Sometimes, you need dinner to cook itself, right? We all have those days where the thought of actually chopping things after work feels like scaling Everest. That’s exactly when my slow cooker saves the day! I am so excited to share my go-to solution for those chaotic evenings: the Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken with Rice. Honestly, this isn’t just another recipe; it’s a complete, hands-off dinner that comes together with almost zero fuss. This recipe was born on a day when I needed something filling but effortless. The chicken turns out incredibly tender, and when paired with rice, it felt like a cozy bowl of comfort after a long day. It’s proof positive that the best comfort food doesn’t have to be complicated!
Why This Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken with Rice is a Weeknight Favorite
When I tell you this recipe is nearly perfect for busy nights, I mean it! You get a full meal—protein, sauce, and starch—all cooked together. It’s the kind of dinner you can easily meal prep, too, meaning less stress later in the week.
- It’s one of the best Crockpot Recipes For Dinner because cleanup is a breeze.
- The chicken cooks low and slow, guaranteeing melt-in-your-mouth tenderness every single time.
- It serves up a balanced meal that easily fits into your weeknight rotation.
True Dump And Go Crockpot Dinners
Seriously, this is the definition of lazy dinners! We are talking about just 10 minutes of prep time here. You dump the sauce ingredients, throw in the chicken, and walk away. That’s it! You don’t need to babysit a pot on the stove; it just does its thing until it’s time to thicken.
Tender Chicken and Balanced Flavor
That high-quality skinless chicken thighs hold up so beautifully in the slow cooker. The teriyaki sauce gets this lovely, sticky glaze that perfectly coats everything. Because we serve it over rice, it makes for delicious and satisfying Healthy Crockpot Meals that taste gourmet!
Essential Ingredients for Perfect Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken with Rice
Okay, getting the right ingredients is half the battle in any slow cook recipe, but this one keeps it super simple. We aren’t layering flavors so much as we are combining fantastic ones right from the start. Before you even start making the sauce, you need to make sure you have your chicken ready to go—we are using 2 pounds of skinless, boneless chicken thighs that you need to cut into 1-inch pieces. This size is crucial for them to soak up that amazing sauce and cook evenly.
For the Sauce and Chicken Components
For the main flavor base, grab 1/2 cup of soy sauce, 1/4 cup of brown sugar for that necessary molasses depth, and 3 tablespoons of honey. You need aromatics too: 1 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger root and 2 teaspoons of minced garlic. Don’t forget the zing from 1 1/2 tablespoons of rice vinegar and 2 teaspoons of sesame oil. The fruit element that keeps everything moist comes from one 8-ounce can of pineapple chunks, liquid and all!
For Thickening and Serving with Rice
Once the chicken is cooked, we need to get that sauce nice and thick—a key step for a successful *Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken with Rice*. For that, you’ll need 1 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup of cold water to make your slurry. And since this is a complete meal, grab 2 packs of pre-cooked rice. We mix that rice right in at the very end!
Garnish Options
This part is purely for presentation and that fresh pop of flavor. You’ll want about 1/2 bunch of green onions, which must be thinly sliced. If you like a little crunch, have 1 to taste of sesame seeds ready to sprinkle over the top before serving. You can read more about making brilliant sauces like this on my teriyaki sauce guide!
Step-by-Step Instructions for Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken with Rice
This is where the magic of slow cook recipes really shines! You don’t need to preheat anything, mess around with searing, or constantly stir. We just layer the flavors and let the machine do the heavy lifting to guarantee you get that wonderful, savory Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken with Rice. Some people call this the perfect slow cooker dish, and honestly, I can see why. You can find a similar approach over at Taste of Home, but trust me, our pineapple twist makes ours special!
Mixing the Base Sauce and Chicken
First things first, grab that slow cooker insert. You’re going to pour in the soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, honey, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Get a whisk and just mix it all up until that brown sugar dissolves a little. Don’t worry if it’s not totally smooth; it’ll blend as it heats up. Next, add your cut-up chicken pieces and the whole can of pineapple chunks, juice and all. Give that a quick stir so the chicken is nicely coated in the beginnings of our teriyaki sauce.
Slow Cooking and Creating the Teriyaki Glaze
Cover the cooker and set it to High for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. This cooks the chicken perfectly and lets all those amazing flavors mingle. Now, while that’s going, mix your thickener: whisk 1 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of cold water in a small bowl until it’s totally smooth. When the chicken is done cooking, carefully pour that cornstarch slurry right into the slow cooker and stir it in well. You’ll see it start to look a little glossier right away! This is a great example of how to utilize time-tested slow cook recipes successfully.
