipe is an excellent meal prep because it includes protein from chicken, carbs from noodles and vegetables from bok choy and carrots. The sauce also helps prevent the chicken and noodles from drying out through the week.
It's also flexible. Eat it hot for dinner, cold for lunch, or freeze portions for a future low-effort day.
Storing
Allow the noodles to cool before sealing containers so condensation doesn't make them watery. Store in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
For best texture, portion into individual serves rather than one large container so you only reheat what you need and you're not left fending off breaking noodles as you try to remove one portion.
Can you eat teriyaki noodles cold?
Yes, teriyaki chicken noodles can be eaten cold, which makes them a great option for meal prep lunches or days when you don't have access to a microwave.
The teriyaki sauce helps keep the noodles flavourful even once chilled, and the chicken and vegetables hold up well in the fridge. If you know you'll be eating it cold, slightly undercook the vegetables so they keep a better texture once refrigerated.
How do you reheat without breaking the noodles?
To reheat this chicken teriyaki with vegetables, add about 1 tablespoon of water or extra sauce over the top before reheating. Don't aggressively stir while cold, as the noodles can feel stuck together and may snap.
Microwave in 1-minute intervals for around 3 minutes total, stirring gently between rounds once warmed. You'll know it's ready when the noodles loosen and move freely.
Stovetop also works well-add a splash of water and toss over medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Same as microwave, don't move the noodles until they're ready and move easily.
Freezing
While noodle dishes often get written off for freezing, these long-life noodles hold up surprisingly well. Freeze in single portions for up to 2 months.
The 2-cup Souper Cubes size works well for one serve. You can also freeze just the chicken, vegetables and sauce, then cook fresh noodles on the day if you want the best texture.
I've also frozen shredded chicken with teriyaki sauce and then added it to a pan to reheat and then added noodles and veggies for a really quick and easy dinner.
Lauren's Meal Prep Tip
sometimes convenience beats perfection. If freezing the full noodle dish helps you eat homemade food later, that's still a win.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQ
Noodles often stick together once chilled because the sauce firms up in the fridge and the starch on the noodles tightens as it cools. This is especially common with meal prep noodle dishes and doesn't mean anything has gone wrong.
Add a tablespoon of water before reheating and wait until the noodles are warm before stirring, as they will loosen naturally once heated. If serving cold, toss with a small splash of extra sauce before eating to help separate them.
The best way to stop stir fry noodles going dry or sticky is to make sure they are coated properly in sauce and not overcooked during the initial cook. For meal prep, slightly undercook the noodles so they don't become soft and dry after reheating.
When reheating, add a tablespoon of water over the top and heat gently in intervals before stirring, which helps loosen the sauce and bring moisture back into the dish. Long-life noodles also tend to hold their texture better than many fresh noodles, making them a great option for teriyaki chicken noodles.
Recipe
Chicken Teriyaki Noodles
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Equipment
- wok, optional, but recommended.
Ingredients
Chicken stir fry
- 600 g (1 ⅓ lb) chicken breast,
- 3 tablespoon cornflour / cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 250 g (9 oz) long-life noodles, see note 1
- 3 bulbs bok choy,
- 2 carrots,
- 1 tablespoon high heat oil , e.g. sesame, vegetable, canola
Teriyaki sauce (homemade or 1 cup store bought)
- 120 ml (½ cup) soy sauce
- 50 g (¼ cup) brown sugar
- 45 ml (3 tablespoon) mirin, subs note 2
- 2 cloves garlic, minced, see note 3
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced, see note 3
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, or golden syrup
- 60 ml (¼ cup) water
Instructions
Prepare Ingredients
- Dice 600 g (1 ⅓ lb) chicken breast and combine with 3 tbsp cornflour / cornstarch and 1 tbsp soy sauce. Set aside to tenderise.
- Separate leaves from 3 bulbs bok choy and slice into bite-sized pieces.
- Thinly slice 2 carrots
- Mince 2 cloves garlic and 1 tsp ginger then mix together with 120 ml (½ cup) soy sauce, 50 g (¼ cup) brown sugar, 45 ml (3 tablespoon) mirin, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 60 ml (¼ cup) water
Cook
- Heat 1 tbsp high heat oil in a large pan or wok then add chicken. Allow them to turn mostly white (approx. 3-5 minutes).Note - you might have to do it in batches to ensure they brown, not steam (I do it in 2 batches)
- While the chicken is cooking, rehydrate 250 g (9 oz) long-life noodles according to packet instructions (minus 1 minute). Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Once the outside of the chicken is white, add teriyaki sauce to the pan and stir to coat.
- Once boiling (approx. 5 minutes), reduce heat to medium-low and add carrots and any other heartier vegetables. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes. bok choy and noodles.
- Add bok choy and noodles. Stir to combine with sauce and chicken
- The recipe will be done when the chicken reaches 71C (160F).
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