Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken

This Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken is an easy set-and forget crockpot dinner recipe that is made with tender chicken breasts simmered in a delicious homemade teriyaki sauce. Only 10 minutes to prep using paleo and gluten-free ingredients with Whole30, low carb keto options.

Ingredients you need to make Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken:

• 4-6 Quart Slow Cooker
• boneless skinless chicken breasts, you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs

What goes in teriyaki sauce

Skip the bottled sauce by making this homemade teriyaki sauce. It’s super easy to make! Many Japanese restaurants use a combination of soy sauce and brown sugar in their teriyaki sauce. To keep ours paleo, we’re going to be using:

Mirin is pretty easy to find these days in the International section of most large grocery stores and online but you can definitely leave it out or use dry sherry or rice wine instead.

• coconut aminos , can sub with gluten-free tamari or low sodium soy sauce if not paleo
• honey, can sub with maple syrup or a low carb liquid sweetener such as Lakanto Sugar-Free Maple Syrup or Sukrin Gold for low carb or keto teriyaki chicken. Leave out or sub with date paste or orange juice for Whole30.
• apple cider vinegar , can sub with rice wine vinegar if not paleo
• Mirin or dry sherry – optional but it adds that authentic Teriyaki flavor but you can certainly leave it out if you prefer not to use alcohol or don’t have it on hand
• toasted sesame oil – adds a nutty flavor
• garlic cloves andfreshly grated ginger – both add flavor to this Asian dish but you can sub with ground garlic and ground ginger if you don’t have any fresh in your pantry
• salt and black pepper to taste
• red pepper chili flakes, optional to taste

SAUCE SLURRY to thicken the sauce

• arrowroot starch or tapioca starch , sub with 1 tsp xanthan gum for low carb / Keto
• cold water

FOR GARNISH AND SERVING

• green onions and sesame seeds
• For meal prep: cauliflower rice , or sub with Jasmine rice, quinoa or noodles, cooked shelled edamame beans, roasted or stir-fried broccoli (or other vegetable of you

How to make Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken

This recipe for healthy chicken teriyaki couldn’t be easier to make. It’s a simple set and forget meal with just 10 minutes of prep making it perfect for busy weeknights. Includes step-by-step photos and be sure to watch the video to see how easy it is to make.

1. ADD INGREDIENTS TO SLOW COOKER: Place the chicken in the bottom of your slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine coconut aminos, sweetener, vinegar, optional mirin, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger and pour over chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours.
2. THICKEN THE SAUCE: Combine the arrowroot starch with water (or use 1 tsp xanthan gum for Keto) and stir into the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for another 30-40 minutes, or until sauce has bubbled and thickened up (You can thicken the sauce in a saucepan on the stove top at medium high heat, if that works better for you).
3. SHRED CHICKEN: Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Shred chicken into pieces with two forks and serve with any remaining sauce.

What to serve with Paleo Chicken Teriyaki

We like to serve this Asian-inspired dish with some Cauliflower Rice or spiralized noodles.

If you’re not grain-free, you can also serve this with some Jasmine rice, quinoa or stir-fried noodles. Sprinkle with some sesame seeds and scallions and you’ve got a delicious meal that can easily rival your local take-out restaurant.

Storage

This Healthy Teriyaki Chicken would also make great leftovers or if you prep this on your Sunday meal prep, you can have yummy work or school lunches for the rest of the week. You could even pack some chopsticks to make it an authentic Asian meal.

1. DIVIDE LEFTOVERS INTO LUNCH CONTAINERS: For lunch bowls, make rice (or zoodles) and vegetables and divide evenly among lunch containers. Add chicken and drizzle on remaining sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired. For Whole30 Teriyaki Chicken, use cauliflower rice or spiralized vegetable noodles.

