These slow cooker chicken teriyaki quinoa bowls are fake-out, take-out done easy, healthy and delicious! Tender shredded chicken tossed with smooth, rich teriyaki sauce, piled high on fluffy quinoa and topped with diced pineapple, smoky red pepper, creamy avocado, crunchy cashews and crisp scallions. These bowls are weeknight dinner winning!
**Updated**
This post was originally published in September 2016. I made edits to the photos and added a RECIPE VIDEO to show you how easy this is to make! However, the actual written words below in this post remain the same.
Hi-ya friends!
Today I have a real treat for you. Well, I have TWO delights, technically.
One. This dish.
Obviously. But, we will get to that in 7.86 seconds.
Two. I am going to keep this super short today.
We are talkin’, shortest post EVER on No Spoon Necessary. So you can go ahead and high five your computer screen and relax knowing I’m not about to go on and on and ooooon about random nonsense like I normally do.
Well, I might ramble a tad. Bad habits die hard, ya know?
So what’s up with my urge to keep things short and sweet today? I am EXHAUSTED.
The smoke detector in our master bedroom decided to be a real asphalt and start chirping to notify us the batteries needed to be changed at an un-Godly hour. But, to make matters worse, the dang detector is about 14 feet up on the wall. <–WHO decided it should be located there?!? Ugh. Clearly, someone who hates me, that’s who.
And to make matters worse, we don’t own a ladder.
I KNOW.
Who doesn’t own a ladder, right? Well, us… obviously we aren’t that smart. Ugh the sequel.
Sooo, I’ve been awake since WAY before the crack of dawn, listening to an annoyingly loud chirping sound and I’m going on about 2 hours of sleep.
Let’s just say I feel crazy… and I’m 99.99999% positive my looks match the feels.
#NoSelfiesForMe
Ergo, I’m done rambling. Let’s get to the good stuff shall we?
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Quinoa Bowls
AKA Fake out take out done EASY.
AND infinitely more delicious.
AND healthy!
Hollaaa! (<–Yeah yea, I know that’s old school. I’m livin’ on the edge. 😜)
These sweet and savory slow cooker bowls are jam packed with goodness. Fluffy, nutty quinoa piled high with tender, succulent shredded chicken tossed and glistening in luscious, rich, silky smooth and slightly sweet teriyaki sauce. Topped with fruity chunks of pineapple, smoky red bell peppers, crunchy cashews, creamy avocado and crisp scallions.
Smack me Sally, SO GOOD! Healthy bowl food FOR THE WIN!
And in case you aren’t sold on just the pure deliciousness of this dish, these bowls could NOT be easier to whip together.
Prep your toppings and set them aside, plop some chicken into the slow cooker and dump on the sauce.
Turn the slow cooker on and go live your life for 2-3 hours. Do the laundry, mow the yard, have a party in the USA, I donno know, do you. Meanwhile, your house will start to smell intoxicating.
Come back and shred the chicken; then stir in the cornstarch slurry. Cover and cook an additional 20-30 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened.
Assemble the teriyaki chicken bowls and CHOW DOWN.
You have now seen the light known as easy, healthy deliciousness, my friends. Fist bumps for ALL! 👊
Is teriyaki chicken healthy?
While teriyaki chicken isn’t healthy per se, it is healthier than fried chicken!
Chicken teriyaki is a good source of both protein and nutrients, however it is high in sugar and fat.
The key to making teriyaki chicken healthier, is to eat it in moderation and to pair it with healthier, nutrient-dense foods. This slow cooker teriyaki chicken bowl does just that! Pairing it with super-grain quinoa, heart healthy avocado, and antioxidant rich red bell pepper is a healthy way to eat teriyaki chicken.
What vegetables go with teriyaki chicken?
Chicken teriyaki is a pretty versatile dish and can be served with a number of things.
Vegetables to serve with crockpot teriyaki chicken:
- Broccoli or broccolini
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Bok choy
- Sugar snap peas or snow peas
- Mushrooms
- Edamame
- Cabbage
Notes, Tips & Tricks for the best Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki Quinoa Bowls recipe:
- I used skinless, boneless chicken breast in the recipe below, but you can substitute chicken thighs if desired. Simply increase the cooking time accordingly and cook until an instant read thermometer (inserted AWAY from the bone, if bone-in) reads 165 degrees F.
- My chicken breasts took approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes (total) on high, but this will depend on the type of slow cooker you have. If you aren’t familiar with your slow cooker, I recommend you use an instant read thermometer to check the chicken for doneness.
