Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki
This Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki is an easy dinner that feels like a win on a busy weeknight. The chicken cooks until tender in a sweet and savory homemade teriyaki sauce, then gets tossed with a glossy thickened sauce and served over rice with broccoli, green onions, and sesame seeds.
It's simple, family-friendly, and so much better than relying on takeout when you want something cozy but still easy. I especially love this one because the slow cooker does most of the work, but the final dish still feels fresh, flavorful, and dinner-worthy.
If you love quick and cozy recipes like this one, don't forget to check out all of our slow cooker recipes! Need a suggestion? My favorite is the Crockpot Cheeseburger Casserole!
Quick Look: Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki
- ⏱ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: 3-4 hours on low
- ⏳ Total Time: About 4 hours
- 🍽 Servings: 6
- ⚡️ Calories: 329 calories per serving
- 🍯 Flavor Profile: Sweet, savory, garlicky, and slightly tangy
- 👌 Difficulty: Easy slow cooker dinner
- 🍚 Best Served With: Rice, broccoli, green onions, and sesame seeds
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's an easy slow cooker dinner with simple ingredients.
- The homemade teriyaki sauce is sweet, savory, and much fresher than bottled sauce.
- It works well with chicken thighs or chicken breasts.
- It's perfect over rice for a quick family meal.
- The sauce thickens beautifully and coats the shredded chicken.
- It's great for meal prep and leftovers.
Key Ingredients
Some of the ingredients you will need for Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki:
Chicken
Boneless skinless chicken thighs are my favorite option for this recipe because they stay tender and juicy in the slow cooker. Chicken breasts will also work, but they cook faster and can dry out if left too long, so be sure to check them early.
Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
Soy sauce gives the teriyaki sauce its savory, salty flavor. I recommend using low-sodium soy sauce so the sauce doesn't become too salty as it cooks and thickens.
Honey
Honey adds natural sweetness and helps balance the salty soy sauce and tangy rice vinegar. It also helps give the sauce that glossy, sticky teriyaki-style finish.
Rice Vinegar
Rice vinegar adds brightness and keeps the sauce from tasting too heavy or overly sweet. It gives the teriyaki sauce just enough tang without overpowering the chicken.
Brown Sugar
A little brown sugar deepens the sweetness and gives the sauce more of that classic takeout-style teriyaki flavor. It also helps the sauce thicken and cling to the shredded chicken.
Ginger
Fresh grated ginger gives the sauce warmth and a little zing. Ground ginger works great, too.
Cornstarch
Cornstarch is what thickens the sauce after the chicken cooks. Be sure to mix it with cold water first to make a slurry so it blends smoothly into the sauce without clumps.
How To Make Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki
- Step 1: Add the chicken to the slow cooker
Place the boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker in an even layer.
- Step 2: Make the teriyaki sauce
In a medium bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together the low-sodium soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and black pepper until smooth.
- Step 3: Pour the sauce over the chicken
Pour the teriyaki sauce evenly over the chicken. Use tongs to turn the chicken once or twice so it is coated in the sauce.
- Step 4: Slow-cook the chicken
Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours or high for 1½ to 2½ hours, until the chicken is tender and reaches 165°F in the thickest part. Try not to overcook the chicken, especially if you're using chicken breasts. They can go from tender to dry or mushy if they cook too long.
- Step 5: Shred the chicken
Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board or shallow bowl. Shred it with two forks, or roughly chop it if you prefer larger pieces.
- Step 6: Thicken the sauce
Pour the sauce from the slow cooker into a small saucepan. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to make a slurry. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then whisk in the slurry. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
- Step 7: Toss the chicken with the sauce
Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker or place it in a serving bowl. Pour the thickened teriyaki sauce over the chicken and toss until evenly coated.
- Step 8: Serve and garnish
Serve the teriyaki chicken over rice with steamed broccoli. Top with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki
- Don't overcook the chicken- Chicken breasts, especially, can dry out or shred too finely if they cook too long. Start checking early and cook just until the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce- This gives you better control over the saltiness of the sauce. Regular soy sauce can make the finished dish too salty.
- Thicken the sauce after cooking- The sauce will be thin at first, but thickening it at the end gives it that glossy teriyaki texture that coats the chicken.
- Use chicken thighs for the juiciest result- Chicken thighs are more forgiving in the slow cooker and stay tender even if they cook a little longer.
FAQs
Yes. Chicken breasts work in this recipe, but they usually cook faster and can dry out more easily. I recommend checking them around the 3-hour mark if cooking on low.
I recommend thawing the chicken first for the safest and most even cooking. Thawed chicken cooks more consistently and gives you a better texture.
