Hibachi Chicken is a flavorful, easy to make dinner that my whole family loves. Inspired by my daughter’s favorite Japanese steakhouse dinner, this homemade Hibachi Chicken recipe is much healthier and works perfectly for the 21 Day Fix and WW. There’s even a homemade Yum Yum sauce recipe included for dipping!
This Homemade Hibachi recipe is inspired by daughter’s upcoming birthday. Hibachi chicken is one of her favorite meals, and actually the meal that led her to love zucchini (finally, lol!).
For anyone else with a March baby…I still get anxiety when I think about last year and how basically on her birthday, life as we know it, changed overnight.
For her birthday dinner, we were supposed to go to her favorite hibachi restaurant, and she also had a birthday party planned with ten of her closest friends. Obviously all of this was canceled.
I know these are not big problems, and we are lucky to have our health…but my momma heart still hurts when I think about it all and how her face fell when I broke the news to her.
But like the amazing girl she is, she took it in stride and here we are, one year later, and about to celebrate her 11th birthday (how? just how?) Still no party, but we will definitely celebrate in all the ways that matter. Oh – and there will definitely be this copycat Benihana Hibachi Chicken recipe on the menu!
We’re taking the typical hibachi meal and making it healthier, and more budget friendly, but still soooo delicious- especially that homemade yum yum sauce.
New! If you love this recipe, you must try this Hibachi Steak!
Why this hibachi dinner rocks
- This recipe has become a family favorite over the past year and I am so excited to finally bring it to you.
- With this easy weeknight dinner, you’ll bring the delicious flavors of the restaurant right into your own kitchen, no special equipment needed.
- While it tastes like traditional hibachi, my version is certainly healthier! Made with simple ingredients like tender chicken breast and fresh hibachi vegetables like mushrooms and zucchini, this entree is packed with nutrients and protein.
- My husband’s favorite part? The homemade Yum Yum sauce! It’s made with all natural ingredients, so you’ll love drizzling (or dipping) your hibachi chicken and veggies with that seriously addictive sauce.
- All that’s missing, honestly, are the hibachi chefs cooking in front of the guest from the Japanese restaurant(although nobody is stopping you from becoming a hibachi chef!).
Ingredients + Substitutions
- chicken breasts – Tenderloins also work! I love the organic, free range chicken from Butcher Box. As long as your choice of chicken is boneless and skinless, it’ll be perfect for this recipe. Want to switch it up? This recipe is awesome with steak, shrimp, or even a combo of proteins!
- olive oil – I used olive oil, but avocado oil is also delish in this recipe.
- sesame oil – This ingredient isn’t just a good addition to this recipe for taste, it’s also a healthy fat!
- butter – Use an unsalted butter to avoid excess sodium or dairy free butter if you avoid milk products.
- onion – White onion or yellow onion are the best in this hibachi recipe, but use what you have
- baby bella mushrooms – Mushrooms are rich in vitamin B! But if you aren’t a fan, you can sub a different veggie like sugar snap peas, broccoli, or red peppers.
- zucchini – Zucchini has a TON of vitamins! It’s especially rich in vitamin A. Again, you can sub this for your favorite veggie
- garlic – Garlic is extremely flavorful and delicious, all while being incredibly low in calories. Toss some extra garlic in there if you love the flavor it provides or garlic powder.
- coconut aminos – This is the BEST healthy alternative for soy sauce out there.
- lemon juice – This is optional, but highly recommended for more natural flavor.
- salt and pepper – Just a sprinkle of Himalayan salt and a crack of fresh black pepper is all you need to season this fresh dinner.
- garnish – feel free to garnish with some green onions and sesame seeds if that’s your thing (my kids are a no-go for this!)
What is Yum Yum Sauce?
If you’ve never had yum yum sauce, or shrimp sauce as it’s sometimes called, you are missing out! It’s a yummy white sauce that is served with shrimp, steak, and chicken at Hibachi restaurants. I also love ginger sauce and plan to get that recipe on the blog soon, but when I asked on instagram, you guys seem to LOVE your Yum Yum Sauce. So, a healthier homemade yum yum sauce is here!
