This website may contain affiliate links and advertising so that we can provide recipes to you. Read my disclosure policy.
This slow cooker honey teriyaki chicken is so easy to throw together, and the flavor is out of this world! The chicken cooks to perfection and will be one of the best things you’ll ever make!
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe=
- Easy to Make: This recipe takes a matter of minutes to throw into the slow cooker, and you can just set it and forget it!
- Budget-Friendly: All you need is chicken breasts and a handful of pantry items. During this economy, I’m all for cheap!
- Versatile: You can make this and use it for a variety of things. Sandwiches, bowls, tacos, salads, the possibilities are endless. Make it a meal and serve it over rice with crab rangoons and Asian cucumber salad.
Picky Eater Approved
My 7-year-old is the pickiest eater that you will meet. We keep hoping that he will grow out of it, but he keeps getting older and still doesn’t like a lot of foods. We at least have him try a couple of bites of what we eat, but he usually gags it down. If you ask him what his favorite meal on the blog is, he will say this teriyaki chicken. And if he likes it, I am convinced that the world will like it!
Ingredients For Slow Cooker Honey Teriyaki Chicken
How to Make Slow Cooker Honey Teriyaki Chicken
You can always count on the slow cooker to help you with dinner time! The tasty sauce clings to the tender shredded chicken, and every bite is so flavorful! I walk you through every step with my easy-to-follow instructions and pictures!
- Prepare: Spray the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray and place the chicken breasts in the bottom.
- Whisk: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, chopped onion, minced garlic, pepper, and ground ginger.
- Add Sauce and Cook: Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 5-6 hours.
- Shred the Chicken: Once the chicken is cooked, remove it with a slotted spoon and shred it using two forks.
- Thicken the Sauce: Pour the sauce left in the bottom of the crockpot into a medium saucepan. In a small bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch, then slowly whisk that into the sauce on medium-high heat. Continue to whisk and let it boil until the sauce starts to thicken, about 2 minutes.
- Combine and Serve: Add the chicken back to the slow cooker and pour the sauce on top, stirring to coat. Serve over rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
Tips and Instant Pot Instructions
I know this recipe will become a family favorite at your house, just like it did at ours! Here are some ideas and variations to make it your own! I also included instructions for making it in the instant pot when you’re short on time!
- What is the best chicken to use? This recipe uses chicken breasts, but I love boneless, skinless chicken thighs! The chicken thigh really absorbs the flavors of the sauce and is SO tender when cooked in the slow cooker.
- Serve it With Veggies! Make this a full meal and serve it with broccoli, green beans, or any veggie your family loves! Vegetables add texture and nutrition.
- Instant Pot Instructions: This easily converts to a quick Instant Pot recipe. Perfect for when you’re short on time or forget to prep this for the slow cooker. Add the chicken breasts to the bottom of the instant pot. Follow the directions for making the sauce and pour it over the chicken. Cook on “Manual” for 25 minutes. Lastly, quick-release the pressure and follow the instructions for shredding the chicken and thickening the sauce.
Slow Cooker Honey Teriyaki Chicken Leftovers
Store any leftover honey teriyaki chicken because it’s great for heating up and enjoying later! I like to make a little extra rice as well for a quick lunch that’s super satisfying!
- In the Refrigerator: Place leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- In the Freezer: Once cooled, store leftovers in an air-tight container or freezer ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before rewarming.
- To Reheat: Place leftovers in a microwave-safe bowl, then heat for 1-2 minutes or until warmed through.
More Ways To Make Teriyaki Chicken
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Slow Cooker Honey Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 2 pounds
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 2 cloves
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ cup water
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- green onions, optional garnish
- sesame seeds, optional garnish
Instructions
- Spray the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray and place 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, in the bottom.
- In a small bowl whisk together ½ cup soy sauce, ½ cup honey, ¼ cup rice wine vinegar, ¼ cup chopped onion, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and ¾ teaspoon ground ginger.
- Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 5-6 hours.
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove it with a slotted spoon and shred it using two forks.
