Slow cooker teriyaki chicken is a dish that everyone loves and it bring the tasty asian flavors right to your table. With its yummy sweet and salty sauce, teriyaki chicken has gotten real popular at family dinners and potlucks. The great thing about this meal is it’s super simple to make, especially if you use a slow cooker. Let the ingredients cook slow and the chicken comes out tender, juicy and loaded with flavor.
This easy slow cooker teriyaki chicken recipe makes cooking a breeze for busy people or families. You just throw in your ingredients, set the timer and go about your day, no spoon stirring or babysitting needed. Even if you’re just learning to cook, you’ll get a tasty home made meal that everyone will dig.
Benefits of Slow Cooking
Slow cooking give you a bunch of perks that make your teriyaki chicken taste way better and life easier:
- Flavor infusion: Cooking slow lets all the spices and sauces blend bit by bit so the chicken soak up every bit of taste.
- Tender meat: Tough pieces of chicken get broken down over hours, so each bite is super soft and almost melts in your mouth.
- Hands-off cooking: You dont need to stand by the stove, just prep, set, forget till ding time.
- Energy saver: A slow cooker uses less power than an oven so its easier on your electric bill.
How Slow Cooking Works
The secret is cooking “low and slow.” At low heat for a long time, dishes like teriyaki chicken really deepen in taste.
- Maillard reaction: When proteins and sugars meet heat they brown and get that rich grilled flavor even without a grill.
- Caramelization: Sugars in the sauce turn into caramel giving sweet notes to the glaze.
All this means slow cooking not only makes big flavor it also makes your food soft and juicy.
Ingredients for Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
Here’s what you need to make this tasty teriyaki chicken in your slow cooker, plus some extra stuff you can add:
- Main Ingredients:
- Chicken breasts or thighs
- Soy sauce
- Brown sugar
- Garlic, minced
- Ginger, minced
- Rice vinegar
- Sesame oil
- Cornstarch (for thickening)
- Extras:
- Veggies like broccoli, carrots or bell peppers
- Toppings: sesame seeds and chopped green onions
Detailed Recipe for Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
Follow these steps to make your slow cooker teriyaki chicken, from start to finish.
Ingredients List
- 1.5–2 lb chicken breasts or thighs
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch (mixed with a bit of water)
- Optional veggies: 1 cup broccoli, 1 cup sliced carrots or 1 bell pepper, sliced
- Toppings: sesame seeds and green onions
Directions
- Prep the chicken: Rinse chicken under cold water and pat dry. Cut into bite sized pieces if you like.
- Make teriyaki sauce: In a bowl mix soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar and sesame oil. Stir till sugar dissolve.
- Combine in slow cooker: Put chicken and sauce in cooker, add veggies if using. Stir to coat everything.
- Cook: Cover and set to low for 6–7 hrs or high for 3–4 hrs.
- Thicken sauce: In last 30 min mix cornstarch with water, stir into slow cooker. Let it cook extra 30 min till sauce thickens.
Serving Suggestions
This teriyaki chicken is great with:
- Steamed rice (jasmine or brown)
- Noodles like udon or rice noodles
- Stir fried veggies for crunch
Top it off with sesame seeds and green onions for extra taste and looks.
Variations of Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
You can switch this recipe up to fit different tastes or diets:
- Instant Pot option: Use same ingredients but cook 10–15 min on high pressure in an Instant Pot. Let it natural release 5 min, then quick release.
- Gluten free: Swap soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos to skip gluten.
- Vegan version: Replace chicken with cubed tofu or seitan, use plant based teriyaki sauce and cook same way.
Nutritional Information
Approx per serving of this slow cooker teriyaki chicken:
- Calories: ~280–320
- Protein: 30–35 g
- Carbs: 20–25 g
- Fats: 10–15 g
Main ingredients also bring health perks:
- Chicken: Lean protein for muscles.
- Soy sauce: Adds umami and some amino acids.
- Garlic & ginger: Good anti inflammatory and antioxidants.
Tips for Perfect Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
Here are some advice to make this dish turn out great each time:
- Better flavor:
- Marinate chicken in sauce a few hours or overnight before cooking.
- Let sauce thicken at end for richer texture.
- Avoid mistakes:
- Don’t overfill your slow cooker or it cook unevenly.
- Use boneless skinless cuts so meat stays tender.
- Storage and reheating:
- Store leftovers in airtight container in fridge for 3–4 days.
- Reheat in microwave or stovetop, adding splash of water to keep moist.
FAQs
Here are some common questions about slow cooker teriyaki chicken:
- What to serve with it?
Rice, stir fried veggies or a fresh salad balance the flavors well.
- Can I use frozen chicken?
Yes but it may need more cooking time. Thawing first is better.
- How to thicken sauce?
Mix cornstarch with water and stir in last 30 min of cooking.
- Any soy sauce alternatives?
Try tamari for gluten free or coconut aminos for less salt.
- How long keep leftovers?
3–4 days in the fridge in airtight container.
Conclusion
Slow cooker teriyaki chicken is a tasty, easy go-to for busy nights or get togethers. With this simple recipe anyone can make a yummy meal that impress family and friends. Feel free to try different tweaks and share your favorite spin on it!
slow cooker teriyaki chicken
Equipment
- 1 slow cooker
- 1 measuring cups
- 1 measuring spoons
- 1 cutting board
- 1 whisk or fork
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs You can substitute chicken thighs with chicken breasts if preferred.
- 1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with water Optional, for thickening.
- ¼ cup green onions, chopped For garnish.
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds For garnish.
- Cooked rice for serving
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs in the slow cooker, ensuring they are spread out evenly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, and grated ginger.
- Pour the teriyaki sauce mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker, ensuring the chicken is well-coated.
- Cover the slow cooker and set it to low, cooking for 6 hours. If you're short on time, set it to high for about 3 hours.
- When cooking time is done, check the chicken. If you'd like a thicker sauce, mix the cornstarch with water in a small bowl and stir it into the sauce. Let it cook for an additional 15 minutes on high to thicken.
- Shred the chicken using two forks and stir it back into the sauce.
- Serve over cooked rice, garnished with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
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