It’s the perfect thing to use for any hibachi-style meals! It’s a form of sweet sauce that goes perfect with just about everything in traditional hibachi-cooked meals.
Ingredients for Homemade Yum Yum Sauce
- mayonnaise – Regular or olive oil mayo both work perfectly for this sauce
- ketchup – Use a naturally sweetened ketchup to avoid a lot of sugar and keep this dish FIX approved. If you are following a Paleo or Whole 30 diet, use a compatible ketchup.
- butter – Sub dairy free butter or ghee if you need to
- rice or apple cider vinegar – Use whichever vinegar you have in your pantry. Rice is more traditional, but ACV will be just as yummy.
- paprika – This seasoning provides the pretty orange color of the sauce, and a perfect amount of flavor.
- garlic powder – Just a little bit of this seasoning perfectly compliments the paprika.
- salt – A pinch is all you need to emphasize the other flavors in this sauce.
Instructions
1. Heat a heavy-duty skillet or wok over medium-high heat and add the olive oil and sesame oil.
2. Add the diced chicken pieces and lemon juice to the hot skillet, and cook until no longer pink and the internal chicken temperature reaches 165 degrees,
3. In the last minute of cook time, add the tablespoon of butter and coconut aminos to the chicken.
4. Allow the sauce to thicken, then remove the chicken and sauce from the pan. Set the chicken and sauce aside.
5. Add the remaining olive oil and sesame oil to the skillet over medium high heat.
6. Sprinkle the vegetables with salt and pepper.
7. Cook the veggies until they’re caramelized and tender.
8. Add the coconut aminos and garlic in the last minute or so of cook time.
9. Add the cooked chicken chicken back into the skillet with the vegetables and give it a good stir.
10. Serve with the yum yum sauce, and enjoy!
Hibachi Chicken Dinner Tips
- Since most of us don’t have a big hibachi grill at our house, we opted to make this on the stovetop in a non-stick skillet. But, if you have a Blackstone or a big hot griddle, you can make this dish on that and see how easy it is to make.You can also use a large skillet or a cast iron skillet.
- If you like teriyaki chicken, you’ll love this Japanese style hibachi chicken. We like to eat the veggies with the chicken but some prefer to eat in courses, similar to how you do at your favorite hibachi restaurant.
- You can also make some delicious hibachi steak with some coconut aminos, which is a healthy way to make this popular dish, instead of the sodium packed soy sauce.
- When cutting up your chicken, make sure to cut them into bite-sized pieces.
If you’re looking for a way to enjoy some hibachi without breaking the bank or breaking your meal plan allowances, then you must make this easy hibachi chicken recipe!
Recipe FAQs
In an airtight container in the refrigerator, this delicious meal will stay fresh for up to 4 days. When you’re ready to enjoy your leftovers, I recommend reheating the food on the skillet for just a few minutes. I love this for lunches but honestly, we rarely have leftovers. But it would be perfect for meal prep if you hide it from your family, lol!
If you want to kick things up a notch by adding some extra heat, try adding sriracha or crushed red pepper to the sauce mixture! You could also drizzle a hot sauce like Sriracha on top of your meal with the yum yum sauce.
Yes! Keep in mind, soy sauce isn’t gluten free, so a better swap would be tamari or gluten free soy sauce if you are GF. Also, look for low sodium sauces whenever possible.
What to serve with hibachi
I love making Brown Rice or Quinoa with this recipe, but it would also be delish with some homemade fried rice.
For a low carb version, serve with some Cauliflower Rice.
If you don’t need a low carb version, you can serve this chicken with white rice, hibachi rice, or even gluten free or whole wheat noodles.
Storage and Freezing Tips
This recipe works great for meal prep. Simply store your hibachi chicken and veggies in your refrigerator for 3-5 days.
