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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!

Crock pot teriyaki chicken shredded and served over white rice
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.

Sauce for crock pot teriyaki chicken.
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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 ยผ 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.
Chicken in teriyaki sauce in slow cooker.

Make it in the Instant Pot!

If you forgot to thaw that frozen chicken, donโ€™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 cookโ€™โ€™ 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…

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.

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.

Crock pot teriyaki chicken served over white rice in a bowl.

For more Asian chicken recipes:

4.87 from 45 votes

Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna
Make this super easy Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken in your slow cooker, and serve over warm white rice for a delicious teriyaki bowl!
Servings: 8
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Total: 4 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 3-4 lbs boneless chicken thighs
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 4 teaspoon corn starch
  • 4 teaspoon cold water
  • cooked rice

Instructions 

  • Place chicken in crock pot on low heat.
  • Combine sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and pepper in a separate bowl. Mix and pour over the chicken.
  • 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).ย 
  • 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.
  • Pour chicken over cooked rice and cover with your thickened teriyaki sauce. ENJOY!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 456kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 166mg, Sodium: 537mg, Potassium: 372mg, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 135IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 15mg, Iron: 1.4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Adapted from Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom.

About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and Iโ€™m the mom of SIX stinkinโ€™ cute kids and the wife to my smokinโ€™ hot hubby, Lo. My momโ€™s maiden name is Luna, and Iโ€™m one of the many crafty โ€œLilโ€™ Lunasโ€ in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

So Easy & So Yummy

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4.87 from 45 votes (22 ratings without comment)

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100 Comments

  1. Eraj Siddiqui says:

    nice recipe .. i will try it soon

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Hope you like it!

  2. Annette says:

    I would like to use chicken breast for this recipe. How long should I cook them?

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      I would use the same amount, but you could always add more time. It would be on the longer side of cooking. Enjoy!!

    2. Shar says:

      I would like to try this but am using frozen chicken breast is that okay and if so is there any extra steps I need to take for water and add more time I need to add to the cooking this is my first time using a crock pot

      1. Lil'Luna Team says:

        Itโ€™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. However, if you do decide to cook frozen chicken, you can use the following as a reference: Cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Once the chicken hits an internal temperature of 165 degrees F itโ€™s safe to eat. Crockpots are amazing! Hope you enjoy using yours and the recipe too!

  3. Katelyn says:

    5 stars
    I made this as a new recipe the same night we had company over — it was a hit! My husband told me that it’s going to have to become a staple recipe. He likes a lot, but not generally enough to eat it twice, so I KNOW this is good!

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      I love hearing that!! I am so glad you let me know! Thank you!

  4. Stephanie Johnson says:

    I make this reciePe often! The family
    Loves it. If i needed to rUsh the reciepe and Cook onhigh how long Should i go?

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Half the time, so maybe 2-2 1/2 hours ๐Ÿ™‚

  5. Amie Grenier says:

    5 stars
    I just made this last night and it was absolutely delish!

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Thank you so much for trying it & for letting me know ๐Ÿ™‚ I am so glad you liked it!!

  6. Marie Mar says:

    5 stars
    I’ll be making the Teriyaki Chicken. Sounds and looks real good. Looks like you have some green onion on top. I will be using fresh ginger root. It is so much better then the canned stuff. If you don’t use it much, you can freeze it and slice it off when needed. YUM!

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Perfect!! I hope you love it, as much as we do! Enjoy!!

  7. Rachel Stewart says:

    4 stars
    I like this recipe a lot. Itโ€™s a bit heavy on the apple cider for my liking. Iโ€™d love to use fresh ginger next time as well. Is there a way to use mirin instead of so much sugar? I also wanted to add some broccoli. Do you think I could โ€œsteamโ€ it the last 30 minutes in the crock pot? Do you think the broccoli flavored water that is released during cooking would change the taste of the sauce too much? Do you think I would need to add more sauce to accommodate for the broccoli? Anyway, love the recipe and have made this several times as is. I just wanted to see what you thought. My husband loves my cooking but hates the fact that they never taste the same because I substitute a lot with what I have and itโ€™s sort of an art to me. But, I am making dinner tonight and have everything already going, just trying to see if I should do broccoli separate or not… donโ€™t really feel like experimenting tonight lol.

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Love that you experiment!! Sorry to not have responded sooner! Adding broccoli would be a great idea. I don’t think it would change it too much ๐Ÿ™‚ I haven’t tried adding mirin, so I am not sure about that. I’d love to know how it all turned out ๐Ÿ™‚

      1. Rachel Stewart says:

        It worked out. I added 1/4 of sliced raw onion at the bottom. Then an hour before cooking was finished, I added 3 heads of broccoli florets. It was quite delicious. My husband said โ€œYou out did yourself!โ€ #Win. Thanks for the recipe and replying.

      2. Kristyn Merkley says:

        I’m glad it did! ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. Ed Rosenthal says:

    5 stars
    I LOVE this recipe, Teriyaki chicken at its finest!

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      It’s my favorite!! Thanks for stopping by!

  9. MangaHere says:

    This recipe looks amazing, I will definitely be giving this a try.

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Thank you & it is!! Let me know what you think ๐Ÿ™‚ Thank you!

  10. Dns help says:

    5 stars
    Ooooo….This looks awesome… Yummy โค

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      Ooooo..it is ๐Ÿ™‚ You’ll have to try and let me know what you think!

      1. Olivia says:

        5 stars
        Anything that goes into the crockpot and produces a fabulous meal is a winner in my eyes. Simple and delicious!