- The recipe below calls for adding a slurry (cornstarch + water). This step ensures a silky, rich, thickened sauce, however, if you want to skip it you absolutely can. You will just end up with a thinner sauce.
These easy Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Quinoa Bowls are Weeknight Dinner WINNING, friends!
Bust out the crockpot and let’s DO THIS!
Until Thursday, cheers – to the slow cooker, lazy dinners best friend.
XOXO
Cheyanne
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How to make Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki Quinoa Bowls recipe and video👇
Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki Quinoa Bowls
Ingredients
- Teriyaki Chicken:
- 1 ½ - 2 Pounds Boneless , Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 2 Cloves Garlic – minced
- 1 TBS Ginger – grated
- 1/3 Cup Mirin
- ¼ Cup Sake
- ½ Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- 2 TBS Honey
- ¼ Cup Light Brown Sugar , packed
- 1 TBS Water
- 1 TBS Cornstarch
- Bowls:
- 4 Cups Cooked Quinoa (can substitute rice)
- 1 Avocado – sliced
- 1 Roasted Red Pepper – diced
- 1 Cup Pineapple - diced
- 2 Scallions – thinly sliced
- Sesame Seeds , to taste
- Cashews , to taste
- Red Pepper Flakes , optional
Instructions
- Cook the chicken: In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, ginger, mirin, sake, soy sauce, honey and light brown sugar. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of your slow cooker in a single layer and season generously with salt and pepper. Pour the teriyaki sauce over the chicken. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Uncover and shred the chicken breasts with two forks. In a separate small bowl whisk together the cornstarch and water. Add it to the slow cooker and stir to thoroughly combine. Cover the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 20-30 minutes or until the sauce is thickened and silky.
- To serve: Divide the quinoa (or rice) between bowls and top with teriyaki chicken, avocado, peppers and pineapple. Garnish with scallions, sesame seeds and cashews. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- I used skinless, boneless chicken breast in the recipe below, but you can substitute chicken thighs if desired. Simply increase the cooking time accordingly and cook until an instant read thermometer (inserted AWAY from the bone, if bone-in) reads 165 degrees F.
- My chicken breasts took approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes (total) on high, but this will depend on the type of slow cooker you have. If you aren’t familiar with your slow cooker, I recommend you use an instant read thermometer to check the chicken for doneness.
- The recipe below calls for adding a slurry (cornstarch + water). This step ensures a silky, rich, thickened sauce, however, if you want to skip it you absolutely can. You will just end up with a thinner sauce.
Nutrition
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Hey Chey!
Love the video, great idea and well done! I am going to make this in small bowl and make the Baked Spiced Hard Apple Meatballs for the kitchen kick off when it is done! (Almost done, it is up and functional now). Send me your email address and I will send you a couple of links to the pictures. My best to J and the kids!
Hugs.
Such a delightful and mouth-watering bowl which I can’t wait to prepare! I love the combination of ingredients. Is it possible to use maple syrup instead of honey?
Hi Agness! Light corn syrup would be the best flavor match for honey. However, you could substitute pure maple syrup, but it will change the flavor profile slightly. You can substitute these in equal amounts for what the recipe calls for. Let me know if you have any other question!! Cheers and thank you so much for stopping by!! 😉
Now I’m hungry! Love the pics and the video! You are right – this does look easy to make! 🙂 It would be perfect for a weeknight meal. I love coming home and having dinner ready!
love all the textures here! and i like pineapple on everything (esp pizza), so this sounds perfect (:
This looks just as delicious the second time around 😉 . I think the slow cooker is one of the greatest inventions of all times. Take care.
Ummmmm. Your videos are so wonderful! I shot my first recipe vid yesterday and I don’t know if it will ever see the light of day. I just know it’s a hot mess, and I’m not just saying that :(. Come teach me how to do it right! I know the post is old, but I hope you’ve recovered from the lack of sleep! Have a great week, Chey!
Awesome video, Chey!! You’re a real pro 🙂 Totally wishing I had THAT for lunch right now! I bet this smells so good too with that teriyaki sauce! Big yums, girl! XOXO
Great new video! And sure wish I was having this for dinner tonight. Putting it on the menu very soon! XO
This might be an older recipe but I’m SO excited you refreshed it! “Bringing sexy back” – that’s you, girl! These look SOO good – what’s not to love about slow cooker meals!? Alll the fluffy quinoa, please! Cheers!!