You can also place it in a ziplock bag and freeze for up to three months. To thaw, place chicken and veggies in the refrigerator overnight, then heat in a well oiled pan over low-medium heat.
Looking for more healthy copycat recipes? Check these out:
Healthy Chicken Lettuce Wraps | PF Changs Copy Cat Lettuce Wraps
Healthy Chicken Ramen Noodle Stir Fry
Instant Pot Ramen Noodles | Gluten Free Ramen Noodles
Instant Pot Chicken and Broccoli
Hibachi Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Veggies
- 1 1/2 lb pound Chicken tenderloins or breasts (I love Butcher Box Chicken) diced and seasoned with salt and pepper
- 2 tsp olive oil divided use
- 1 tsp sesame oil divided use
- 2 tablespoon butter divided use
- 1/4 large onion or ½ small cut into thick slices
- 2 cups (8oz) baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 2 cups (about 1 large or 2 small) zucchini chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 ½ tablespoon coconut aminos divided use
- 1 tsp lemon juice optional
- salt
- pepper
Yum Yum Sauce
- 1/2 cup Mayo
- 4 tsp naturally sweetened ketchup
- 1 tsp rice or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp butter melted
- 1/2 – 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2- 1 tsp garlic powder
- sprinkle of salt
Instructions
- Prep your yum yum sauce by mixing all the ingredients together, then placing your sauce in the fridge to chill and allow the flavors to meld together.
- Be sure you have your chicken and veggies diced before starting as this meal cooks quickly!
- Heat a pan or wok over medium high heat and add 1 tsp of olive oil, and ½ tsp of sesame oil. Add in diced chicken and lemon juice (if you have it) and cook until no longer pink.
- In the last minute or so of cook time, add in 1 Tbsp of butter and 3 Tbsp of coconut aminos. Allow sauce to thicken a bit, then remove chicken and sauce from the pan and set aside to keep warm.
- In the same pan, add in the remaining 1 tsp of olive oil and ½ teaspoon of sesame oil and set to medium high heat. Sprinkle veggies with salt and pepper. Cook until they are caramelized and tender, adding in garlic, 1 Tbsp butter and ½ tsp coconut aminos for the last minute of cooktime.
- You can add the chicken into your veggies at this point, or if you have picky eaters, then serve the chicken and veggies separate.
- Serve with Yum Yum sauce or your favorite dipping sauce.
Rachel says
This is one of my favorite meal prep options for the week. I don’t get sick of eating it over and over again each day. My family likes it a lot if I make it for dinner too!
Nancylynn says
Loving the meal prep option! I don’t get sick of it either!
Toni Crater says
I was so excited to try this recipe! This came together so quick! And the yum yum sauce 😋, just makes it perfect! The entire family loved it!
Nancylynn says
So glad everyone loved it- that’s a win!
Diane says
This is one of our family’s favorite meals. My 9 year old son was licking his plate. Yummy!
Nancylynn says
Lol plate licking is a good sign!!
Anne says
Loved the recipe! My husband especially loved the sauce. It was very easy to prepare and very tasty! I did make it without the mushrooms since I had forgot them at the store, but it was still a good one.
Nancylynn says
So glad to hear you loved it, thank you!
Stephanie A Marschang says
This one is one of my favorites now! It was amazing! So much better than at a hibachi restaurant and cheaper too! I ate it guilt free and that made it even better! Love this one!
Nancylynn says
What a compliment, thank you!
Lucy Jacobs says
Love this chicken. So much flavor and none of the hassle. Definitely having again!!!
Nancylynn says
AH! Thank you so much! So glad you enjoyed it!
Jennifer says
This is delicious!!! I subbed ground turkey for chicken because it’s all i had in hand but was still delish. The magic is in the SAUCE!!! This must get added to your weekly rotation!!
Nancylynn says
The magic IS in the sauce, lol! Love this comment!
Gabi Rhoades says
This recipe taste amazing and is super easy to put together. My family loved it!! Definitely making this a new staple in our home!
