Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken in homemade teriyaki sauce, slow-cooked to perfection. Easy weeknight meal the whole family will love.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

→ Teriyaki Sauce

02 - 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
03 - 1/4 cup honey
04 - 1/4 cup rice vinegar
05 - 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
06 - 2 tablespoons sesame oil
07 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
09 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
10 - 2 tablespoons water

→ Garnish

11 - 2 green onions, sliced
12 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

# How to Make It:

01 - Place chicken thighs or breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker.
02 - Whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger in a medium bowl until well combined.
03 - Pour teriyaki sauce mixture evenly over the chicken in the slow cooker.
04 - Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours until chicken is tender and cooked through.
05 - Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred or slice as desired.
06 - Mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl to create a slurry. Stir into the sauce in the slow cooker.
07 - Return chicken to the slow cooker, stir to coat with thickened sauce, and cook on high for 15-20 minutes until sauce reaches desired consistency.
08 - Serve over steamed rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce develops this incredible depth that honestly tastes like it simmered all day even though your slow cooker did all the work
  • My husband who claims he doesn't like sweet savory dishes literally asks for this every Sunday now
  • Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day when the chicken has soaked up all that sauce overnight
02 -
  • The sauce will look way too thin when you first open the lid but that cornstarch slurry transforms it completely in just minutes
  • I learned the hard way that low-sodium soy sauce is non-negotiable here—regular soy sauce makes the dish unpleasantly salty
  • Resist the urge to lift the lid during cooking every time you check heat escapes and adds 15-20 minutes to your cooking time
03 -
  • Line your slow cooker insert with parchment paper for cleanup that takes literally 5 seconds
  • Double the sauce ingredients if you love having extra for drizzling over rice or noodles

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