SO brutal….having the smoke alarm chirp away and not be able to reach it. It’s the kind of thing that could make you slouch in a corner and cry. And it’s not like you can knock on your neighbors door to borrow a ladder at 2am…
But you came through with this spectacular recipe anyway! Loving that it’s made in the slow cooker too – this time of year, the more slow cooker recipes the better!
Chirping smoke detecters are the WORST, especially when you can’t do anything about it! I’m so sorry you missed out on some much needed sleep! You did a bang up job with these quinoa bowls too — the styling is gorgeous! I love that you can whip this chicken up in the slow cooker, too — this is my kind of meal!
Sorry about the smoke detector! It is terrible! And something like this has happened to me before, too! These bowls look awesome!
Wow, this looks sooo yum! I’m promised myself to use the slow cooker more, and voila, your fab recipe couldn’t be a better one for inspiration. Pinned, and thanks. You have a rockin’ blog, btw! –Ginger
I totally need one of these bowls for dinner ASAP!
Why do smoke detectors ALWAYS chirp/go off/malfunction in the middle of the night?! SO annoying! Oh, and we don’t have a ladder either! These quinoa bowls look FABULOUS. Like, I need one right now. All that flavor and texture has my mouth watering! Pinned!
Urgh that’s so annoying! I wonderful why these alarms go off at odd hours always!! hope you get some rest! the quinoa bowls look very comforting!
Oh my word. I totally feel your pain. Our smoke detectors are wired so there’s no batteries, but if the humidity is *just* right, they will just start beeping randomly, on their own, when there is definitely no fire. It’s only happened a couple times, but obviously it happens in the middle of the night, and they are all connected so it’s our room, the kids rooms…… shrieking throughout the house. NO fun at all! I am loving these bowls — the perfect easy meal for a night of no sleep!
Smoke detector can be big a-holes sometimes. It’s like they are thinking “Hey, it’s 3am and time to change my battery!”. Jerks…
Gurl, you know how much I love my slow cooker. I also have a huge bag of quinoa that I just had to buy but haven’t used it yet. I have a feeling this is going to be what I’m making for this Sunday’s dinner. Plus, leftovers for lunch all week!!! Wooohoooo!
Yes Yes Yes I’m a lover of any healthy bowl, and this one is right up my alley. I’ve been enjoying Quinoa more than ever these last few weeks; I like the texture and the fact that it’s an ancient grain that hasn’t been modified in thousands of years. I’m also a fan of the slow cooker, any “set, and it forget it” cooking makes my little heart smile. The addition of avocado for creaminess and cashews for crunch reminds me why I am a regular to nospoonecessary 🙂
Hot Dayyyyyaaaaammmmn! Cheyanne, this slow cooker, sweet and salty, chicken teriyaki quinoa bowl is “fake out take out” made EPIC!!! That chicken looks so tender and juicy – gosh, I’d be happy chomping on that and that alone – but thrown in with quinoa, avocado, roasted red pepper, pineapple, scallions, sesame seeds, cashews, and a spicy tinge from those red pepper flakes makes this one intoxicatingly, drool-worthy dish!
So sorry that your “smoke detector…decided to be a real asphalt” The nerve of it eh?! Here’s hoping the rest of this week is a better one for ya!
xoxo
These teriyaki bowls look incredible Cheyanne!! Yummmm! So healthy and full of flavour. I love the addition of quinoa in the bowls – it’s my favourite! Pinned <3
Hi Cheyanne – I’m so hungry now after reading your post. Every once in a while I do a fast/cleanse day. And wouldn’t you know it, today was the day. And I’m so dang hungry reading this. I NEED THIS. Like yesterday. You, my dear, make the absolute best “bowls” of everything. I love everything in this bowl, especially the quinoa and teriyaki sauce. Mmm…mmm..delish. Can’t wait to try this, and trust your smoke detector woes are now behind you. (And how DID you get to the smoke detector without a ladder? Inquiring minds want to know.) Get some rest, love ya. XO
This looks so delicious and filling!! You did a spectacular “fake out”!!! 😀
LOVE that you made these bowls with quinoa!!! and hope you are able to get some rest today!!! (I’m exhausted too!) and I don’t have a smoke detector to blame! 🙂
Yum, this dish looks amazing and even better its made in the slow cooker! I’m always looking for crockpot recipes for the Fall so thanks for this as I’ll be sharing with my family! 🙂
Argh, I hope u catch up on the sleep you lost. Ours did that a few weeks ago, I had to disassemble it to get it to stop chirping. These bowls are delicious, I love chicken teriyaki and all the delicious toppings you paired with it! The fact it was made in a slow cooker just makes it even better! Take care.