Nancylynn says
So glad you loved it!
Justine says
So easy, quick to out together, and the flavor is like eating at a Japanese Steakhouse! I eliminated the mushrooms and used zucchini and squash. So good!
Nancylynn says
What a huge compliment, Thank you!
Breanna Campbell says
Love this recipe! I was skeptical of a homemade yum yum sauce being as good as the restaurant’s but this really is that good! It’s so easy to make too!
Nancylynn says
Wow, thank you for this comment!!
Patricia Miller says
Made the Hibachi Chicken tonight over rice noodles – super easy and tasty! I actually subbed Greek yogurt for the mayo in the yum yum sauce and kept the rest of the ingredients the same – once it chilled it was pretty good too!🤩
#confessionscookingclub
Nancylynn says
Oooh good to know on the substitutions, thank you for sharing!
Amanda Taylor says
Ok, this was seriously the BEST meal I ate during the 4 Week Gut Protocol. All I did was swap ghee for the butter to make it compliant. Even my husband said he liked it and that we could make it a part of our weekly rotation. I served it along side some brown rice to make a complete meal.
Nancylynn says
Love it when husbands get on board with a new recipe! So glad to hear you used it on 4WGP too- just make sure you skip that sauce!
Kara says
Love how easier and tasty this dish is. I’m pretty sure it is the only time we eat mushrooms at our house – – it is just that good!
Nancylynn says
Oooh I love that!
Julie says
I love this recipe. The meal comes together very quickly, it is easy to prepare and ready to eat in minutes!
Nancylynn says
Thank you for your comment, Julie!
Stephanie L says
I was really looking forward to this recipe, but it just didn’t taste as awesome as I was expecting it to based on all the hype. Maybe it’s user error, but my chicken was really dry — because the pieces are small, they cook fast and go from inedible to overcooked very quickly!
Nancylynn says
It does cook quickly, yes! Sorry to hear it, maybe try cutting your pieces a little bit larger next time, if you try it again!
Amy MT (Mitcheltree) says
This recipe is AMAZING!!!! My entire family loves it, which says a LOT since I have picky 6 & 4 year old girls (and well, a baby too young to eat yet but I’m sure he will love it too someday!).
This is quick, simple to follow, affordable, but tastes like its from a high end hibachi restaurant.
I love being able to prepare this anytime I want and enjoy such quality from the comfort of my own kitchen.
Thanks for another amazing recipe, Nancylynn! And EXCELLENT that this is Gut Protocol friendly also!!
Nancylynn says
Thank you so much for this comment – winning over picky kids is one of the best parts of this job!
Nancylynn says
Amy, would you mind adding a 5 star rating since you loved it so much? It helps other readers know it’s a winner!
Carrie says
This Hibachi is a perfect crowd pleaser for my fam! My hubby prefers a plant-based diet, so I used vegan mayo for the yum yum sauce, and cooked the chicken separate from the veggies. Hubby’s comment was “it’s great and I especially love the mushrooms!” We’re both looking forward to the leftovers for lunch tomorrow! Only thing missing was the cheesy entertainment of the hibachi chef at the Japanese Restaurant! 😆 I’ll have to work on some jokes to bust out the next time I cook this!! Haha!
Nancylynn says
This comment made me LOL! Love it!
Jacquelyn says
Absolutely delicious and one of my favorite recipes!
Nancylynn says
What a compliment, thank you!
Marissa says
I absolutely love this recipe!! I make it with a ginger sauce recipe I got from Nancylynn because I’m not a fan of mayo, and it is perfect! I think now that I’ve made it several times it’s time to experiment with different veggies and maybe kick the spice up a notch. Another winner!
Nancylynn says
I love you getting adventurous with it! Let us know how it goes!
Leigh says
My family loves this recipe, it’s in constant rotation for dinners and it’s one of their favorites!
Nancylynn says
Amazing! Thank you for the comment!
