Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken (Printable version)

Tender chicken in a sweet and savory homemade sauce, perfect for effortless weeknight dining.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

→ Teriyaki Sauce

02 - 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
03 - 1/4 cup honey
04 - 1/4 cup rice vinegar
05 - 2 tbsp water
06 - 2 tbsp brown sugar
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
09 - 1 tbsp cornstarch
10 - 1 tbsp water for slurry

→ Garnish

11 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
12 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds

# Directions:

01 - Arrange chicken thighs or breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker.
02 - Whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, 2 tbsp water, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger in a medium bowl until combined.
03 - Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken in the slow cooker.
04 - Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours, until chicken is tender and reaches internal temperature of 165°F.
05 - Remove chicken from the slow cooker and shred or slice as desired.
06 - Mix cornstarch with 1 tbsp water to create a slurry. Stir slurry into the sauce in the slow cooker, turn to high, and cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes until sauce thickens.
07 - Return shredded chicken to the thickened sauce and toss to coat. Serve hot, garnished with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The homemade teriyaki sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like you simmered it all day
  • Your slow cooker does all the heavy lifting while you go about your day
  • The sauce thickens into this gorgeous glossy coating that makes everything look restaurant worthy
02 -
  • The first time I made this I forgot to shred the chicken before thickening the sauce and ended up with giant pieces swimming in pudding so definitely shred first
  • If your sauce is not thickening enough give it another few minutes on high because cornstarch needs to reach a full boil to activate properly
  • You can marinate the chicken overnight in the sauce before cooking but honestly it turns out just as good without that extra step
03 -
  • Pat your chicken dry before placing it in the slow cooker so the sauce clings to the meat instead of running right off
  • Use a pair of kitchen shears to shred the chicken in half the time it takes with forks

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