The Best Dang Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken

This crock pot teriyaki chicken recipe is seriously the BEST! With juicy chicken breasts simmered in a sticky six ingredient sauce, it's better than your favorite take out. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and enjoy!

When it comes to slow cooker chicken recipes, Asian flavors are so good! Sticky slow cooker honey garlic chicken thighs are a family favorite, as is this crock pot teriyaki chicken recipe.

Teriyaki is a favorite amongst both adults and kids, and for good reason! It is packed full of sweet and savory flavor but isn't too spicy. It pairs with any number of protein or vegetables, and is super easy to prep.

Recipe video

Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped this recipe. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel, or on Facebook.

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Origins of teriyaki

While most often associated with Japanese cuisine, there is controversy surrounding it's real origins. Some say teriyaki originated in the kitchens of Japanese immigrants in Hawaii, using local ingredients to recreate flavors from home (1), while others point to Korean roots and influence in making teriyaki popular in the US (2).

Whatever the origins, teriyaki usually refers to meat which has been marinated in a sauce containing soy sauce, sugar and mirin, then grilled, broiled or roasted. My goal with this crock pot teriyaki chicken was to combine these delicious flavors with the ease of the slow cooker, making them easy and accessible to busy home cooks.

Ingredient notes

• chicken- as written, this recipe uses boneless skinless chicken breasts, however you could replace them with boneless skinless chicken thighs. Increase the total cook time to 4-5 hours on low.
• soy sauce- I like to use reduced sodium soy sauce as I find regular quite salty. Swap for tamari, coconut aminos or liquid soy seasoning for a gluten-free option.
• honey- feel free to use your favorite sweetener in this recipe: I've tested with brown sugar, maple syrup and honey. Use low carb sweeteners at your own risk.
• mirin- traditional Japanese cooking wine, this ingredient adds a subtle tangy aftertaste that is characteristic of bottled teriyaki sauce. If you can't find it, swap for sake, white wine, sherry, or rice vinegar. Taste and adjust the sweetness as needed.

How to cook it

Getting it started

To get this recipe started, add the soy sauce, honey, water, mirin, garlic and ginger to the base of a 6 quart slow cooker. Whisk together until smooth, then add the chicken breasts, turning to coat in the sauce.

Cook on low for 3-4 hours*, and make sure not to lift the lid during the cook time.

*If you know your slow cooker cooks lower or slower, consider increasing the cook time as needed.

Thickening the sauce

Once the chicken is cooked through, it's time to thicken the sauce. We've used cornstarch in this recipe, but you could also use arrowroot starch.

Mix together the cornstarch with water until fully dissolved. Lift the lid of the slow cooker, add the cornstarch slurry, and mix it in as best as you can with a spatula. Replace the lid on the slow cooker as quickly as you can, turn the slow cooker to high, and simmer for 30 minutes.

At this point, the liquid should be bubbly and thick.

Cut or shred the chicken

Depending on your preferences, you can either cube the chicken breast, or shred it.

• Cubing- you may want to let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before cubing, as this helps the juices settle. To do this, simply let them sit on a cutting board for 10 minutes. Cut the chicken into 1 inch cubes, then return to the slow cooker and toss in the sauce.
• Shredding- to shred the chicken, transfer to a clean bowl, then use an electric hand mixer or two forks to shred the chicken. Return to the slow cooker and toss in the sauce.

Garnish

Garnishes are optional, but add color and subtle flavor to the dish. We love sprinkling with toasted sesame seeds and green onion.

Adding vegetables to the recipe

Yes, you can absolutely add vegetables to this recipe! We like to add fresh or frozen broccoli, stir fry mix, or cauliflower right to the slow cooker. Here's how to do it:

1. Do not add the vegetables at the start as they will overcook.
2. Add longer cooking vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower during the last 1 hour (fresh) or 2 hours (frozen) of cook time. If you use quick cooking vegetables like peas or green beans, you'll want to reduce the cook time to 30 minutes (fresh) and 1 hour (frozen).
3. Consider adding extra cornstarch (½ tablespoon) to account for extra water that comes out of the vegetables while they cook).

Meal prep + storage

Crock pot chicken teriyaki is a great recipe for meal prep! Here are two ways you can meal prep it:

1. Crock pot freezer meal

A crock pot freezer meal is assembled ahead and frozen before cooking. This way, when it's time to cook, you simply dump the ingredients into the slow cooker and skip any measuring. This is a great recipe to prepare for someone who is expecting a baby.

Here’s how you can turn this recipe into a freezer meal:

1. Assemble the boneless skinless chicken breasts plus all remaining ingredients (except for the cornstarch) in a gallon-sized freezer bag, reusable silicone bag, or meal prep container.
2. Squeeze out as much air as possible.
3. Freeze flat for up to 3 months.
4. Thaw completely, then cook as directed in the recipe card.

Find my favorite freezer containers here!

2. Cook ahead and reheat

You can cook this recipe all the way through, portion out with rice and vegetables in meal prep containers, and store in the fridge (4 days) or freezer (3 months).

Reheat in the microwave until steaming hot, and enjoy!

Find my favorite meal prep containers here!

More slow cooker chicken recipes

• Slow Cooker Honey Lime Shredded Chicken
• Crockpot Chicken Fajitas
• 7 Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
• Crockpot White Chicken Chili
• Crockpot Whole Chicken and Veggies
• Cilantro Lime Chicken Crockpot Tacos