Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken

Make this super easy Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken in your slow cooker, and serve over warm white rice for a delicious teriyaki bowl!

Forget Friday night Asian takeout! Make this Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken in your slow cooker any day of the week. Serve it with some Egg Rolls and Fried Rice for a complete meal. You can also try our Baked Teriyaki Chicken too!

TRIED + TRUE TERIYAKI CHICKEN

I LOVE chicken and I LOVE Asian food, so it’s probably no surprise that I absolutely love Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken.

We’ve tried a few Teriyaki Chicken recipes and all were pretty good, but this one has been a favorite, by far. Even the hubby who doesn’t like Asian food liked this one {which is saying A LOT!}

And what’s great about this Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken is it’s all made in the slow cooker, which means it’s SUPER EASY!! I’m all about easy and yummy recipes, and this one is one of those.

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken

PREP. Place chicken in crock pot on low heat.

COMBINE. Combine sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and pepper in a separate bowl. Mix and pour over the chicken.

COOK. Cook on low for 4-5 hours until chicken is tender. Remove the chicken, place it on a plate and shred it with a fork.

Take the fat out of the reserved liquid left in the crock pot by pouring it through a mesh strainer into a saucepan (or scoop out the fat with a slotted spoon). 

SAUCE. Place liquid in a saucepan and bring to a boil. In a separate bowl, combine cornstarch and water until smooth and gradually stir into the saucepan. Simmer until it thickens.

SERVE. Pour chicken over cooked rice and cover with your thickened teriyaki sauce.

Teriyaki Chicken Variations

• Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
• Replace the white sugar with brown sugar or use honey to sweeten it.
• Use an equal amount of boneless skinless chicken breasts.
• Use fresh ginger root. Use 1 tablespoon of fresh-grated ginger for every ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger.
• Add some pineapple or orange juice.
• Use mirin sauce, which is a type of rice wine, instead of apple cider vinegar.

Make it in the Instant Pot!

If you forgot to thaw that frozen chicken, don’t worry! You’ll have it cooked in no time. 

COMBINE. Place the chicken in the Instant Pot. Combine sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and pepper in a separate bowl. Mix and pour it over the chicken. 

COOK. Close and seal the lid. Set to “manual/pressure cook’’ on high. Cook for 7 minutes if the chicken is thawed, and 12 minutes if frozen.

Allow the pressure to release and carefully remove the lid. Take out the chicken and shred it. Use a mesh strainer or a spoon to remove any fat from the broth in the pot. 

SAUCE. Press “saute” on your instant pot. In a separate bowl, combine the cornstarch and water. Mix until smooth then add it to the instant pot. Allow the liquid to come to a boil then add the shredded chicken back in.

SERVE. If adding vegetables, cook them separately and add them to the chicken before serving it with rice.

Recipe tips

Frozen chicken. It’s not usually recommended to cook frozen meat in a slow cooker because harmful bacteria can have time to develop before the chicken reaches a safe temperature.

The best way to thaw chicken is to put it in the fridge overnight. To thaw it faster, place the frozen chicken in a Ziploc and then into a large bowl. Cover the bag of chicken with cool water. Replace the water every 30 minutes. Without opening the bag, mix up the chicken pieces before adding more water.

Adding veggies. Broccoli florets, snap peas, bell peppers, and asparagus can be added to Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken.

To prevent soggy veggies, add them in about 30 minutes to an hour before the chicken is finished cooking. Another option is to microwave or saute the veggies and then add them right before serving.

Freezer meal. Whisk the sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and pepper in a bowl. Place the chicken in a freezer bag and pour in the mixture.

• Store. It can be kept in the freezer for 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before dumping the contents of the bag into the crock pot. Finish cooking it according to the recipe.
• Meal Prep. Depending on how often you plan to make this dish: make 3 batches to serve it once a month, or 6 batches to serve it twice a month.

Sides Ideas + Storing

We like to serve our Teriyaki Chicken with these easy side ideas…

• Fried Rice
• Cream Cheese Wontons
• Baked Cream Cheese Rangoons
• Asian Coleslaw
• Cauliflower Rice
• Egg Drop Soup
• Garlic Noodles

Additional serving suggestions. I love to serve this chicken on top of a bed of rice, but it tastes great when used in other dishes as well.

• brown rice or cauliflower rice
• in a lettuce or tortilla wrap
• in bread or a roll to make a sandwich
• on top of a salad

STORE. Do not leave this Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken Recipe out for more than two hours. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

FREEZE. Place in a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Reheat in the microwave, in a pan on the stove, or covered in the oven.

For more Asian chicken recipes:

• Orange Chicken and Asparagus
• Slow Cooker Almond Chicken
• Lemon Chicken
• Honey Chicken
• Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken
• Crock Pot Lo Mein
• Sesame Chicken

Adapted from Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom.