Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry Crockpot Recipe
This stir fry crockpot recipe uses chicken thighs braised in a homemade teriyaki sauce, with vegetables added near the end so they keep some bite. It is the chicken teriyaki stir fry crockpot dinner you can start at noon and serve over rice at six.
6
servings20
minutes4
hours30
minutesChicken thighs cook low in a ginger-garlic teriyaki sauce. Broccoli, peppers and snap peas go in for the last stretch.
Ingredients
2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup rice vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 cups broccoli florets
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed
2 carrots, sliced thin on the diagonal
2 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp cold water
Cooked rice and sesame seeds, for serving
Directions
- Whisk the soy sauce, honey, vinegar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and broth in a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add the chicken pieces and carrots. Stir to coat.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 2 hours. The chicken should hit 165°F and pull apart easily.
- Stir the cornstarch into the cold water until no lumps remain.
- Pour the slurry into the pot and stir well. Switch to HIGH.
- Add the broccoli and bell pepper on top of the chicken. Cover and cook 25 minutes.
- Add the snap peas and cook 10 more minutes. The vegetables should be crisp-tender and bright.
- Taste the sauce and add a splash of soy sauce if it needs salt.
- Serve over hot rice with sesame seeds on top.
Notes
- Use chicken breast if you like, but check it at 3 hours on LOW because it dries out faster. Swap the veggies for whatever is in the fridge, like zucchini or mushrooms. For more heat, add red pepper flakes. Leftovers keep 4 days and the sauce thickens, so loosen it with water when reheating.
Why the vegetables go in late
Most chicken stir fry crockpot recipes fail the same way: everything goes in at once and the vegetables turn to mush. Here the chicken and carrots cook alone in the teriyaki sauce, and the broccoli, pepper and snap peas go in near the end. They steam on top of the chicken and stay crisp-tender.
The sauce does its own work. Soy sauce, honey, ginger and garlic simmer into the chicken thighs for four hours on LOW, then a cornstarch slurry thickens it into a glossy coating. You get the flavor of a takeout stir fry without standing over a hot wok. It also scales well, so you can double the sauce for a bigger family and use a larger cooker.
Ingredient notes
Chicken thighs: Cut them into 1-inch pieces so they cook evenly and soak up the sauce. Thighs hold up to four hours of heat. Breast meat turns chalky in this recipe.
Low-sodium soy sauce: A half cup of regular soy sauce makes the pot far too salty after it reduces. Low-sodium gives you room to taste and adjust at the end.
Fresh ginger and garlic: Grate the ginger on a fine grater and mince the garlic. The jarred versions are fine in a pinch, but fresh holds up better over a long cook.
Toasted sesame oil: It has a strong, nutty smell, so one tablespoon is plenty. Look for the dark amber bottle, not the pale cooking kind.
Broccoli and snap peas: Cut the broccoli into small florets, about the size of a walnut. Trim the snap peas and leave them whole.
Tips for the best result
Cut the pieces the same size: Uneven chicken means some bits are dry and others are barely done. Aim for 1 inch and check the biggest piece for 165°F.
Add the slurry before the vegetables: The most common mistake is thickening at the very end, when the pot has cooled. Stir the cornstarch and cold water in first, turn to HIGH, then add the broccoli and pepper for 25 minutes.
Stir in the snap peas last: They need only 10 minutes. Overcooked snap peas go gray and soft, and they are the first thing people notice. If your cooker runs hot, add them with only 5 minutes left and leave the lid cracked.
Swaps for other chicken stir fry crockpot recipes
Swap the vegetables for whatever you have: sliced mushrooms, baby corn, bok choy or zucchini all work, as long as they go in at the end. For a spicy version, add a teaspoon of chili garlic sauce. For a lighter sauce, cut the honey by a third.
Raw, delicate greens like spinach do not work here, because they wilt to nothing in minutes. Add them to the bowl when serving instead. Frozen stir fry vegetable blends are a decent shortcut, but thaw and drain them first so the extra water does not thin the sauce.
What to serve with it
Serve over hot jasmine rice or lo mein noodles. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. A small bowl of cucumber slices dressed with rice vinegar makes a cool side that balances the sweet sauce. A drizzle of sesame oil or chili crisp on the finished bowl adds a bright, nutty finish.
Storing and reheating
Store the stir fry and rice in separate containers for 4 days in the fridge. The sauce thickens when cold, so reheat in a skillet with a splash of water or broth over medium heat. Microwave works too, in 60-second bursts. Freezing is possible for 2 months, but the vegetables will lose their snap.
Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry Crockpot Recipe at a glance
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cooking time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Servings: 6 servings
- Ingredients: 15, led by boneless skinless chicken thighs, low-sodium soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar
Tips for Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry Crockpot Recipe
Use chicken breast if you like, but check it at 3 hours on LOW because it dries out faster. Swap the veggies for whatever is in the fridge, like zucchini or mushrooms. For more heat, add red pepper flakes. Leftovers keep 4 days and the sauce thickens, so loosen it with water when reheating.
Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry Crockpot Recipe FAQ
How long does Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry Crockpot Recipe take?
Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry Crockpot Recipe takes 4 hours 30 minutes of cooking after 20 minutes of prep.
How many people does Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry Crockpot Recipe serve?
This recipe makes 6 servings.
What do I need to make Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry Crockpot Recipe?
15 ingredients, led by boneless skinless chicken thighs, low-sodium soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