Make ahead tips

• Mix the sauce ingredients together the day before and store in an air-tight container in the fridge
• Make the rice or noodles the day before and store in an air-tight container in the fridge
• Weekly meal prep or the leftovers can be packed into lunch containers for the week – I use this lunch container
• Pack with your favorite vegetables (broccoli & edamame shown here) and carbs – Jasmine rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice or spiralized vegetables – zoodles

More slow cooker recipes you might like:

Better than takeout Slow Cooker General Tso’s Chicken Lunch Bowls

Easy Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

Slow Cooker Chicken Lo Mein Noodles

The Best Crockpot Sweet and Sour Chicken

Crockpot Asian Lemon Chicken Lunch Bowls

More teriyaki recipes you might like:

• Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
• One Pot Teriyaki Chicken Zoodles
• Teriyaki Rice with Chicken
• Sheet Pan Teriyaki Chicken
• Baked Teriyaki Salmon
• Teriyaki Chicken Foil Packets
• Beef  Teriyaki Zoodles
• Shrimp Teriyaki Noodles
• Grilled Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken Caesar Salad

5 from 4 votes

Print

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

3 hrs

Total Time

3 hrs 10 mins

 

This Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken is an easy set-and forget crockpot dinner recipe that is made with tender chicken breasts simmered in a delicious homemade teriyaki sauce. Only 10 minutes to prep using paleo and gluten-free ingredients with low carb keto options.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: Asian chicken recipe, chicken teriyaki, slow cooker recipes meat

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 137 kcal

Author: Kelly

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts , or chicken thighs
• 2/3 cups coconut aminos , can sub with gluten-free tamari or low sodium soy sauce if not paleo
• 1/3 cup honey , can sub with low carb liquid sweetener for keto (omit for Whole30 or sub with date paste or 2 Tablespoons orange juice)
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar , can sub with rice wine vinegar if not paleo
• 1 Tablespoon Mirin or dry sherry - optional - leave out for Whole30
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated or minced ginger

OPTIONAL

• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper chili flakes or Sriracha sauce optional

SAUCE SLURRY

• 1.5 Tablespoons arrowroot starch or tapioca starch , sub with 1 tsp xanthan gum for low carb / Keto
• 3 Tablespoon cold water

FOR SERVING:

• sliced green onions sesame seeds
• For meal prep: cauliflower rice , or sub with Jasmine rice, quinoa or noodles, cooked shelled edamame beans, roasted or stir-fried broccoli (or other vegetable of your choice), lunch containers

Instructions

FOR SLOW COOKER METHOD:

1. Place the chicken in the bottom of your slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine coconut aminos, sweetener, vinegar, optional mirin, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger and pour over chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours.

2. To thicken sauce, combine the arrowroot starch with water (or use 1 tsp xanthan gum for Keto) and stir into the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for another 30-40 minutes, or until sauce has bubbled and thickened up (You can thicken the sauce in a saucepan on the stove top at medium high heat, if that works better for you). Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Shred chicken into pieces with two forks and serve with any remaining sauce along with your favorite rice, quinoa or noodles.

3. For lunch bowls, make rice (or zoodles) and vegetables and divide evenly among lunch containers. Add chicken and drizzle on remaining sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.

FOR INSTANT POT METHOD:

1. Place the chicken in the Instant Pot.

2. In a small bowl, combine coconut aminos, sweetener, vinegar, optional mirin, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger and pour over chicken.

3. Close and seal Instant Pot.
4. Turn the venting knob to SEALING and press MANUAL (old models) or PRESSURE COOK (new models) on high for 5 minutes. The Instant Pot will take a few minutes to come to pressure.
5. Once the Instant Pot has finished cooking the chicken and beeps, allow to naturally release for 15 minutes.

6. Open the lid and remove chicken from Instant Pot and shred with two forks.

7. Press the SAUTE button on the Instant Pot. Combine the arrowroot starch with water (or use 1 tsp xanthan gum for Keto) and stir iinto the Instant Pot. Allow the sauce to bubble and thicken up. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt, black pepper and/or hot chili flakes needed. Add the chicken back into the Instant Pot and combine with sauce and heat until hot. Serve with any remaining sauce along with your favorite rice, quinoa or noodles.

8. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, green onions and serve over cauliflower rice, Jasmine rice, quinoa or zoodles, if desired.

Recipe Video

Nutrition Facts

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 137 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Carbohydrates 12g4%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 12g24%

* Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy using the WPRM recipe calculator. It is best to make your own calculations to ensure accuracy. We expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.