This Crockpot™ teriyaki chicken recipe takes only 5 minutes to prepare and then the Crockpot™ does the rest. It’s a super simple, hands-off recipe that skips the searing and has you add everything straight to the Crockpot™!
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“Made this today and it is delicious! I added some broccoli for veggies to round things off. Thanks for the recipe!” -Ana, FoodieCrush reader
This Might Be the Simplest “Set It and Forget It” Meal EVER
This shredded teriyaki chicken is incredibly easy to prepare and if you keep an even minimally well-stocked pantry, you should have everything on hand to pull it together.
The recipe comes from The I Heart Naptime Cookbook from author and food blogger Jaimelyn Nye, and is packed with over 100 recipes that if they aren’t already, are poised to become family favorites.
This Crockpot™ teriyaki chicken recipe is full of flavor yet incredibly simple to prepare. Unlike some slow cooker recipes, there’s no browning or sautéeing to be done. All the magic happens in your slow cooker!
Enjoy!
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
You can use a lower salt alternative. If you’re sensitive to salt, you may want to use low-sodium soy sauce instead of regular when making the teriyaki sauce. My family loved the sauce as it’s written, but choose whichever soy sauce you prefer.
Don’t set it and forget it! Note that you only have to cook the chicken on low for a few hours. If you cook the chicken for longer, it’ll be incredibly tough.
Leftovers can be frozen and reheated later. It’s a great protein to have on hand for last-minute lunches and dinners.
Ingredient Notes
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Chicken — Jaimelyn’s recipe calls for chicken breasts, but boneless skinless thighs should work just fine too.
- Cornstarch — This is what thickens the sauce and gives it a glossy sheen.
- Sugar — Granulated sugar adds a neutral sweetness, while light brown sugar adds a delicate caramel undertone.
- Soy sauce — Sub with tamari to keep the teriyaki chicken gluten-free.
- Apple cider vinegar — Adds a fruity tang that balances out the sweet and salty flavors of the sauce. I don’t always have rice wine vinegar on hand, so using ACV in the teriyaki sauce is a great tip on Jaimelyn’s part!
- Spices — Fresh garlic, ground ginger, and ground black pepper flavor the sauce.
How to Make Teriyaki Chicken in a Crockpot™
- Pop it all in the slow cooker. To make this recipe, simply pull out your slow cooker, whisk the homemade teriyaki sauce together and then put both into the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. Some recipes say you can speed up the cook time by cranking the heat up to “high,” but in my experience chicken dries out and becomes rubbery when cooked that way. (The issue is that the outside cooks through before the inside does.)
- Shred and serve. Once the chicken is cooked through and tender to taste, chop or shred the chicken, top over perfectly cooked white rice, garnish, and serve. It’s truly that simple. And truly that good.
Love Teriyaki Sauce? Make One of These Next
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 garlic cloves , pressed or minced
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Sesame seeds and sliced green onion for garnish
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in a slow cooker and pour in ¼ cup water so it seeps under the chicken and set the heat to Low.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together another ¼ cup water and the cornstarch, then whisk in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and pepper.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken, cover and cook on Low for 3 ½ to 4 hours, or until the meat shreds easily with a fork. Remove any fat and shred the chicken.
- Return the chicken to the slow cooker and stir to coat with the sauce. Turn the slow cooker to Warm until ready to serve. Serve with white or brown rice and garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onion, if desired.
Nutrition
FAQs
I don’t typically cook with sugar alternatives like Stevia, so I can’t speak to whether or not those would work in the teriyaki sauce.
However, honey would work just fine here.
You can definitely cook this teriyaki chicken recipe using the slow cooker function on your Instant Pot. I’ve never made it using the pressure cooker function, so I can’t give you instructions on that front.
Chances are you cooked them too long. Some people think you can’t overcook chicken in a Crockpot™ because the heat is kept low, but you definitely can.
3 to 4 hours on low is all Crockpot™ chicken breasts need to cook until they’re tender and juicy. After that, they’ll dry out on you.
Yep! If you’ve got ’em, use ’em. Chicken thighs actually stay juicier than chicken breasts and are more forgiving in the slow cooker. Just note that you may need to increase the cook time slightly since thighs cook a little slower.
Yes, but this 7-ingredient homemade teriyaki sauce tastes SO much better than anything bottled.
If you’re super short on time, swap in your favorite store brand. Give it a taste before adding to the raw chicken and add a little extra sugar if it tastes too salty.
Side Dishes That Make This a Meal
You can easily transform this into into teriyaki chicken bowls by serving the shredded chicken over a bed of rice. You can also serve Crockpot™ teriyaki chicken with one of the following:
More Easy Crockpot™ Chicken Dinners You’ll Love
Visit Jamielyn and her blog at I Heart Naptime. Purchase The I Heart Naptime Cookbook: More Than 100 Easy & Delicious Recipes to Make in Less Than One Hour here.
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Amy
Going to try this today. Cant wait! I don’t have sesame seeds but I do love the taste of them on teriyaki chicken so I’m bummed. Do you think adding a little bit of sesame oil to the recipe could work?
(I’m a beginner with my crockpot)
Kate
Lovely! I think this is a recipe my whole family would love, going now to check out that book!!
Ana
Made this today and it is delicious! I added some broccoli for veggies to round things off. Thanks for the recipe!
Mimi
Good to know about this cookbook – I will get it for my daughter. But honestly, I’d never put that much sugar is a meal!
Totally agreed on all fronts Erin!
Karen @ Seasonal Cravings
My kids would love this easy weeknight dinner! Cookbook looks gorgeous!
It’s definitely a great cookbook for cooks with families. Thanks Karen.
Jill
This whole post is so lovely, but my favourite part was when you noted there was no browning or sauteeing! I am all about delicious texture and crispiness, but when I’m using the slow cooker, I want as few steps as possible. So excited to try this! And to check out I Heart Naptime as well. Thanks for recommending Jamielyn :)
I agree Jill! I’m a BIG fan of crockpot recipes that don’t mean I’m dirtying any other pots or pans. Thanks for stopping by!
2pots2cook
Perfect for week dinner with a glass of wine. Thank you. I will be back :-) Soon !