Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken Thighs: Easy Slow Cooker Recipe

There’s something magical about coming home to a house that smells like teriyaki chicken and knowing dinner’s already done. I discovered this recipe during a particularly chaotic week when cooking felt impossible, and it’s been my go-to ever since.

Chicken thighs are perfect for the crockpot because they stay incredibly juicy and tender even after hours of cooking. The homemade teriyaki sauce is way better than anything you’d get from a bottle, and it takes literally five minutes to whisk together.

This is the kind of meal that makes you feel like you’ve got your life together, even when you absolutely don’t. Ten minutes of prep in the morning, and you’ve got restaurant-quality dinner waiting for you. That’s the dream right there.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Chicken Thighs Stay Incredibly Tender: Dark meat is made for slow cooking. The thighs come out fall-apart tender and juicy, never dry or stringy. They absorb all that teriyaki flavor and basically melt in your mouth.

Homemade Teriyaki Sauce Wins Every Time: Store-bought teriyaki sauce can’t compete with homemade. You control the sweetness, the saltiness, and there’s no weird preservatives or corn syrup. Plus, it’s literally just whisking together stuff you probably already have.

Only 10 Minutes of Actual Work: You spend ten minutes in the morning throwing everything in the crockpot, then you walk away. No babysitting, no stirring, no checking. The slow cooker does everything while you’re at work or doing literally anything else.

Perfect for Meal Prep: Make this on Sunday and you’ve got protein for the entire week. The chicken holds up beautifully in the fridge, and the teriyaki sauce actually gets better as it sits.

Budget-Friendly Winner: Chicken thighs are usually the cheapest cut at the grocery store, and they taste better than chicken breasts anyway. You can feed a family of four for under $15, which beats takeout every time.

Family-Friendly Flavors: Kids love teriyaki chicken. The sauce is sweet and savory without being too intense or spicy. Even picky eaters tend to demolish this over rice.

Ingredients with Key Notes

For the Teriyaki Sauce:

• ½ cup soy sauce – Low-sodium preferred
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup brown sugar – Packed
• 2 tablespoons honey – For sweetness and shine
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar – Adds tang
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil – This is key for authentic flavor
• 3 cloves garlic – Minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger – Grated or minced
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch – For thickening at the end
• 2 tablespoons cold water – For the cornstarch slurry

For the Chicken:

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs – About 8-10 thighs
• Sesame seeds – For garnish
• Sliced green onions – For garnish
• Optional: red pepper flakes – For heat

Key Ingredient Notes:

Chicken Thighs: Boneless, skinless thighs are the easiest and what I recommend. You can use bone-in, skin-on thighs if that’s what you have—just remove the skin before cooking and add 30 minutes to the cook time. Thighs stay juicier than breasts in the slow cooker.

Soy Sauce: Use low-sodium if you can, or the sauce will be too salty. If you only have regular soy sauce, reduce it to ⅓ cup and increase the water to ½ cup. For gluten-free, use tamari instead.

Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar both work. Dark brown sugar gives you slightly deeper molasses flavor. You can also use coconut sugar for a less refined option.

Rice Vinegar: This is important for that authentic teriyaki tang. In a pinch, apple cider vinegar works, but rice vinegar is milder and better here.

Sesame Oil: Don’t skip this! It adds that distinctive Asian flavor you can’t get any other way. A little goes a long way—one tablespoon is perfect.

Fresh Ginger: Fresh ginger makes a huge difference. Ground ginger is not the same and won’t give you the bright, zingy flavor you want. Grate it on a microplane or mince it finely.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Make the Teriyaki Sauce

Mix the Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, water, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, and fresh ginger. Whisk until the sugar dissolves completely. This takes about a minute.

Taste It: Dip a spoon in and taste the sauce. It should be balanced—sweet, salty, tangy, with that ginger zing. Adjust if needed. Too salty? Add a bit more honey. Too sweet? Add more soy sauce or vinegar.

Prep the Chicken

Trim the Thighs: Look over your chicken thighs and trim off any excess fat or weird bits. You don’t need to be obsessive, but removing obvious fat prevents greasiness.