Finishing the Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken with Rice
Time for the rice! Microwave your pre-cooked rice packets for just one minute each to make sure it’s warm and not too hard. Stir that rice right into the chicken and sauce mixture in the slow cooker. Cover it up again and let it cook on High for just 30 more minutes. This final step lets the rice absorb some of that rich teriyaki flavor. Once that’s done, top it generously with your thinly sliced green onions and the optional sesame seeds. That’s how you finish a perfect bowl of Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken with Rice. If you want more guidance on using your slow cooker, check out my main slow cook recipes guide!
Tips for Success with Your Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken with Rice
Even with a dump-and-go recipe, a couple of little tricks can take your Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken with Rice from good to absolutely unbeatable. These aren’t secrets Grandma taught me, but things I learned through trial, error, and, let’s be honest, a few slightly gloppy sauce incidents over the years! You want that sauce smooth like silk, and you want every piece of chicken cooked exactly the same.
Achieving the Best Teriyaki Sauce Thickness
When you mix that cornstarch and cold water slurry, really take your time making sure there are absolutely no lumps of starch left hiding at the bottom of your little bowl. If you dump a starchy clump into the hot liquid, you’ll end up with little sticky balls instead of a creamy glaze. I always test my slurry by dipping a spoon in—if the spoon comes out clean, you’re good to go! Also, taste the sauce *before* you add the slurry. If your soy sauce was extra salty one week, maybe you add a tiny splash more honey now. Adjusting before you thicken locks in the flavor profile you want.
Chicken Cut Consistency
This is so important, especially when cooking in a slow cooker where the heat isn’t always perfectly controlled around the edges of the pot. Make sure those 2 pounds of chicken thighs are all cut to roughly the same 1-inch chunk size. If you have some pieces that are tiny and some that are big, the small ones will get stringy and dry out while you wait for the large ones to finish cooking. Keeping them uniform ensures every single bite of chicken in your Crockpot Dishes is perfectly tender and equally saucy.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken with Rice
Listen, sometimes you open the fridge and realize you’re missing exactly what the recipe calls for, and that’s okay! Making swaps in a recipe like this one is usually straightforward, but you have to know what you’re trading off. The star here is definitely the chicken, and then you have the rice situation. Knowing what works best makes this Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken with Rice flexible enough for any emergency night.
Chicken Thighs vs. Breasts
I call for chicken thighs for a very specific reason—they are way more forgiving in the slow cooker! Thighs have more fat, which keeps them juicy even if they cook a little longer than intended. Trust me, they almost never get dry. If you absolutely must use chicken breasts, go for it, but you need to cut the cooking time way down, especially on High. I’d pull those breasts out after maybe 2 hours max, or they end up tasting like shoe leather. For this recipe, sticking with thighs keeps it cozy and tender, which is what we want in our Crockpot Dishes.
Rice Preparation Options
I love grabbing those quick pre-cooked rice packs because they minimize the mess, but if you’re out or just prefer cooking from scratch, you can totally do that! Just cook your long-grain white rice separately according to the package directions. The trick is, you add it right at the end, like in the last 30 minutes, just to warm it up and let it absorb a *little* bit of that sauce. If you dump raw rice in at the beginning, it’ll soak up every single drop of that delicious teriyaki and you’ll end up with mushy, dry chicken because the sauce disappears!
Serving Suggestions for This Meal Prep Favorite
Even though this Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken with Rice is a complete meal right in the slow cooker, I always feel like it needs just a little something green to make it feel totally balanced and give that great crunch! Serving it up with fresh veggies instantly makes this recipe feel even lighter and fits perfectly into clean eating plans, labeling it a fantastic choice for your roster of *Healthy Dinner Recipes*. It’s so easily adaptable!
Adding Fresh Vegetables
For vegetables, you have quick options and slightly slower options. If you want to keep everything hands-off for as long as possible, consider wrapping up some broccoli florets or snap peas in foil packets with a little drizzle of sesame oil. You can toss those foil packets right in the slow cooker during the final 15 minutes while the rice is warming up. That steams them perfectly right alongside the chicken!
If you want something super fast and crisp that contrasts the saucy warmth of the teriyaki, I highly recommend something fresh and acidic. We often serve this with a side of my very simple cucumber tomato salad—the cooling cucumber texture is just heavenly next to that rich teriyaki. It really cleanses the palate between bites!
Storage and Reheating Instructions for Leftover Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken with Rice
My favorite part about making a big batch of Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken with Rice? Knowing I have easy lunches or dinners waiting for me! Because we stir the rice right into the sauce at the very end, this reheats beautifully, making it a champion for meal preparation. The key to keeping everything tasting just as good the next day is how you store it.
