Easy Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken features tender chicken coated in the best homemade teriyaki sauce, offering an effortless cooking experience and a flavor reminiscent of your favorite takeout spot. Serve it with rice or noodles and steamed broccoli for a fulfilling and well-rounded meal!
Table of Contents
- What is Teriyaki Chicken?
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
- Serving Ideas
- Storage Tips
- More Slow Cooker Recipes To Try
- Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Teriyaki Recipe
While living in Southern California makes it harder to complain about the cold, my past experiences with harsh Chicago and New York City winters have made me well-acquainted with freezing, slushy, and windy conditions. My go-to solution for battling the cold often involves using my trusty slow cooker.
Last week, I was craving takeout food. While ramen is usually my first choice, I decided it was the perfect time for the first slow-cooked meal of the season. This led me to create slow cooker teriyaki chicken—an easy, hands-off recipe bursting with flavor.
After placing the chicken breasts in the slow cooker, you’ll quickly prepare a teriyaki marinade that transforms into a sweet and sticky sauce. This delicious sauce features soy sauce, pineapple juice, brown sugar, and plenty of fresh garlic and ginger. Say goodbye to store-bought teriyaki sauce!
The result is juicy, tender, and easily shredded chicken, perfect for serving over coconut milk rice or noodles. This teriyaki chicken recipe provides a quick and effortless way to satisfy your takeout cravings at home and provides plenty of leftovers!
What is Teriyaki Chicken?
Are you curious about the origins of teriyaki chicken? It’s a classic Japanese dish that features chicken marinated in a rich, sweet, and savory sauce. The traditional sauce is made from soy sauce, mirin (a sweet rice wine), sake, and sugar.
The version commonly found in American kitchens and takeout restaurants often has a sweeter profile than the traditional Japanese recipe. It typically omits mirin and sake, opting for readily available pantry ingredients like brown sugar and pineapple juice, which I also use in my slow cooker teriyaki chicken recipe.
Although it may not be completely authentic, I assure you it still provides all the teriyaki flavor you adore! Let’s explore how to make this takeout favorite.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken breasts: Using bone-in chicken breasts, instead of boneless, guarantees moist, tender chicken when slow cooking. If you can’t find bone-in, boneless chicken breasts will work.
- Soy sauce: The foundation of our teriyaki sauce, adding that signature umami flavor. Use low-sodium soy sauce to prevent the sauce from becoming too salty.
- Chicken stock: Adds depth to the sauce and balances the sweetness. Use any stock or broth you have. Pro Tip: Freeze leftover stock in an ice cube tray for easy flavor boosts in soups, stir-fries, or sauces!
- Pineapple juice: My secret ingredient for the best teriyaki sauce! It adds sweetness and a subtle acidity.
- Brown sugar: Adds sweetness to balance the savory flavors and makes the sauce thick and sticky.
- Garlic and ginger: These aromatics enhance the flavor of our homemade teriyaki sauce.
- Cornstarch: Using a slurry (cornstarch + water) creates the perfect thick, syrupy teriyaki sauce.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
- Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in your crockpot.
- Whisk together the sauce ingredients, and then pour it over the chicken (photos 1 & 2).
- Cover the slow cooker and set it to LOW for 4 hours until the chicken is fully cooked. Using tongs, remove the chicken breasts and discard the bones. Using two forks, shred the chicken breasts and place them in a large bowl (photo 3).
- Transfer the sauce to a small saucepan (no need to strain it), and bring to a boil. Whisk in the slurry and continue to boil the sauce until it has thickened and is the consistency of syrup (photo 4).
- Pour the sauce over the shredded chicken and toss to coat. Serve the chicken over rice or noodles and enjoy!
Serving Ideas
We enjoy this slow cooker teriyaki chicken served over fluffy jasmine or brown rice, with a side of steamed broccoli to soak up all that delicious sauce. But the possibilities don’t stop there! Add a burst of color and flavor with a vegetable stir-fry or diced pineapple. Here are a few more tasty ideas to complete the meal:
- Cauliflower Fried Rice
- Garlic Bok Choy
- Garlic Green Beans
- Sautéed Mushrooms and Spinach with Spicy Garlic Sauce
Storage Tips
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until warm.
- Freeze: Place the shredded chicken and sauce in a freezer-safe bag or container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat over medium heat on the stove. Add a little broth or water if needed.
MY FAVORITE SLOW COOKER
I’ve been using my Crock-Pot® 8-Quart Slow Cooker for years, and love it! If you’re in the market for a reliable slow cooker, this one has been a game-changer in my kitchen.
More Slow Cooker Recipes To Try
- Slow Cooker Hawaiian Pulled Pork
- Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
- Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos
- Or any of these Easy Slow Cooker Recipes!
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