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–+ servings

Slow Cooker Copycat Sweet Onion Teriyaki Chicken

Slow Cooker Copycat Sweet Onion Teriyaki Chicken is a cozy family dinner made with tender chicken breasts, sweet onions, garlic, and a thick, glossy teriyaki sauce. With just a few minutes of prep, the slow cooker handles most of the work, leaving you with juicy chicken that is delicious piled onto soft sandwich buns, spooned over creamy mashed potatoes, or served with rice and vegetables.
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Slow cooker sweet onion teriyaki chicken served over mashed potatoes with green onion garnish on a white plate
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Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:3 hours
Total Time:3 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • 1 medium sweet onion (thinly sliced)
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1½ cups sweet onion teriyaki sauce (divided)
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp cold water
  • chopped green onions (optional, for garnish)
  • mashed potatoes (for serving)

Instructions

  • Step 1: Add the Chicken - Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker. Try to keep them in a fairly even layer so they cook at roughly the same rate. If one chicken breast is much thicker than the others, tuck it toward the center where the heat tends to stay steady. Starting with the chicken on the bottom also keeps it surrounded by the sauce and juices as everything cooks.
  • Step 2: Season the Chicken - Sprinkle the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder evenly over the chicken. I like seasoning the chicken before anything else goes on top because those seasonings stay close to the meat instead of getting lost in the sauce. You do not need to rub everything in aggressively. Just give the chicken an even coating and let the slow cooker do the rest.
  • Step 3: Add the Sweet Onion and Garlic - Scatter the thinly sliced sweet onion and minced garlic over and around the chicken. Do not worry if it looks like a lot of onion at first. The slices soften and shrink as they cook, and they release their sweetness into the sauce. By the time dinner is ready, those onions are tender and coated in teriyaki sauce.
  • Step 4: Pour in the First Cup of Sauce - Pour 1 cup of the sweet onion teriyaki sauce over the chicken and onions. Save the remaining ½ cup for later. That little bit of patience makes a difference because the sauce added at the end brings back some of the brighter sweet and savory flavor that can mellow during several hours of cooking.
  • Step 5: Slow Cook Until Tender - Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 2½ hours. The chicken is ready when it is tender and the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Chicken breasts can dry out when they stay in a slow cooker too long, so I start checking around the 3 hour mark when cooking on LOW. That small bit of attention is worth it when you cut into juicy chicken later.
  • Step 6: Chop or Shred the Chicken - Carefully remove the cooked chicken from the slow cooker and set it on a cutting board or large plate. Chop it into bite sized pieces if you plan to make sandwiches, or roughly shred it if you are serving it over mashed potatoes or rice. You do not need to make the pieces perfectly uniform. This is family dinner, not a restaurant inspection.
  • Step 7: Make the Cornstarch Slurry - In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water until completely smooth. Using cold water matters because it helps prevent lumps. Pour the slurry into the sauce and softened onions left in the slow cooker, then stir everything together. At this stage the sauce may still look fairly loose, but it will thicken once it heats for a few more minutes.
  • Step 8: Thicken the Sauce - Cover the slow cooker again and cook on HIGH for 10 to 15 minutes. The sauce should become noticeably thicker and glossier. I like thickening it before putting the chicken back in because you can stir the sauce as much as needed without breaking apart tender pieces of chicken.
  • Step 9: Return the Chicken and Add the Final Sauce - Put the chopped or shredded chicken back into the slow cooker and pour in the remaining ½ cup of sweet onion teriyaki sauce. Stir gently until every piece of chicken is coated and the onions are distributed throughout. This final addition of sauce gives the whole dish that rich, glossy finish you want when you spoon it onto a plate.
  • Step 10: Warm Everything Through - Cover and cook for another 5 minutes, just until the chicken is hot again. You are not trying to cook it further at this point. You only want to bring everything back to the same temperature and give the sauce a chance to settle around the chicken.
  • Step 11: Garnish and Serve - Sprinkle chopped green onions over the top if you like, then serve the chicken while it is warm. For sandwiches, pile plenty of chicken and onions onto soft buns and spoon a little extra sauce over the filling. For a cozy dinner plate, spoon it over mashed potatoes and let that thick teriyaki sauce work its way into all the little pockets in the potatoes.

