The summer heat has arrived in Georgia, and my slow cooker gets a lot of use this time of year to keep the kitchen cool. Over the weekend I made one of our family favorites — Teriyaki Chicken — this time in the slow cooker, and it turned out fantastic.

EASY SLOW COOKER TERIYAKI CHICKEN (Best Sauce)

Our family favorite teriyaki chicken can easily be made in the slow cooker. The sauce comes together quickly on the stove with soy sauce, sugar, apple cider vinegar, garlic, ginger, black pepper and cornstarch. Pour the sauce over the chicken and let the slow cooker do the work. No need to heat up the kitchen — serve this flavorful chicken and sauce over rice for a simple, satisfying meal.

What You Need To Make Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken

Boneless skinless chicken thighs, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, sugar, ground ginger, garlic, black pepper and cornstarch.

How To Make Easy Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken

Spray the slow cooker with non-stick spray and arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer. Season with ground black pepper.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, sugar, minced garlic (or garlic powder), ground ginger, ground black pepper and cornstarch. Whisk until smooth and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens.

Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken, making sure to lift the pieces so the sauce coats underneath as well.

Cook on HIGH for 2½ to 3 hours or on LOW for 4 to 5 hours. Cooking times vary by slow cooker, so adjust as needed — some models may take 3–4 hours on HIGH or 4–6 hours on LOW. Ensure the chicken reaches 165°F before serving. When the chicken is done, shred it with two forks, stir in steamed broccoli if desired, and serve the chicken and sauce over rice.

You can serve the chicken simply over rice or add vegetables. Broccoli is my favorite accompaniment.

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I prefer to add vegetables after the chicken is cooked and shredded so they don’t overcook. This keeps them crisp-tender.

Teriyaki chicken is also delicious sprinkled with sesame seeds for a finishing touch.

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Easy Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 6 thighs)
Ground black pepper to taste

Teriyaki Sauce

1/2 cup soy sauce (regular or reduced sodium)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1 clove garlic, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Optional

10–12 ounces steamed broccoli – cooked to preference and added after the chicken is shredded (a frozen steamer bag works well)
Sesame seeds for sprinkling

Directions

1. Spray the slow cooker with non-stick spray. Place chicken thighs in a single layer and season with pepper.

2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together all sauce ingredients. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens.

3. Pour the sauce over the chicken, coating well and lifting pieces so the sauce reaches underneath.

4. Cook on HIGH for 2½–3 hours or on LOW for 4–5 hours, adjusting for your slow cooker. Confirm chicken reaches 165°F before serving.

5. Shred the chicken with two forks, add cooked broccoli if using, stir to combine, and serve over rice. Enjoy!

Tips

Chicken breasts can be substituted for thighs. Use fresh (not frozen) chicken to avoid extra liquid.
This teriyaki sauce also works great as a barbecue glaze when grilling chicken.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheers!