Copycat Mo’ Bettahs Teriyaki Chicken
If you’ve had the teriyaki chicken from Mo’ Bettahs, you know why it’s so good. Tender grilled chicken, that sweet and savory teriyaki flavor, rice and mac salad on the side. It’s one of those meals everyone seems to love.
This copycat Mo’ Bettahs teriyaki chicken is our homemade version. Chicken thighs marinate overnight in a simple mixture of soy sauce, brown sugar, pineapple juice, garlic, and fresh ginger, then go straight onto the grill until they’re juicy inside and beautifully caramelized around the edges.
Add some white rice, macaroni salad, and a little extra teriyaki sauce and you’ve got a pretty convincing homemade plate lunch.
It’s also one of our favorite meals for feeding a crowd. The chicken is easy to prep the night before, the recipe can easily be doubled or tripled, and everyone can build their own plate when it’s time to eat.
Copycat Mo’ Bettahs Teriyaki Chicken
Serves: Approximately 4–6
Ingredients:
1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup pineapple juice
4 cloves garlic, chopped (or 1 tsp Garlic Powder)
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced (we love using the store bought paste)
For serving:
Steamed white rice
Hawaiian-style macaroni salad
Extra teriyaki sauce, optional
For the extra teriyaki sauce, use whatever you like! Yoshida’s Original Gourmet Sauce works great, you can pick up a side of teriyaki sauce directly from Mo’ Bettahs, or use your favorite bottled teriyaki sauce from the grocery store.
How to Make Copycat Mo’ Bettahs Teriyaki Chicken
- Make the marinade. Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl or gallon-size zip-top bag.
- In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, pineapple juice, garlic, and fresh ginger. Stir until the brown sugar is mostly dissolved.
- Marinate the chicken. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Press as much air as possible from the bag before sealing, or cover the bowl tightly.
- Refrigerate overnight for the best flavor, or for at least 4 hours if you’re short on time.
- Preheat the grill. When you’re ready to cook, preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
- Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade and discard all of the marinade.
- Grill the chicken. Place the chicken thighs on the hot grill and cook until they’re nicely browned and caramelized on the outside and the thickest part of the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
*There’s plenty of brown sugar in the marinade, so keep an eye on the heat. You want those delicious caramelized edges without letting the outside burn.
- Let it rest. Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing.
- Build your plate. Serve the sliced chicken with steamed white rice and macaroni salad. If you like your chicken extra saucy, drizzle a little Yoshida’s, Mo’ Bettahs teriyaki sauce, or another favorite bottled teriyaki sauce over the top.
Why We Use Chicken Thighs
You could make teriyaki chicken with chicken breasts, but thighs are definitely our pick for this recipe.
They stay tender and juicy on the grill, hold up really well to the long marinade, and give you that rich grilled teriyaki chicken flavor we’re trying to recreate.
They’re also much more forgiving when you’re cooking a big batch for a crowd.
What to Serve With Copycat Mo’ Bettahs Chicken
If we’re making homemade Mo’ Bettahs, we’re going all in.
Our plate usually looks something like:
Grilled teriyaki chicken
Steamed white rice
Hawaiian-style macaroni salad
Extra teriyaki sauce
You can add steamed vegetables, fresh pineapple, or a simple salad if you want something fresh alongside it.
And if you like that extra saucy Mo’ Bettahs-style plate, grab Yoshida’s Original Gourmet Sauce, pick up some teriyaki sauce from Mo’ Bettahs, or just use a bottled teriyaki sauce you already love. No need to save or reuse the chicken marinade.
Make It for a Crowd
This is one of our favorite kinds of meals for a big family gathering because so much of the work can happen ahead of time.
Double or triple the chicken depending on how many people you’re feeding and get it into the marinade the night before. You can make the macaroni salad ahead of time too, which leaves you with rice and chicken to worry about around dinnertime.
Grill the chicken in batches, let it rest, then slice it and transfer it to a large serving dish.
Set everything out buffet-style with big bowls or pans of rice, macaroni salad, chicken, and bottled teriyaki sauce and let everyone build their own plate.
It’s simple, filling, and one of those meals that works just as well for a regular family dinner as it does for a whole bunch of people.
Homemade Mo’ Bettahs Night
This is one of those dinners that feels a little more fun than the usual weeknight meal without being complicated to make.
Sweet and savory grilled chicken, white rice, creamy mac salad, and a little extra teriyaki sauce—it’s easy to see why this combination is such a favorite.
And if you’re feeding a whole bunch of people, even better. Put everything out, let everyone fill their plates, and dinner is done.
X.o.
The Threads Between Sisters