Notes

Substitutions

  • Chicken thighs for chicken breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work well and are naturally a little more forgiving if they cook longer.
  • Yellow onion for sweet onion: A regular yellow onion can replace the sweet onion if that is what you already have in the pantry.
  • Flour for cornstarch: Mix 2 tablespoons all purpose flour with a few tablespoons of cold water and use that to thicken the sauce, keeping in mind that the finished sauce may not look quite as glossy.
  • Rice for mashed potatoes: Steamed rice is an easy substitute and catches every spoonful of the sweet savory sauce.
  • Slider rolls for sandwich buns: Smaller rolls are great when you are feeding kids, serving a crowd, or putting together a casual game day spread.

Variations

  • Sweet Onion Teriyaki Chicken Sandwiches: Chop the chicken into smaller pieces, pile it onto toasted buns, and drizzle a little extra sauce over the top.
  • Sweet Onion Teriyaki Chicken with Mashed Potatoes: Spoon generous portions of chicken, onions, and sauce over creamy mashed potatoes for a warm comfort food dinner.
  • Spicy Sweet Onion Teriyaki Chicken: Add crushed red pepper flakes or sliced jalapeños if your family enjoys a little heat with the sweetness.
  • Sweet Onion Teriyaki Chicken Bowls: Serve the chicken over steamed rice with broccoli or green beans for an easy bowl dinner.
  • Cheesy Teriyaki Chicken Sandwiches: Top the chicken with provolone or Monterey Jack cheese, then broil the sandwiches just until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

Tips and Tricks

  • Choose a sweet onion: Vidalia onions or other sweet yellow onions complement the teriyaki sauce and become wonderfully tender as they cook.
  • Save some sauce for the finish: Adding the final ½ cup after cooking gives the chicken a fresh coating of sweet and savory sauce.
  • Watch the chicken carefully: Chicken breasts can become dry if they spend all day in the slow cooker, so begin checking them around 3 hours on LOW.
  • Cut the chicken for your serving style: Smaller chopped pieces are easier to pile into sandwiches, while larger chunks or shreds are great over mashed potatoes.
  • Thicken the sauce before adding the chicken back: Doing this lets you stir freely while the sauce thickens without breaking up the tender chicken.
  • Taste before adding more salt: Teriyaki sauces vary quite a bit in sodium, so give the finished sauce a taste before reaching for the salt shaker.
  • Slice the onion thinly: Thin slices become tender in the same amount of time it takes the chicken to cook and spread more evenly through the sauce.
  • Use an instant read thermometer: Checking for 165°F is much more reliable than guessing whether the chicken has cooked long enough.

Serving Ideas

  • Creamy mashed potatoes: Spoon the chicken and plenty of sauce over mashed potatoes for the coziest version of this dinner.
  • Soft sandwich buns: Chop the chicken into smaller pieces and pile it high for a casual handheld meal.
  • Steamed white rice: Rice keeps things simple and gives all that glossy sauce somewhere to go.
  • Broccoli on the side: Steamed or roasted broccoli balances the sweet sauce and turns the meal into an easy family dinner.
  • Green beans: A simple batch of green beans adds color and a fresh vegetable without competing with the teriyaki flavor.
  • Slider rolls: Serve smaller portions on slider rolls for parties, game nights, or kids who prefer little sandwiches.
  • Simple salad: A crisp green salad with a light dressing is a nice contrast when you want something fresh alongside the rich sauce.

Storage and Make Ahead Tips

  • Refrigerate leftovers promptly: Store the chicken, onions, and sauce together in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
  • Reheat gently: Warm leftovers in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium low heat so the chicken does not become tough.
  • Loosen thick sauce as needed: If the sauce thickens too much in the refrigerator, stir in a small splash of water or another spoonful of sweet onion teriyaki sauce while reheating.
  • Freeze for longer storage: The cooked chicken can be frozen in its sauce for up to 2 months in an airtight freezer safe container.
  • Thaw overnight: Move frozen chicken to the refrigerator the night before you plan to eat it, then reheat it gently the next day.
  • Prep the onion ahead: If evenings are especially busy, slice the onion earlier in the day and keep it covered in the refrigerator so assembly takes only a few minutes.
  • Keep serving ingredients separate: Store buns, rice, or mashed potatoes separately from the chicken so everything keeps its best texture until you are ready to eat.

Private Notes

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Servings: 4 servings
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