Description

This Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki recipe delivers tender, flavorful chicken perfectly simmered in a sweet and savory homemade teriyaki sauce. Using a slow cooker makes it incredibly easy to prepare a delicious and comforting meal without much hands-on time, ideal for busy days. Garnished with sesame seeds and green onions, it’s perfect served over steamed rice for a satisfying weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Teriyaki Sauce

1 cup soy sauce
½ cup honey
¼ cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Thickening (Optional)

1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

Garnish (Optional)

1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 green onions, sliced

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Instructions

Prepare the chicken: Place the boneless, skinless chicken breasts at the bottom of your slow cooker to create a base for the sauce.
Make the teriyaki sauce: In a medium bowl, thoroughly whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, brown sugar, minced garlic, grated fresh ginger, and sesame oil until well combined.
Combine and cook: Pour the prepared teriyaki sauce evenly over the chicken breasts in the slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker and cook on the low setting for 4 to 6 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours, allowing the chicken to become fully cooked and tender.
Thicken the sauce (optional): If a thicker sauce is preferred, mix cornstarch with water to form a smooth slurry. Stir this mixture into the slow cooker during the last 30 minutes of cooking, allowing the sauce to thicken as it finishes cooking.
Shred the chicken: Once cooking is complete, remove the chicken breasts and shred them with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir it into the sauce so it absorbs the flavors evenly.
Serve and garnish: Serve the tender shredded chicken teriyaki over steamed rice, garnishing with sesame seeds and sliced green onions if desired for added texture and flavor.

Notes

For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari.
Adjust the honey and brown sugar quantities to control sweetness according to preference.
Shredding the chicken helps it soak up more of the delicious sauce.
You can add vegetables like bell peppers or broccoli in the last hour of cooking for a complete meal.
Serve with steamed rice or noodles for a traditional accompaniment.