The sauce will be thin right after slow cooking. That's normal. Thickening it with a cornstarch slurry at the end gives it the glossy, sticky texture you want.
You can, but I would add most vegetables near the end or cook them separately. Broccoli, snow peas, and bell peppers can get mushy if they cook for several hours.
White rice, jasmine rice, or brown rice all work well. Cauliflower rice is a good lighter option.
Yes. This is a great make-ahead recipe because the chicken reheats well. Store it in the fridge and reheat with a splash of water or broth if needed.
Yes. You can use coconut aminos or gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce.
Storage
Store leftover chicken teriyaki in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, warm it in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat until heated through. If the sauce thickens too much in the fridge, add a splash of water or chicken broth to loosen it back up.
If you tried this Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments! Thanks for visiting, and come back again!
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
- ½ cup honey
- ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup cold water
- Sliced green onions for garnish
- Sesame seeds for garnish
- Cooked rice for serving
- Steamed broccoli for serving
Instructions
- Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, low-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and black pepper.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken and turn the chicken once or twice to coat.
- Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, or on high for 1½ to 2½ hours, until the chicken is tender and reaches 165°F.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred with two forks.
- Pour the sauce from the slow cooker into a small saucepan.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water until smooth.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer, then whisk in the cornstarch slurry.
- Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
- Pour the thickened sauce over the shredded chicken and toss to coat.
- Serve over rice with steamed broccoli, sliced green onions, and sesame seeds.
Notes
- Chicken thighs will give you the juiciest result, but chicken breasts also work.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce so the sauce doesn't become too salty.
- For a thicker sauce, let the sauce simmer an extra minute or two after adding the slurry.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
This was really good! But, do you know the calorie count on it? Thanks!
Hi! Making this now, can't wait to taste! Do you have the nutritional info for this recipe? Total carbs, etc?
I know I am a little late to the table, but can you tell me about how many servings this is? I have 3 teenage boys and a husband to feed. Thanks so much for posting these. Your recipes look fantastic.
What kind of ginger? Dried or fresh
I made this tonight and was very pleased at how simple and tasty it is! I will definitely make this again. Instead of rice, we ate this as a sandwich and had apple-Brussels sprouts. Thank you for sharing and I like your blog!
I will have to try it as a sandwich next time. Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Hi Chrissy. This recipe looks great. Is the ginger powdered or fresh grated?
Thanks.
Hi, Iris! I used Ginger Powder! Thanks for stopping by!
Hello! This looks delicious! I'm going to make it for tonight but I don't have the rice vinegar. Will regular vinegar be okay? Should I add something extra in to mimic the rice wine? Thanks! 🙂
I found your recipe on Pinterest and made it tonight. It was absolutely delicious (and super easy)! I made brown rice and steamed broccoli stir fry veggies as sides.
Yay! I love this comment! Thanks so much!
I'm making the teriyaki chicken. When you say pepper on the recipe are ask for black pepper or red pepper flakes?
Black Pepper
My husband absolutely loved this! Great recipe! The only thing is that I used thawed chicken breasts, and for my slow cooker, I probably should have taken them out around 4 or 4-1/2 hours instead of at 5 hours like I did. The chicken was a little dry. Once we added the sauce, though, you really couldn't tell. Thanks for the recipe!
I had a similar issue. After about 5 hours I checked on them because it smelled like it was getting pretty done, and I noticed the chicken was pretty dry, so I took them out before the 6 hour mark. Still, as you say, once the sauce is added, it's all good!
I decided that I would be on the ball today by having a nice supper for my family on my 3yo 's birthday...but we ended up having to bringing him in to the doctor and then to the hospital for admission. He is trached and ventilated, so this is a huge deal...but after all was said and done...the main course of supper was ready when the rest of my family got home. I had not mentioned the shredding of the chicken and the thickening of the sauce, but they polished it all off. None left for me!! The funniest thing about the whole situation was that my 7yo had been freaking out about the smell of the sauce ingredients when I made it, but she "pigged" right out. So thank you!
Oh my goodness! I hope your little one is ok! I'm glad that you enjoyed this recipe and I'll be praying everything turns out ok with your 3 year old.
This would be great for making in the camper while camping! Thanks for sharing -
I also, never use my crockpot. I know I should and all but I just never do. Here's my inspiration to bust it out and put it to good use!!
This looks incredible, Chrissy!! I do NOT use my crock pot enough....but this I am pinning and can not wait to try it! My whole family would devour it!
Perfect, Chrissy! I promised my kids some sort of Asian chicken tonight, and they love teriyaki...and I have all the ingredients on hand. Thanks!
Awesome, Megan! I hope you enjoyed it!