How to Video
Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
These Slow Cooker teriyaki chicken thighs are the perfect mix of sweet and savory, and they turn out super tender every time. Pair them with rice and veggies for an easy, delicious family meal.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
- 1 small onion (diced)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (or more, if you’d like)
- 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar (not seasoned!)
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs ( about 6 thighs per batch)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 cups cooked rice (for serving)
- 4 green onions (thinly sliced; I used green parts only, but it’s your choice.)
- 2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds (see Cooking Notes)
- Optional for serving: Sriracha sauce or Bang Bang Sauce
Instructions
- Aromatics: Heat the oil in a small saute pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sauté the onions for 3-4 minutes, until softened. Add in the garlic and saute for another 30-60 seconds. Add to the slow cooker.
- Sauce: Add the soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, and vinegar to the slow cooker and whisk until combined. Nestle the chicken into the bottom and make sure it’s coated in the sauce.
- Cook and Shred Chicken: Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours (the chicken is done when it is no longer pink inside and/or registers 165°F internally but it can cook a little longer). Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken to a wooden cutting board. Dice or shred the meat, and set aside.
- Slurry: In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk together the cold water and cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved and no longer lumpy.
- Thicken Sauce: Meanwhile, carefully strain the marinade into a medium saucepan using a mesh strainer. Pour the cornstarch mixture into the teriyaki sauce and whisk to combine. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat.
- Serve: Serve the shredded chicken over rice, pour the sauce over top, and garnish with sliced green onions and toasted white sesame seeds.
Freezer Instructions
Freeze for Later: Follow Step 1. Place the cooled onion/garlic mixture, raw chicken thighs, and soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, and vinegar into a gallon-sized freezer bag. Seal, squish around to mix, and freeze.
Prepare from Frozen: Thaw in a dish in the refrigerator and cook as directed in Steps 3-5.
Notes/Tips
- Microwaving the Aromatics Instead: Toss the onions and garlic in a microwave-safe bowl with the oil, cover, and microwave for 3-4 minutes or until softened, stirring once.
- About Chicken Thighs: If using smaller chicken thighs, begin checking for doneness around 2½ hours. However, thighs can slightly overcook and be fine, so don’t stress if you leave them on low for up to 4 hours or if they sit on the warm setting for a few hours.
- To Toast Sesame Seeds: Add white sesame seeds to a dry saute pan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown and aromatic. This just takes a few minutes and adds a LOT of flavor and texture.
- Sauce Tips:
- Prefer a less sweet sauce? You can reduce the total sweetener to 1/3 cup instead of 1/2 cup without sacrificing too much flavor. Try using 1/4 cup honey and 2 tablespoons brown sugar.
- For a thinner sauce, start by adding only half of the cornstarch slurry. Let it cook for 1–2 minutes, then add more as needed until the desired consistency is reached.
- Want to add some heat? Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the onions while they cook, or squeeze in Sriracha sauce to the sauce mixture while the chicken cooks. I’d start with 2 teaspoons. Or serve with our Bang Bang Sauce on top!
- High Protein Boost: Use chicken bone broth.
- Gluten-Free Version: Use gluten free tamari sauce or coconut aminos in place of soy sauce.
- Looking for the old recipe? We recently retested this older recipe from our site and one of our cookbooks, using boneless, skinless chicken thighs and thought it was much easier and just as good. So we made updates. You can find the original recipe here.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving with rice | Calories: 436 kcal (22%) | Carbohydrates: 51 g (17%) | Protein: 34 g (68%) | Fat: 10 g (15%) | Cholesterol: 144 mg (48%) | Sodium: 907 mg (39%) | Fiber: 1 g (4%) | Sugar: 22 g (24%)
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