This Paleo + Whole30 slow cooker teriyaki chicken is an easy weeknight dinner or meal prep recipe. This healthy teriyaki chicken recipe is sure to be a new favorite and something you add to you regular rotation as an easy dinner the whole family loves!
Place all of the sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and run continuously to combine all the ingredients until smooth. Stop to scrape sides down as needed and restart.
Place chicken thighs in the slow cooker and pour the teriyaki sauce over the chicken.
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.
For the Instant Pot:
Make teriyaki sauce as noted above.
Place chicken thighs in the Instant Pot and pour the teriyaki sauce over the chicken.
Secure the lid on the instant pot and close the pressure valve. Press the "manual" button (or "pressure cook" button) and set the time to cook for 20 minutes at high pressure. Once the time is up, quick release the pressure.
While the chicken is cooking, prepare cauli or white rice for serving.
Once the chicken is finished cooking, shred it with 2 forks inside the slow cooker or Instant Pot. Mix the shredded chicken with the cooking juices. Spoon some of the remaining teriyaki sauce over the chicken when serving.
Serve and sprinkle with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
Optional (to thicken sauce):
If you want a thicker teriyaki sauce for serving perform the following steps after shredding the chicken.
Remove shredded chicken from the crockpot or instant pot with a slotted spoon. Pour remaining sauce into a small saucepan.
Mix tapioca starch into the water until it dissolves. Pour this into the saucepan and mix.
Heat on medium-high until it just begins to bubble, then turn down and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.