Why You’ll Love It:

Hands-Off Cooking: The slow cooker does the heavy lifting, leaving you time to do other things.

Family Friendly: Its sweet and savory profile wins over kids and adults alike.

Easy to personalize: Serve it with rice, noodles or with veggies for a complete meal.

Meal Prep Friendly: As seen in the meal prep post, easy to make ahead and reheat for tasty lunches or dinners.

Key Ingredients:

Chicken Breasts: Lean boneless, skinless chicken breasts soak up the teriyaki flavors wonderfully. Thighs can also be a juicier option.

Soy sauce: Use low-sodium soy sauce so the dish is not overly salty but still has that familiar umami flavor.

Brown Sugar: Provides sweetness to counteract the salty and tangy flavors of the sauce.

Rice Vinegar: Adds acidity and brightness to help cut the richness of the sauce

For Garlic and Ginger: Aromatic staples that deepen the flavor profile while also imparting the signature teriyaki essence the dish is known for.

Cornstarch Slurry: Adds thickness to the sauce for a luscious, glossy texture that coats the chicken nicely.

Green Onions: For a bright, crunchy garnish that plays well visually and adds subtle oniony flavor.

Full ingredients with quantities and method are on the recipe card below

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Step-by-Step Directions:

Prepare the Slow Cooker

Set Up: Put the chunks of chicken breasts into the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker. This is the base of the dish, as it helps the chicken soak up all of those rich flavors cooking away.

Mix the Sauce

Whisk Together Ingredients: In a medium bowl combine:

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup rice vinegar

3 cloves minced garlic

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Whisk to Combine: Continue whisking until the brown sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is smooth. This sauce gives the dish its savory-sweet teriyaki flavor.

Slow Cooker Chicken: Pour the mixture evenly over chicken in the slow cooker.

Cook

Cover and Cook: Add the lid to your slow cooker. Stir, cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours.

Check For Doneness: The chicken should be tender enough to be shredded easily with a fork, and should have absorbed the teriyaki flavors throughout.

Thicken the Sauce

Remove Chicken: Using tongs, carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker and set aside.

Prepare Cornstarch Slurry: In a small bowl, blend:

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons warm water Mix until smooth.

Thicken Sauce: Slowly whisk the cornstarch slurry into the teriyaki sauce in the slow cooker. Leave the slow cooker on warm, stirring until the sauce thickens to a glossy consistency.

Combine and Serve

Coat the Chicken: Add the shredded chicken back to the slow cooker, mixing it into the sauce until it’s thoroughly coated.

Garnish: Olives, pistachios, or chopped pecans — fresh flavors and color.

Serve: We like to serve the teriyaki chicken with:

Steamed white or brown rice for a period meal.

Noodles for a unique twist.

Greens to toss with for a lighter, salad-like option.

Air fried or roasted vegetables to round the meal out

Serving Suggestions:

Classic Pairing: Serve spooned over steamed white or brown rice for an authentic teriyaki experience.

With Noodles: Serve over soba, udon or even spaghetti for a whimsical touch. For extra flavor, toss the noodles in some of the teriyaki sauce.

Light and Bright: Serve over a bed of mixed greens or spinach for a salad-style teriyaki bowl.

With Veggies: Make it a meal with stir-fried broccoli, snap peas or roasted carrots.

In Wraps or Tacos: Fill Asian-y wraps or tacos with the chicken, drizzled with teriyaki sauce and crunchy slaw.

Storage and Meal Prep Tips:

Refrigeration

Leftover chicken and sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

To Reheat: Microwave or warm in a pot, adding a splash of water if the sauce has gotten too thick.

Freezing

You can freeze cooked teriyaki chicken in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.

To Serve: Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat as needed.

Make-Ahead Option

Place the chicken and sauce ingredients in a freezer bag and freeze raw. Thaw overnight, then cook in the slow cooker as the recipe directs.

Variations:

Spicy Teriyaki Chicken

Stir in 1-2 teaspoons of sriracha or a pinch of red pepper flakes into the sauce for some zing.

Honey Teriyaki Chicken

Swap out half the brown sugar for honey, which mellows the sweetness and gives the cookies more depth.

Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken

Add 1 cup of pineapple chunks to the pot in the last hour to make it tropical.

Gluten-Free Teriyaki Chicken

To make the dish gluten-free, use tamari or a gluten-free soy sauce alternative.

Vegetarian Version

Replace the chicken with tofu or jackfruit, and modify the cooking time to allow them to absorb the sauce without breaking apart.

Conclusion:

This Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki combines the two most important factors in what will quickly become a meal staplesitoa. With tender, juicy chicken and a sauce that strikes the perfect balance, it’s a dish you’ll want to make again and again.

Serve it with your favorite sides, or give it a try in wraps, tacos or even lettuce cups for a change.