- Pour the sauce into a medium saucepan. In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup water and 3 tablespoons cornstarch. Slowly whisk into the sauce on medium-high heat. Continue to whisk and let it boil until the sauce starts to thicken about 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken back to the slow cooker and pour the sauce on top stirring to coat. Serve over rice and garnish with green onions, and sesame seeds, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
In the “ingredient list” did you mean soy sauce or teriyaki sauce. I made it according to the directions (using soy sauce) and it wasn’t very good. Are soy sauce and teriyaki sauce the same thing?????
No they are different. This is a homemade teriyaki sauce that uses soy sauce as the base. I am sorry it didn’t turn out for you!
I just finished making it. I followed the directions to a T. It was very good. The one problem that I had was there just wasn’t enough sauce. I thought it would be saucier. I bought a loaf of bread but there was no need for it. My family and I are dippers lol. I must say, for the 4/5 hours that I cooked it, the smell in my house was incredible. I will definitely try it again, but maybe add more water to the cornstarch?
Cooked much faster then the recipe stated. I love soy sauce but this was way too salty for me. First recipe from this site that was not a big hit for me, but that’s my personal taste. I may make it again with a few modifications.
Super simple, but waaaay too much soy sauce- we had a hard time eating this. I would only put half the soy and add more water for appropriate consistency.
I agree about the soy and we used low sodium. I would get make the vinegar and substitute some chicken broth. I added brown sugar after I put the sauce in to mellow out the acidity…maybe 1/4 cup or 1/8th
I used light soy – it makes a big difference
Cannot find rice wine vinegar. Can you use rice vinegar or white wine vinegar?
Rice wine vinegar is the same as rice vinegar.
It’s in the Chinese foods section of Morrison’s if that helps
I don’t have rice wine vinegar. Is there anything I can substitute?
Apple cider vinegar
Made this tonight and it was delicious! Everyone in the family went back for seconds. I will have to double it next time so we have some leftovers! I didn’t have any rice wine vinegar or chicken breast so I use apple cider vinegar and boneless chicken thighs and it still came out wonderful. can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
I made this last night and it was amazing.
I would love to be one of those crock pot all the time people but I am gone 12 hours a day between work and the gym , and well life.
So when I got home last night, I cooked the chicken in the oven and the sauce on the stove. Came out amazing!!! I ended up doubling the amount of chicken because I felt like there was just to much sauce. But this is a great go to recipe to add to my rotation.
Tried this today and it was delicious! I made some rice and cooked a few bell peppers as a side. It’s an easy and delicious meal!
Tried this recipe today. It tasted very good, but I would reduce the amount of honey if I made it again. It ended up being a little sweeter than your typical teriyaki sauce.
This was definitely a good sauce, but I was a little shocked at how little time it took to cook. I luckily had a short shift today and checked my chicken and just about 3 1/2 hours on low and it was already chewy. I only used about 2lbs of chicken too. Might need to double sauce? Anyone else run into this?
I put my chicken breasts in frozen. More tender, juicier – 5 hrs.
5 hours on low or high? I want to put frozen ones in as well. THANKS!
5 hours on low. I have used frozen just make sure they are cooked throughout to 165 degrees. 🙂
By chance does this freeze well? Looking for things to slow cook and freeze as a busy new mama. Wondering about the other recipes too as I look down the list. 🙂 Trying this recipe tonight! Looks awesome!
This looks delicious and seems really easy!
When you say pour the sauce into a medium sauce pan, do you mean the liquid that’s left in the crockpot?
Thanks!
i am wondering the same!!!
Yes, that’s what that means. 🙂
Can this be cooked on the stove?
Looks yummy!
Thanks!
Is the flavor good without the honey? I have a
You can just make it without the honey and make the original teriyaki chicken recipe linked above. 🙂
That was meant to say, I have a 10 month old that loves chicken and would love this but can’t have honey. Anyway, Thanks!!
You could use try using agave nectar instead of the honey…
I’m loving this short ingredient list and that the slow cooker does all the work. This teriyaki chicken looks beyond fantastic, I can’t wait to try. Pinned!
How can I make this in an oven ?
Absolutely love the flavors in this, so easy to make too and needs to happen here soon!