Arrange in Crockpot: Place the chicken thighs in your slow cooker in a single layer if possible. It’s okay if they overlap slightly, but try to spread them out so the sauce can coat everything.

Pour the Sauce: Pour your teriyaki sauce over the chicken thighs. Make sure all the chicken is coated. Use a spoon to move things around if needed.

Slow Cook It

Cover and Cook: Put the lid on your crockpot. Cook on LOW for 4-5 hours or HIGH for 2.5-3 hours. The chicken is done when it reaches 165°F internal temperature and is tender enough to shred easily with a fork.

Don’t Lift the Lid: Seriously, don’t peek. Every time you lift the lid, you lose heat and add 15-20 minutes to the cooking time. Trust the process and leave it alone.

Check for Doneness: At the minimum cook time, check one piece of chicken. It should be cooked through and tender. If it’s still tough or pink inside, give it another 30 minutes.

Thicken the Sauce

Remove the Chicken: Use tongs to transfer the chicken thighs to a plate. The sauce will be thin and watery at this point—that’s normal.

Make the Slurry: In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Stir until smooth with no lumps.

Thicken It Up: Turn your crockpot to HIGH if it isn’t already. Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the sauce in the crockpot. Let it cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the sauce thickens to a glossy, coating consistency.

Return the Chicken: Put the chicken thighs back in the crockpot and toss them in the thickened sauce. Let them sit for 5 minutes to soak up that delicious sauce.

Optional Broiling Step

Get That Caramelization: If you want restaurant-quality caramelized edges, place the sauced chicken thighs on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil for 3-4 minutes until the edges get slightly charred and caramelized. Watch it carefully—broilers are aggressive.

Brush with More Sauce: Brush the chicken with more of the thickened teriyaki sauce before serving. This adds extra flavor and shine.

Finish Strong

Garnish: Sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. If you want heat, add red pepper flakes. These finishing touches make it look and taste restaurant-quality.

Serve Hot: Serve the chicken over rice with extra sauce drizzled on top. The sauce is liquid gold—don’t waste any of it.

Serving Suggestions

This teriyaki chicken is versatile and works with tons of different sides:

Over Rice: White rice, brown rice, or jasmine rice are all perfect. The rice soaks up that amazing teriyaki sauce. Make extra rice—you’ll want it.

With Noodles: Serve over ramen noodles, udon, or rice noodles for an Asian noodle bowl situation. Add some stir-fried vegetables and you’ve got a complete meal.

Cauliflower Rice for Low-Carb: If you’re watching carbs, cauliflower rice works great and still soaks up all that sauce. Season it with a little sesame oil and garlic.

Add Vegetables: Toss some broccoli, snap peas, bell peppers, or carrots into the crockpot during the last hour of cooking. They’ll cook in the teriyaki sauce and taste amazing.

Make Rice Bowls: Build bowls with rice, teriyaki chicken, steamed broccoli, shredded carrots, edamame, cucumber slices, and avocado. Drizzle with extra teriyaki sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Quick Stir-Fried Veggies: While the sauce is thickening, stir-fry some vegetables in a hot wok with a little oil. Serve them alongside the chicken for a complete meal in minutes.

Storage Tips

Refrigerator: Store the chicken and sauce together in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The chicken actually gets more flavorful as it sits in the sauce.

Freezing: Let the chicken cool completely, then freeze in the sauce in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Portion it out before freezing so you can grab just what you need.

Thawing: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Don’t microwave from frozen—it makes the chicken rubbery.

Reheating: Microwave individual portions for 2-3 minutes, or reheat in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through. Add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Meal Prep Strategy: Cook the chicken on Sunday. Store it with the sauce in one container, and keep rice in a separate container. During the week, reheat the chicken and rice together for quick lunches or dinners.

Sauce Storage: If you have extra sauce, store it separately and use it as a stir-fry sauce, marinade, or glaze for other proteins during the week.

Conclusion

These Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken Thighs are proof that amazing dinners don’t have to be complicated. Ten minutes of prep, and you’ve got restaurant-quality chicken waiting for you when you get home.

Make this week less stressful. Throw this in the crockpot tomorrow morning and thank yourself later.

Happy cooking!

Kip