Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
Looking for a fresh and new weeknight dinner that is easy, nutritious, and family-approved? This slow cooker teriyaki chicken just might be a new favorite. It’s easy prep, minimal cleanup, and max flavor. You can prep the chicken in a few minutes and then let the slow cooker do the rest of the work. Serve the sweet and savory chicken over some rice with a veggie on the side.
Hi, easy and flavorful slow cooker dinner! 👋
Is there a better phrase to hear when thinking about weeknight dinners and the hectic back to school season? I think not.
This recipe delivers tender chicken infused with flavor, without much hands-on work beyond some simple prep. It’s…
😋 Seriously delicious: Tender chicken pieces are coated in a sweet-savory teriyaki sauce, it’s a dinner the whole family will love.
🛒 Made with simple ingredients: You’ll need some pantry staples and a few fresh items.
🍗 Family-approved protein: Sweet and savory chicken FTW!
🥗 Pairs well with sides: Serve over rice and a veggie on the side for a complete meal.
🔥 Hands-off cooking: Set it and forget it! Just a quick prep and then you can let your slow cooker do the work. Bonus points if you also have a rice maker!
🥤 Kid-friendly flavor: Sweet and savory sauce keeps little taste buds happy.
🕒 Perfect for busy schedules: Prep in minutes, enjoy dinner hours later. Close to dinner time, prep your rice and veggie side.
You’ll also want to try ground pork stir-fry, beef and broccoli stir-fry, healthy orange chicken.
Made this with broccoli and everyone loved it. Great for school nights. –Emma
Ingredient Notes
You’ll need some fresh ingredients and pantry staples to bring this easy weeknight dinner to the table: chicken thighs (skinless, boneless), bottled teriyaki sauce, white rice, coconut milk(optional), veggie side, and any desired garnishes.
Emily’s Tips & Tricks
- Pro tip: Toast your sesame seeds! I just recently started doing this and wow, it’s a game-changer and a quick toast in a hot skillet adds SO much flavor.
- Feeding kids without pressure: I would recommend serving the chicken teriyaki in a pinch bowl (taster bowl) if it’s a new or learning-to-like it food. Serve the meal with a few items you know your kids will eat, like fruit, milk, and/or bread and butter if they don’t do coconut rice.
- Variations: You can certainly use chicken breast, but we loved the flavor and texture so much more with chicken thighs. The extra little bit of fat helps keep the chicken tender and juicy. We did test it with chicken breasts and it is still delicious, but the texture is much better with thighs.
- Additions: Add in some minced garlic and ginger with the teriyaki sauce to give it homemade flavor.
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Asian
Description
Make weeknight dinners easy with this slow cooker teriyaki chicken. Sweet, savory, and tender, it’s perfect for busy nights.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 3-inch pieces
- 1 cup Fresh Thyme Teriyaki Sauce, plus more for serving
- 2 cups white rice (jasmine or similar)
- 15 oz. can Fresh Thyme coconut milk (optional, use extra water if skipping)
- veggie for side
- garnish: sesame seeds, sliced green onion, red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Add chicken to slow cooker. Top with teriyaki sauce and stir so all chicken is coated. Cover and cook on Low for 3-4 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 185 degrees F.
- About 30-45 minutes before you’re going to eat, prep your sides.
- Make rice according to package instructions, but swap out some (or all) of the water for the coconut milk. You may need to add a little bit more water to cook, but it will depend on the exact instructions you are using. Use all the coconut milk and add extra water if necessary.
- Prep your veggie side.
- Add cooked rice to a bowl and top with cooked chicken (scoop out with a slotted spoon), and drizzle with extra teriyaki sauce if desired. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve with veggies.
Notes
- Storage: Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave or a hot skillet until cooked through.
- Ingredient notes: I recommend using boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the crockpot teriyaki chicken as it results in a much more juicy and tender chicken. You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts if you prefer, but the flavor is better with thighs. Jasmine rice works really well with this dish, but you can use your favorite type of rice.
- Meal prep ahead: If you want to pack this up for meal prep, divide rice, veggies, and chicken into microwave-safe containers. Depending on your individual needs, you’ll have about 4-6 servings.
- Special tools: You’ll need a slow cooker – this is my favorite one, I like it much more than the more expensive and fancy ones I’ve tried. And a rice maker is one of my favorite kitchen appliances.
- Serve with: Your favorite rice and a veggie like bok choy, air fryer broccoli, sauteed green beans, etc.
- Nutrition: Nutrition facts are an estimate and include rice, but do not include the veggie.
I’m so proud to partner with Fresh Thyme to bring you this slow-cooked chicken teriyaki recipe. Fresh Thyme is a special store – a trusted, local community-focused grocer in the Midwest that offers real fresh food at real affordable prices. Unlike some of the other specialty stores, Fresh Thyme is truly a one-stop shop, with a wide variety of the brands you know and love, all at great prices. Thank you for supporting the brands that support this site, we appreciate you!
Serving Suggestions
All this meal needs is a veggie side! You can really go in any direction, but here are a few ideas and our favorites:
- Sauteed Haricot Verts
- Air Fryer Broccoli
- Bok Choy Stir Fry
- Frozen Broccoli
- Cauliflower rice
- Sauteed snap peas or sugar peas
- Egg rolls or other frozen appetizers
More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
If you like this slow cooker teriyaki chicken, you might also like some of these other slow cooker chicken recipes:
- Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
- Slow Cooker Pesto Chicken
- Slow Cooker Chicken and Potatoes
- 4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy
About the Author
Emily Dingmann is a recipe developer, nutrition expert, and founder of My Everyday Table. She specializes in creating easy, healthy recipes that help busy parents feed their families well every single day, without the stress. With a degree in Nutrition and over 20 years of experience, Emily shares family-friendly meals that are practical, nourishing, and full of flavor. Learn more about Emily’s approach to everyday cooking and nutrition here.
Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.
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Made this with broccoli and everyone loved it. Great for school nights.