Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken

Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken has all the convenience of your favorite takeout that’s easily made at home in your slow cooker. The chicken is tender and flavorful, with an amazingly sweet and sticky sauce that is absolutely delicious.

Enjoy more of my better-than-takeout recipes that you can make at home, like Egg Fried Rice, Crockpot Orange Chicken, and of course this Teriyaki Chicken!

Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken Recipe

We love Chinese takeout. There’s something so comforting about those little white takeout boxes stuffed to the brim with our favorite guilty pleasures. Get all the pleasure with none of the guilt by making these recipes at home!

Chicken breasts can be tricky in the slow cooker and it’s best when cooked quicker and at a high temperature. This will keep the chicken juicy and tender, and not at all dried out or stringy.

This teriyaki chicken is pretty forgiving though, because once it’s coated in the thick sauce all bets are off.

How To Make Teriyaki Chicken In Your Slow Cooker

1. Prep Slow Cooker. Place the chicken breast in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
2. Prepare the Sauce. Whisk together the sauce ingredients and pour over the chicken.
3. Cover and Cook. Place the lid on top of the slow cooker and set it to high for 3-3 ½ hours, or low for 5-6 hours. The high setting is recommended, because the longer chicken breasts cook, the more moisture they lose. Resulting in dry, stringy chicken.
4. Shred Chicken. Transfer meat to a cutting board and Shred or dice into large chunks.
5. Cook the Sauce. Pour the sauce through a wire strainer and into a small saucepan. Whisk together a little bit of water and cornstarch (a slurry) for thickening, then simmer the sauce for several minutes. This can also be done right in the crock pot but you’ll have bits of chicken in your sauce.
6. Combine Chicken and Sauce. Place the chicken back in the slow cooker and pour the sauce over it, or combine the chicken and sauce in the saucepan until the chicken is completely coated in sauce.

What Does Teriyaki Sauce Taste Like?

Teriyaki chicken is grilled or otherwise cooked chicken coated in a sweet and salty glaze. Teriyaki sauce is sticky and gooey, with a slight tang and sweetness that gets its umami flavor from the soy sauce base.

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve Teriyaki Chicken with steamed or Fried Rice, veggies, or Pan Fried Noodles.

Storage and Freezer Instructions

To store leftovers, place them in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.

To freeze, place in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

More Better Than Takeout Recipes

• Ground Turkey Teriyaki Rice Bowl
• Baked Teriyaki Salmon Lettuce Wraps
• Beef and Broccoli
• Egg Roll in a Bowl
• Kung Pao Chicken

Recipe

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken

5 from 2 votes

Kristin Maxwell

Tender shredded chicken slow cooks in a sweet and sticky homemade teriyaki sauce made with honey, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce. It's all the flavor of your favorite takeout with just a few minutes of hands-on prep.

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

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Ingredients

  

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For the chicken and sauce:

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

To thicken:

• 1/4 cup cold water
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

For serving:

• Cooked rice
• Sesame seeds
• Sliced green onions

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Instructions

 

• Add the chicken: Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker.
• Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, ginger, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Pour over the chicken and turn to coat.
• Slow cook: Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 3½ hours (recommended) or on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, until the chicken reaches 165°F and shreds easily.
• Shred the chicken: Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred into large chunks with two forks.
• Strain the sauce: Pour the liquid from the slow cooker through a strainer into a medium saucepan.
• Thicken the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk the cold water and cornstarch until smooth. Whisk into the saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce is glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon.
• Toss and serve: Return the chicken to the slow cooker, pour in the sauce, and toss to coat. Serve over rice and garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Notes

• Skip the strainer: Whisk the slurry directly into the slow cooker with the chicken, cover, and cook on HIGH about 15 minutes until thickened. Straining just gives you a smoother sauce.
• Chicken thighs: Boneless skinless thighs work well and stay juicier with longer cook times. Cook on LOW 5 to 6 hours or HIGH 3 to 4 hours.
• Bottled sauce: Swap the homemade sauce for 1 to 1¼ cups bottled teriyaki sauce, then thicken with the slurry as directed.
• Doubling: Double all ingredients, including the slurry, and use a 6 to 7 quart slow cooker. Cook time stays about the same, but check that the thickest pieces reach 165°F.
• Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
• Reheating: Warm in the microwave or a skillet with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.

Keyword slow cooker, teriyaki chicken

Nutrition

Calories: 251kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 33gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 886mgPotassium: 606mgFiber: 1gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 45IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.

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