It’s after making meals like this that I ask myself why I don’t utilize my slow cooker more often. I mean, what could be simpler than throwing in a handful of ingredients into the slow cooker in the morning and then coming home to a ready-made meal for dinner? Well, I’ve renewed my commitment to making my weekday nights easier by getting more use out of my slow cooker.
Slow cooker meals are also a really easy and fuss-free way to get your kids involved in the kitchen – there’s no boiling pots of hot liquids, splattering oil or open flames. It’s just adding ingredients to the slow cooker, closing the lid…and waiting.
Teriyaki chicken is something almost everyone loves. That familiar combination of sweet and savory is a flavor practically anyone will enjoy. This recipe is super easy to make with only 5 minutes of prep time. And it also provides the perfect foundation for building upon – i.e., add some of your favorite veggies like broccoli, bell peppers, carrots or bean sprouts and make a complete meal out of it.
Depending on the veggies you’re adding, you’ll add them in during the last 20-30 minutes until they’re tender. Bean sprouts will be added during the last 5-7 minutes so they retain some of their crunch. Etc. Or simply make a basic chicken teriyaki as shown here and serve it with your favorite steamed or stir-fried veggies and rice.
Let’s get started!
Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and stir until the brown sugar is mostly dissolved.
Place the chicken in the slow cooker. I’m using chicken breasts but you can use any chicken pieces of your choice.
Pour the sauce over the chicken.
Cook the chicken on LOW for 5-6 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours. Transfer the chicken to a plate and shred the meat. Discard the bones if you’re using bone-in chicken.
Carefully pour the sauce into a saucepan. Bring it to a boil and pour in the cornstarch mixture, stirring until slightly thickened, about a minute.
Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and pour the sauce over it. Stir to coat. Cook on HIGH for a few minutes until heated through. Add salt to taste.
Serve over steamed rice garnished with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions.
Enjoy!
- 2 pounds chicken breast or chicken pieces of choice
- See "Note" for adding vegetables
- For the Sauce:
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons mirin (can substitute sherry or white wine)
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar (low sugar alternative: use brown sugar substitute)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt
- For the Thickener:
- 1½ tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup water
- For Serving:
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Chopped green onions
- NOTE: If you prefer more sauce, simply double all the sauce ingredients including the thickener.
- Place the chicken in the slow cooker.
- Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and stir until the brown sugar is mostly dissolved.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken. Cook the chicken on LOW for 5-6 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and shred the meat. Discard the bones if you're using bone-in chicken.
- Carefully pour the sauce into a saucepan. Bring it to a boil and pour in the cornstarch mixture, stirring until slightly thickened, about a minute.
- Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and pour the sauce over it. Stir to coat. Cook on HIGH for a few minutes until heated through. Add salt to taste.
- Serve over steamed rice garnished with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions.
This looks delicious! I’ve been getting my kids more involved in making our meals as I see them more excited about eating when they do but have never thought about the slow cooker process being easier for the little ones. Thanks!
My family loves teriyaki chicken, and I love that you can make it in the slow cooker — looks perfect!
Wow! This looks amazing! I cannot wait to fill my house with these amazing smells!
Oh I know this will be a huge hit with my family!
This looks fantastic!
This looks SO delicious!
The thick sauce is key. YUMMATOLA as my dad would say!
I always wonder why I don’t use my slow cooker more! Love finding new ideas! Thank you.
This would be such a good dish to come home to!
I made this for dinner last night and it was a huge hit, everyone in my family loved it and not a shred was left 🙂
Awesome, Cori, I’m so happy to hear that, thank you!
I found my dinner for tonight! Yum!!
This will be a winner at my house! Love the ease of slow cooker!
Looks like a winner. I like to use the slow cooker in the summer to keep the house cooler. This is going on my list of recipes I want to try.
Awesome, easy, delicious. I made this for my family yesterday and it got two thumbs up all around. This will become a regular.
Fantastic, Nathan, I’m thrilled to hear that, thank you!
Always a great way to use the slow cooker!
Love that my slow cooker can make me a delicious dinner! Cannot wait to try it!
This dish is making my mouth water! I LOVE teriyaki chicken! You better believe this is being made very, very soon.
This is absolutely one gorgeous dish!!
Made last night loved the recipe made a change instead OF soy I used a teriyaki Asian sauce and added some chicken stock came out fabulous.Thanks
Fantastic, James, thanks so much for the feedback!
I love how thick those chicken pieces are! And so much sauce. Sounds heavenly!
Seriously fantastic recipe! So easy to make and the whole family loved it, thank you!
Wonderful, Tanya, thanks so much!