Slow Cooker Honey Teriyaki Chicken

Coming of age in the High Mall Era meant the food court was the first stop before buying a new halter top or catching Freddie Prinze Jr.'s latest flick. Despite being a mall regular, I always debated between choosing the oversized pizza slice or sticky-sweet chicken teriyaki. Chicken teriyaki always won. Today, I rarely make it into a mall, but on days when my energy is low and the need to feed my family is high, the urge for chicken teriyaki takeout is strong.

Although the name hints at Japanese ancestry (teri means to shine, and yaki to broil or grill), this is clearly a busy mom's take on the ubiquitous mall chicken with barely a whiff of authenticity. Chicken teriyaki might not seem like an obvious weeknight meal, but teriyaki sauce is just a mixture of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sweetener, garlic, and ginger, thickened with a simple cornstarch slurry. Once I realized that I'm much more likely to have those things in my pantry than a bottle of the pre-made stuff, this meal has been a staple on my dinner table.

Slow Cooker Honey Teriyaki Chicken

Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6 thighs)

1/2 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons cornstarch

For serving: Cooked rice, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, sliced scallions

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the bottom of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Scatter the onion and garlic over the top. Whisk the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, pepper, and ginger together in a small bowl and pour over the chicken.
2. Cover and cook on the LOW setting for 2 to 3 hours or on the HIGH setting for 1 to 2 hours. The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest piece registers 165°F.
3. Read full recipes here >> thekitchn.com/recipe-slow-cooker-honey-teriyaki-chicken-248216?

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