Traeger Chicken Teriyaki brings one of the Pacific Northwest’s most beloved takeout dishes home, turning a simple meal into a delicious, crowd-pleasing dinner. With a smoky char from the grill and a glossy teriyaki glaze, this recipe recreates that familiar comfort-food flavor in your backyard.
Traeger Chicken Teriyaki Recipe
This Traeger chicken teriyaki captures the sweet, salty, and slightly smoky profile you expect from a teriyaki plate—perfect with rice and a simple veggie. The chicken is seasoned with a Hawaiian-style dry rub such as Maui Wowee and finished with teriyaki sauce for that classic shiny glaze.
No, not that other kind of Maui Wowee—just a flavorful spice blend.
If you enjoy teriyaki flavors, you may also like a grilled teriyaki salmon or other teriyaki-style proteins prepared on the pellet grill.
More Easy Traeger Chicken Recipes available
The best pellet grill chicken teriyaki
When you think of great chicken teriyaki, you probably picture a small local shop that has perfected its seasoning and grilling method over years. That mix of char, caramelized glaze, and balanced seasoning is what makes teriyaki so addictive.
A Traeger or any wood-pellet grill brings a subtle smoky depth that closely mimics that classic takeout flavor. But you can achieve excellent results on gas or charcoal grills as well—use high heat for good searing and watch internal temperature carefully for tender, juicy chicken.
Teriyaki has strong roots in Japanese cooking—“teri” refers to the shine of the glaze, and “yaki” means to grill—but the version many of us know is influenced by Hawaiian and Pacific flavors, where pineapple, ginger, and brown sugar often appear in the rub or sauce.
Serve with steamed basmati or jasmine rice for a complete meal!
Tips for great teriyaki
Follow a few simple guidelines for the best results:
- Marinating the chicken is optional but recommended for deeper flavor. If you marinate, do so overnight and discard that marinade before grilling; use a fresh sauce for glazing.
- Slice each breast in half lengthwise so the pieces are thinner and cook quickly and evenly. This also makes portioning easier.
- Preheat your grill thoroughly. A hot grate gives attractive sear marks, adds flavor, and helps prevent sticking.
- Always cook to a safe internal temperature rather than relying on time alone. Use an instant-read thermometer for accuracy.
Leftovers are great in fried rice or a teriyaki bowl the next day.
Can you make this on a gas or charcoal grill?
Yes. While pellet grills add a pleasant wood-fired note, this recipe adapts easily to gas or charcoal. The key is controlling heat: get a hot surface to sear, then finish the chicken until it reaches 165°F (74°C) internal temperature. Adjust cook time as needed based on grill temperature and thickness of the meat.
More easy Traeger and grill recipes can expand your weeknight rotation.
Where does teriyaki come from?
The term teriyaki is Japanese: “teri” means shine—or glaze—and “yaki” means to grill. The characteristic lacquered sheen comes from a sweetened soy-based glaze that caramelizes on the heat. In Japan, teriyaki is often used with fish; the American and Hawaiian styles expanded its use to chicken, beef, and pork and introduced sweeter, fruit-forward notes like pineapple.
Balancing sweet, salty, and smoky elements is what makes teriyaki so appealing. Aim for harmony between the glaze and the char from the grill for a truly satisfying result.
Thermapen
An accurate instant-read thermometer ensures perfect doneness—especially useful when grilling over wood or high heat.
Share your cooking results in community groups and recipe forums to swap tips and variations.
Maui Wowee seasoning
A Hawaiian-style rub like Maui Wowee blends pineapple, ginger, brown sugar, and mild peppers to evoke island flavors. Using a small amount to season the chicken before grilling adds a tropical sweetness and savory depth that complements the teriyaki glaze.
High-quality spice blends can simplify the process while delivering authentic flavor components—fruity notes, aromatics, and balanced heat—without a long ingredient list.
Maui Wowee
This type of rub pairs especially well with teriyaki finishes and brings a bright pineapple-ginger profile to grilled chicken.
Try spicy grilled shrimp or other proteins with similar rub-and-glaze techniques for variety.
How to store leftover teriyaki sauce
Homemade teriyaki sauce stores well because soy sauce contains salt that helps preserve it. Transfer cooled sauce to a clean bottle or jar with a tight lid and refrigerate. Properly stored, it can keep for several weeks to a few months—use your judgment and discard if it develops an off odor or appearance.
Having extra teriyaki sauce on hand is convenient for glazing meats, stir-frying vegetables, or adding quick flavor to rice bowls and noodles.
Need more chicken recipes to love?
Explore collections of pellet-grill chicken recipes and try different marinades, from Greek-style to spicy Nashville-style. Adapting seasoning profiles and glazes lets you create many distinct meals from the same simple cooking method.
For family-friendly or budget-conscious options, look for recipes that stretch a few chicken breasts into multiple meals with rice, salads, and vegetable sides.
Pin for later: Traeger Chicken Teriyaki
Traeger Chicken Teriyaki
Traeger Chicken Teriyaki delivers takeout-worthy flavor at home. Chicken breasts are seasoned with a Hawaiian-style rub, grilled over wood fire, and finished with a glossy teriyaki sauce.
10 minutes
15 minutes
25 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons Maui Wowee seasoning (or similar Hawaiian-style rub)
- 1 cup teriyaki sauce
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onions
Instructions
- Preheat your pellet grill (or gas/charcoal grill) to 350°F (175°C) following the manufacturer’s directions.
- Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise so pieces are roughly even and thinner, then coat all sides with the seasoning.
- Place the chicken on the grill and cook about 5–6 minutes per side, depending on thickness and grill temperature. Remove when the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Always prioritize temperature over time for safe, juicy chicken.
- Transfer the cooked breasts to a platter, drizzle with teriyaki sauce, garnish with sliced green onions, and serve immediately with steamed rice and vegetables.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 146
Total Fat: 2g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 51mg
Sodium: 4164mg
Carbohydrates: 8g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 7g
Protein: 22g
Nutrition data provided here is an estimate and will vary based on ingredients and portion sizes.
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