Description
Hearty slow cooker chicken teriyaki delivers authentic Japanese flavors with minimal preparation. Tender chicken marinates in a savory-sweet sauce, promising delicious results for home cooks craving restaurant-quality meals.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lbs (1.36 kg) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into chunks)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) low-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 4 tsp cornstarch
- ¼ cup (60 ml) warm water
- ¼ cup (15 g) green onions (finely chopped)
Instructions
- Layering: Arrange chicken breasts in a single, even layer at the bottom of the slow cooker to guarantee uniform cooking.
- Marinade Creation: Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger in a mixing bowl until the sugar dissolves completely, forming a harmonious teriyaki blend.
- Coating: Generously pour the marinade over the chicken, ensuring thorough coverage of each piece with the aromatic liquid.
- Slow Cooking: Secure the lid and cook on low temperature for 4-5 hours, allowing the chicken to become exceptionally tender and absorb the rich teriyaki essence.
- Sauce Transformation: Remove chicken to a cutting board, then create a cornstarch slurry by whisking cornstarch with warm water until perfectly smooth.
- Thickening Process: Pour the slurry into the remaining sauce, stirring continuously to develop a glossy, viscous consistency while maintaining the warm setting.
- Shredding and Coating: Shred the chicken using two forks, then return the meat to the thickened sauce, gently folding to ensure complete coverage.
- Finishing Touches: Garnish with freshly chopped green onions and serve piping hot over steamed jasmine rice or wheat noodles, accompanied by vibrant stir-fried vegetables.
Notes
- Chicken Prep: Choose boneless, skinless chicken breasts of similar size for uniform cooking and optimal sauce absorption.
- Marinade Magic: Whisk ingredients thoroughly to ensure sugar completely dissolves, creating a seamless flavor base that coats chicken evenly.
- Thickness Trick: Use cornstarch slurry carefully to transform sauce from watery to glossy without creating lumps, achieving perfect teriyaki consistency.
- Flavor Boost: Allow chicken to rest in thickened sauce for maximum flavor penetration and tender, succulent results.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 275
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg