Posted Jul 29, 2020, Updated Aug 07, 2024 This crock pot teriyaki chicken recipe is an easy main dish that’s simple to prepare, then it cooks low and slow so the flavors infuse the chicken. Teriyaki chicken is made from scratch with all of my favorite Asian flavors, it is a fantastic fix-it-and-forget-it meal option for busy weeknights. Serve it with stir fry vegetables, fried rice, vegetable lo mein or on top of an Asian salad or in chicken lo mein. It’s is also a great recipe if you like to meal prep. The hardest part about planning meals (for me) is choosing a protein. This Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken recipe makes enough chicken to feed my family and have leftovers, and it freezes well.
Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken: Ingredients & Substitutions
Let’s chat about the ingredients and possible substitutions in this teriyaki chicken recipe.
Chicken breasts. Chicken thighs are a great substitute in this recipe. Soy Sauce. Both regular and low-sodium soy sauce work well. To make this slow-cooker teriyaki chicken gluten-free, be sure to choose a gluten-free soy sauce. To make it paleo, use coconut aminos. Honey: I have substituted sugar for the honey in the past with delicious results. Cornstarch: Tapioca flour and arrowroot powder both work well in this recipe if you don’t have cornstarch. Powdered spices: You can use the real thing (e.g. diced onion, minced garlic, grated fresh ginger) if you prefer. I find this dish much more kid-friendly if the flavor from the spices can be dissolved and therefore not detected by my little ones. Mirin: Please do not omit or substitute any ingredients for the mirin. It is a sweet Japanese cooking wine that’s found in the Asian section of most major grocery stores. Mirin is a key ingredient to make the most delicious teriyaki sauce you’ve ever had/
How to Make Chicken Teriyaki
This slow cooker teriyaki chicken recipe is easy to make, but as always we’ll walk through the process step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Make the Sauce
Begin by whisking together the sauce ingredients in the container of a crock pot. Making the sauce directly in the crockpot helps reduce the amount of dishes you have to clean! Next, place the chicken in the sauce, then turn it to coat it with the sauce in the crockpot.
Cook
Cook the teriyaki chicken in the crockpot for 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low, or until it’s fork-tender. If I have the time, I prefer to cook it on low.
Shred
Remove the chicken breasts from the crockpot and shred with two forks. You can also place the teriyaki chicken in the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and shred it that way. I prefer not to dirty more dishes, but shredding chicken in a standing mixer is very fast.
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Sauce
Make sure you do not discard the sauce! Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a saucepan and thicken with a touch of cornstarch or tapioca flour. When you’re ready to serve, toss the shredded chicken with half of the thickened sauce, and save the rest for serving.
Serve
Serve the teriyaki chicken with veggies and rice! Here are some great recipes that pair well with this crockpot teriyaki chicken:
The best fried rice ever! Tastes better than takeout! Serve it with an appetizer like fresh spring rolls and peanut sauce or asian chicken lettuce wraps! Roasted broccoli and roasted carrots pair really well with this chicken teriyaki recipe! Serve it on top of this asian quinoa salad, or in chicken lo mein.
Store
Store this crock pot teriyaki chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
