Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki– When it comes to slow cooker chicken recipes, there’s nothing that tastes better than juicy chicken breasts simmered in a thick, sticky sauce. The sweet and savory Asian flavors that we blend into our shredded chicken create a delicious, satisfying, and super easy-to-make crockpot dinner. And when served over rice, it becomes a complete meal the whole family will love.
Easy Chicken Teriyaki Dinner Made in a Crock-Pot
My family loves a good take-out meal. This Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki recipe has the same great teriyaki flavors of your favorite Chinese restaurant version but ours is served without the hassle of leaving your house to pick it up.
And because it is homemade, this recipe only uses real, wholesome, minimal ingredients that you can feel good about feeding your family. It’s as easy as tossing everything in the crockpot and leaving it to cook. You can literally set it and forget it.
Since your slow cooker is going to do most of the work for you and it only takes 10 quick minutes to prep, you have plenty of time for the other things in your busy life. Simply place the chicken in the slow cooker, pour our flavorful sauce on top, and let it cook. That’s it! Is there anything easier than a dump-and-go dinner?
Why We Love This Crockpot Chicken Teriyaki
- Perfect recipe for busy people
- Prepped in just 10 minutes
- Easy dump and go dinner
- Sweet and savory delicious teriyaki sauce
- Homemade meal that tastes better than take-out
- Moist shredded chicken mixed with Asian flavors
- Slow cooker does the hard work
- Can be served over rice, quinoa, riced cauliflower or your favorite grain
- Family-friendly
- Delicious make once, serve twice meal
Ingredients / Shopping List
- Chicken breasts: A low fat source of protein
- Soy sauce: You can use low sodium soy sauce if you prefer or for a gluten-free option you can use coconut aminos or gluten-free Tamari soy sauce
- Honey: Adds natural sweetness
- Brown sugar: Balances the savory flavor of the soy sauce
- Rice vinegar: Tenderizes the chicken and adds a wonderful kick
- Garlic: Feel free to use pre-minced garlic from a jar (saves a lot of prep time)
- Ground ginger: Adds Asian flavor to the sauce
- Water: Necessary to dissolve the cornstarch
- Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce
- Green onions: Scallions can also be used as a garnish
- Sesame seeds: to garnish
- Cooked rice: Choose your favorite – white, brown, or long grain. You could even serve over rice noodles
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How to Make the Chicken Teriyaki in the Slow Cooker
Mix together the soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic and ginger to make the sauce.
Place the chicken in the crockpot and pour the sauce over the chicken breasts. Cook for 5 hours on low or 3 hours on high.
Shred the chicken in a serving bowl or platter using two forks.
PRO-TIP: You can also shred the chicken while still in the crockpot and pour the sauce in there and mix well. We like to serve it right in the slow cooker – no reason to dirty another dish!
In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch with the water and pour it into a small saucepan to combine with the leftover teriyaki sauce from the crock pot. The cornstarch slurry will thicken the sauce. Pour the thickened sauce over the top of the shredded chicken.
Toss to coat, garnish and serve over rice.
Variations / Options / Add-In’s
- Stir-Ins: For added nutrition, mix sautéed veggies, such as chopped bell pepper, broccoli, and snow peas with the shredded chicken while you are tossing it with the sauce.
- Serve: Instead of rice, serve your shredded chicken in a roll, over quinoa or your favorite grain. If you are looking for a lower carb option, shredded chicken is delicious over riced cauliflower, mixed stir-fry veggies or a salad.
- Dark meat: You can opt for chicken thighs if you prefer dark meat. Once shredded and mixed with the sauce, the dark meat is not noticeable.
How to Make This Recipe as Freezer Meal
If you’re like me, I’m always looking for ways to make meal prep easier. I love that this chicken teriyaki can be made even simpler by combining two of my favorite things: freezer meals and slow cooker meals! For added convenience, make a double batch of this recipe, cook half now and freeze the other half for later.
To prep the freezer meal, add the sauce and raw chicken to a gallon-sized freezer bag. Shake gently to coat the chicken. Remove the air and seal. Label the bag with the name of the recipe, date and cooking instructions to eliminate any guess work. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months (or in the fridge for up to 3 days if you choose to prep your meal a few days in advance).
Thaw the frozen freezer meal in the fridge overnight. Once defrosted, add the entire contents of the freezer bag to the crockpot and continue from step 3 in the recipe.
Tips
- Because slow cookers cook at different rates, make sure that your chicken is fully cooked before consuming. A meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken should read 165F.
- Keep your chicken in whole breasts. Because the chicken is naturally low in fat, cut up breasts will be more dry and tough.
- For easy clean-up, line your crockpot with a plastic liner before adding the food. Simply throw away the liner once your meal is served.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat from frozen, thaw frozen chicken teriyaki in the refrigerator overnight. Place chicken teriyaki in a large pot on the stove and cook over medium heat. Leftovers can also be reheated in the microwave.
If you have the time, skinless chicken breasts are usually moister when cooked on low. The slower you cook the better.
Yes, you can put raw chicken in the slow cooker! While chicken is meant to be slow cooked from raw, some prefer to just brown or sear it first.
Other Easy Crock Pot Recipes
Crockpot Philly Cheesesteak | Slow Cooker Chex Mix | Crockpot BBQ Chicken (Pulled Chicken) | The Best Crockpot Little Smokies Recipe | Crockpot Nacho Cheese Dip | Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Pasta | Slow Cooker Butter Chicken | Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Chili | Crockpot Yankee Pot Roast
Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (3 large) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup honey
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- Green onions for garnish
- Sesame seeds for garnish
- Cooked rice for serving
Instructions
- In a small bowl mix together the soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger.
- Place the chicken breasts in a layer at the bottom of the slow cooker and pour the sauce mixture over the top.
- Cook on low for 5 hours or high for 3 hours, until a meat thermometer reads 165F.
- When the chicken is cooked remove it from the slow cooker and place it into a large bowl or on a platter and shred it using two forks.
- Carefully pour the remaining sauce from the crockpot into a small saucepan.
- Mix the cornstarch into the water to make a slurry. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the sauce in the saucepan and heat on the stovetop over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
- Pour the thickened sauce over the top of the shredded chicken and toss gently to coat.
- Garnish with chopped green onion and sesame seeds and serve over hot cooked rice.
Jenn’s Notes
- Mix the sauce together as in step 1.
- Place the chicken breasts into a gallon-sized sealable freezer bag.
- Pour the sauce mixture into the bag with the chicken and shake gently to coat the chicken.
- Remove as much air from the bag as possible and seal it shut. Label the bag with the name of the recipe, the date, and cooking instructions.
- Place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To use the freezer meal, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, place the contents of the bag into the slow cooker and continue from step 3 in the recipe.
- Because slow cookers cook at different rates, make sure that your chicken is fully cooked before consuming. A meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken should read 165F.
- Keep your chicken in whole breasts. Because the chicken is naturally low in fat, cut-up breasts will be more dry and tough.
- For easy clean-up, line your crockpot with a plastic liner before adding the food. Simply throw away the liner once your meal is served.
I love your recipes so much. They are so easy and delicious. Thank you for sharing.
Awwww thank you so much!