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Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken

Crockpot teriyaki chicken made with fall-apart tender thighs and a thick, sticky homemade teriyaki glaze that clings to every shred. Set and forget it in your slow cooker, then finish uncovered until the sauce turns dark amber and glazy.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 530
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
Teriyaki sauce
  • 0.5 cup soy sauce
  • 0.33 cup brown sugar packed
  • 0.25 cup honey
  • 0.25 cup rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger grated
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with
  • 3 tbsp water
Serving
  • steamed rice
  • sesame seeds
  • green onions
  • broccoli steamed

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Add chicken
  1. Place the boneless skinless chicken thighs into the slow cooker in an even layer.
Make and pour sauce
  1. Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes, then pour the mixture over the chicken so it’s well coated.
Slow cook
  1. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours, or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is fall-apart tender (visual cue: it should shred easily with gentle pressure).
Shred and return
  1. Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, then return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
Thicken the glaze
  1. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook on HIGH uncovered for 20-30 minutes until the sauce thickens to a glazy consistency (visual cue: glossy, dark amber coating).
Serve
  1. Serve the teriyaki chicken over steamed rice with sesame seeds, green onions, and steamed broccoli.

Notes

For the smoothest glaze, stir the cornstarch slurry until fully dissolved before adding. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; reheat gently in a skillet or microwave until hot. Freezing is not ideal because the glaze may thin when thawed, but it can be frozen for up to 2 months and reheated with a quick simmer. Dietary swap: use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce for a soy-free option (texture may vary slightly).