Tabetha Roten says
This is a very tasty and delicious recipe. Love that it’s a healthy version of delicious hibachi. Thank you for all your recipes, you keep my family eating healthy.
Nancylynn says
You are so welcome!
Amanda B. says
I have been craving hibachi and this was the perfect healthy recipe to satisfy that craving!! It was simple to make and came together very quickly as promised. I will definitely be making this again! Thank you SO much for a healthy version of hibachi that didn’t sacrifice taste!
Nancylynn says
Thank you for this comment and for taking the time to give it a 5 star rating – it’s so helpful! Glad you loved it!
Theresa Lane says
Made this on the Blackstone and it was amazing. I love this recipe because it’s so easy to add in extra veggies… I had some leftover shredded carrots from last week so I threw those in there. This one is always a hit with my family!
Nancylynn says
Theresa, Queen of the Blackstone! What a good idea – thanks for sharing with other readers!
Margo says
I love this recipe because my husband makes it. He feels like a pro at his blackstone and I just reap the benefits of my plot to have us eating healthy. Thanks for the easy meal that is great for Friday night date night!
Nancylynn says
Ummm thats amazing! Being a date night recipe is such a compliment, WOW!
Alisha says
This one has become a staple in our home! So yummy!
Nancylynn says
That’s great news!
Megan Gorham says
Made this recipe for my family last night. So dang juicy and good. I could drink the sauce straight from the jar!! Grand Slam!
Nancylynn says
Lol! That sauce is pretty darn delicious, I agree!!
Janette Massino says
I love this recipe. When I asked hubby if it was yummy. He replied that it seemed “healthy” (but he had thirds- asking for the dum-dum sauce). By kid 16 yo ♥️, 12 yo ☺️, 10🙃🚫🧅🥒🍄, 8 yo 🚫🚫🚫🚫, 4 yo🍗.
Nancylynn says
Hahaha! Most fun use of emojis ever!!! 😍
Deanna Mahaley says
I meal prepped this yesterday!!! OMG it has the best taste! Even hubby approves! Love, love, love!!!!
Nancylynn says
YUM- love it for meal prep too! Thank you for the comment!
Tracie says
So easy and delicious! There aren’t any Hibachi restaurants near us, and this is the perfect fix for when we get that craving. I substitute broccoli instead of mushrooms, but everything else is delicious! This is part of our rotation now since my husband and I love it so much.
Nancylynn says
Oooh love to hear this! And so glad it scratches the Hibachi itch! 🙂
Cassy A. says
This recipe is amazing! I followed the instructions exactly but swapped the chicken for venison tenderloin, and it was delish! I can’t wait to try it with chicken!
Thanks again for a fabulous dinner recipe.
Nancylynn says
Oooh great feedback! Thank you for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe! It’s so helpful!
Monique says
This was amazing. Very tasty! I checked the container counts so many times because I couldn’t believe I was allowed to eat something so yummy on 21 day fix!
Nancylynn says
Ahhh yes! Totally the reason this blog was created- to share healthy food that tastes delicious! Thank you!
Wendy says
This is one of my faves, but I say that every time I try a new recipe from you, lol. I did use broccoli instead of zucchini but everything else was the same.
Ashlie says
Another winner! I put this one off for awhile because it wasn’t instant pot haha but so glad I made it! The whole family loved it and the yum yum sauce was a hit, too! Thank you!
Jenn says
This looks so good! Do you know the calorie count for this?
Nancylynn says
Thank you! No, I only count 21 Day Fix containers and WW points on this blog. But MyFitnessPal has been a great resource for other readers to find this information! Hope that helps!
Christie Cook says
This dinner is 💣! It comes together so quickly and that sauce takes the whole thing to another level. I like the simplicity of the recipe and that all of the ingredients are usually in my fridge. I also love that I can cook the veggies to our family’s preference, unlike hibachi restaurants. Another delicious gem, Nancylynn!
Nancylynn says
AHH thank you for this feedback, so glad you loved it!