4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken and Broccoli: An Easy Toss-and-Go Dinner

When busy evenings leave you with little time or energy to cook, a slow cooker dinner can be exactly what you need. This 4-ingredient slow cooker teriyaki chicken and broccoli is especially convenient because the preparation is simple, the ingredient list is short, and most of the cooking happens without constant attention.

Tender chicken slowly cooks in a sweet and savory teriyaki sauce while broccoli is added toward the end so it stays pleasantly tender instead of becoming overly soft. Serve everything over steamed rice, and you have a comforting dinner that feels much more involved than it actually is.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

The biggest advantage of this recipe is its simplicity. There is no complicated marinade, long ingredient list, or need to stand over the stove.

You only need four main ingredients:

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

• Teriyaki sauce

• Fresh broccoli florets

• Cooked rice, for serving

The slow cooker does most of the work. Once the chicken and sauce are combined, you can step away and return later to finish the broccoli and assemble dinner.

Ingredients

For the Chicken

Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work well when you want leaner meat, while boneless chicken thighs provide a richer flavor and tend to stay especially juicy during slow cooking.

Teriyaki sauce: Use your favorite bottled teriyaki sauce. Since it provides most of the flavor in this recipe, choose one with a balance of sweet, salty, and savory flavors.

Broccoli: Fresh broccoli florets are ideal because they can be added during the final stage of cooking. This helps them retain some texture and prevents them from becoming mushy.

Rice: Cooked white or brown rice makes an easy base for the chicken and sauce. Prepare it separately while the slow cooker finishes the meal.

How to Make Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken and Broccoli

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken

Start by trimming any excess fat from the chicken. If you're using large chicken breasts, you can leave them whole or cut them into several large pieces.

Place the chicken directly into the slow cooker in an even layer.

There's no need to brown the chicken first. Skipping that step is part of what makes this recipe so convenient.

Step 2: Add the Teriyaki Sauce

Pour the teriyaki sauce evenly over the chicken.

Use a spoon or spatula to turn the chicken gently so the sauce coats as much of the surface as possible.

Make sure the chicken is sitting in the sauce rather than leaving the sauce concentrated in only one area of the slow cooker.

Step 3: Slow Cook the Chicken

Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through and tender.

A typical cooking range is approximately 3–4 hours on HIGH or 5–6 hours on LOW, depending on the size and thickness of the chicken pieces and the slow cooker being used.

The most important test is temperature rather than the clock. Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part.

Avoid repeatedly removing the lid during cooking. Each time the lid is lifted, heat escapes and the cooking process can take longer.

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