I usually portion out the chicken and rice mixture directly into individual airtight containers right after it cools down a bit. This is great for grabbing lunch on the way out the door! You can store the complete meal together, or if you like things extra crisp when you reheat, you can keep the rice separate from the saucy chicken mixture. Both ways work fine for this recipe.
When it comes to reheating, skip the microwave if you can, just for the first reheat! If you have a stovetop, warming a portion in a small skillet over medium-low heat with a tiny splash of water or chicken broth works wonders. That little bit of added moisture steams the rice back to life and keeps the chicken from grabbing too much sauce too fast. If the microwave is your only option, cover your container loosely with a paper towel to trap a bit of steam. Reheat in short bursts, stirring in between. If you’re looking for more ways to organize your food for the week, check out my tips on healthy breakfast meal prep ideas—it really helps minimize daily kitchen stress!
Frequently Asked Questions About Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken with Rice
I get so many questions about slow cooking in general, and especially about customizing this dish. It’s such a flexible recipe, which is why it’s one of my favorite *Fall Crockpot Recipes*! I’ve pulled together the most common things folks ask me when they are getting ready to try making this Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken with Rice for the first time.
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs in this Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken with Rice?
Oh yes, you totally can swap them out! Just know that chicken thighs are simply my preference because they have more fat, which makes them almost impossible to overcook in the slow cooker. If you go with breasts, you absolutely must reduce the cooking time way down—I’d suggest checking them after 2 hours on High. If you leave them in for the full time intended for the thighs, they tend to break down a little too much or get dry. For the best results in these *Crockpot Dishes*, stick to the juicy thighs!
How can I make this recipe less sweet for a healthier option?
That’s a great question if you’re aiming for genuinely *Healthy Dinner Recipes*! The sweetness comes mostly from the honey and brown sugar. To cut back, just reduce the brown sugar by half, maybe even a little more, and then compensate for the flavor loss by increasing the tang. Try adding an extra teaspoon of rice vinegar or just a little extra splash of low-sodium soy sauce. This brings back the savory depth without all the extra sugar.
Can I cook the rice directly in the slow cooker with the chicken?
Please, please don’t do this! This is the number one mistake I see people make with recipes that serve over a starch. If you mix raw rice in with the sauce at the beginning, it absorbs all the liquid needed to make that wonderful thick teriyaki glaze for the chicken. Plus, the rice often ends up gummy or completely undercooked because the temperature cycling in the slow pot isn’t ideal for it. We use the pre-cooked rice packs specifically so we can stir it in at the end for just 30 minutes to warm through. I love looking at other fall crockpot recipes, but for this one, cook your rice separately!
Share Your Experience Making This Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken with Rice
Now that you have the easiest, tastiest dinner in your arsenal—the Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken with Rice—I really want to know what you thought! Did you try using broccoli in the last half hour? Did you stick to the pineapple, or did you throw in some frozen edamame?
Please, if you loved how simple this was, click over and give this recipe a shiny five stars right there on the rating scale. Those ratings truly help other busy families find these simple, effective *Dump And Go Crockpot Dinners*.
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Author Information
I’m Emily Mitchell, and I handle a lot of the efficiency testing behind the scenes here at Recipes by Betty. My goal is always to make sure every single recipe you see—especially those great *Crockpot Recipes For Dinner* like this chicken—works perfectly the first time you try it. I test the timing, I check the ingredient ratios, and I make sure the clean-up is actually as fast as we claim!
I’ve spent years perfecting methods that save time without cutting corners on flavor, ensuring that when you rely on our guides, you trust the results completely. You can find out more about our testing philosophy and general site policies over on the disclaimer page. Happy cooking!
Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken with Rice
Equipment
- slow cooker
- Small Bowl
Ingredients
Sauce and Chicken
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 8-ounce can pineapple chunks in juice
- 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch pieces
Thickener and Rice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water cold
- 2 packs pre-cooked rice
Garnish
- 1/2 bunch green onions thinly sliced
- 1 to taste sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, honey, rice vinegar, and sesame oil in a slow cooker and whisk to combine.
- Add pineapple with juice and chicken and stir to coat.
- Cover and cook on High for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
- Whisk cornstarch and cold water together in a small bowl and stir into the slow cooker mixture.
- Microwave rice packets for 1 minute each to loosen rice slightly and stir the rice into the chicken mixture.
- Cover and cook on High for 30 minutes.
- Top with green onions and sprinkle with sesame seeds to serve.