“Tender shredded chicken tossed with smooth, rich teriyaki sauce, piled high on fluffy quinoa and topped with diced pineapple, smoky red pepper, creamy avocado, crunchy cashews and crisp scallions”. Chey, you don’t need to repeat this twice. I’m sold. I’m taking this. Could you please send some to me? In a meanwhile, while waiting my dinner, I’ll be doing whatever you suggested:) Really well done. No take a nap. You deserved it:)
The batteries never go out at a normal hour….it’s always 2AM….they are just programmed like that 🙂 I’m loving this chicken bowl! Love anything in the slow cooker right now. There’s nothing better than coming home from work and finding dinner all done!
Girl, a few things:
1) This post is not short. This post is just the exact right length.
2) Using the word “Asphalt” as a euphemism is the best thing I’ve ever heard.
3) Love these bowls so much. Cashews are the bomb!
Okay, I’m happy now!
No sleep nights are the worst, Chey. Hope you get some time to nap. I am up for anything teriyaki and chicken. And the addition of quinoa is making this more desirable. This beautiful and bright bowl is speaking to me, so can’t wait to try it. 🙂
YUM! I love this recipe! So good
Girl, those unexpected nights of no sleep are the worst! I hope you were able to squeeze in a nap! If not, I hope you had lots of this delicious chicken to keep you going because this business looks delicious! I’m always happy to let the slow cooker do all the work for me! Pinned! Cheer! And get some sleep! XOXO
Ugh, that has totally happened to us at our last house and it’s definitely not fun at all! These gorgeous bowls on the other hand hopefully made up for some. Chicken teriyaki is a favorite around here & I have two recipes (totally different) coming soon. Love the quinoa and that you made it int the slow cooker!
Well, hiya friend! Always a pleasure to stop by… even if you’re gonna keep it short. Hmph! 😉 J/K. “a real asphalt ” <– THIS. I love this! Oh my goodness, what is up with that smoke detector being at such an inconvenient place? Esp in the middle of the night? Argh. And no selfies?? The TRAVESTY!! The TRAVESTY of it all!!!! Lol. But not… bc an interrupted night's sleep is really crappy. I mean… cakey. Or something. Meanwhile, LOVE your fake out take out! Ya know, you could totally prepare one of these for me, with tofu. Ahem. Just sayin'. You know I love a BIG bowl of fluffy quinoa! So… when ya comin over? 😉 Thank you for making me hungry! Happy week, my friend. xoxo
I love slow cooker meals, and I LOVE teriyaki chicken! These bowls are calling my name! I’m going to need to try these soon! Have a great week! 🙂
UGH smoke detectors are the WORST. I’m so sorry love. But on the other hand, at least you had this chicken teriyaki to make you feel a bit better? This dish is total flavor bomb! Love!! XOXO
Yay for slow cookers! Boo to noisy-smoke-detectors-in-the-middle-of-the-night-when-we-have-no-ladder! Sorry ’bout that, sweets! That is no fun at all! I am loving my quinoa, lately! It’s like you knew! However, I’ve been a little less than creative when it comes to preparing it – so this is exactly what I need in my life! Thank you!! Get a little shut-eye, lady! Cheers! xoxo
Oh yes, I have been there with the chirpy smoke detector. Like, WHY do they always start doing that in the middle of the night? It never fails. But, the good news is that you will probably now own a ladder 😉 And man, this slow cooker dish is amazing! I love that we get to break out our slow cookers again, easy dinners FTW! Pinning!
We had the chirping smoke detector too once and it was so new we didn’t know at first where it was coming from! Although the battery issue was resolved it is interesting they are always placed SO HIGH.
Anyways, time to buy a ladder and then take a nap.
I’d dig into these bowls because – one they are teriyaki chicken deliciousness and two I’m all over the pineapple, avocado bits in here. So good! Sweet dreams and congrats again on the new 4Runner!
Oh my goodness that sounds terrible! Maybe you can borrow a ladder from someone to fix it? That would definitely drive me crazy! At least you get to on these delicious little quinoa bowls =)
The day I discovered homemade teriyaki sauce was fairly life changing. I am not putting it on everything and I would even happily drink it out of the bowl.
Also, I am onboard with anything that has pineapple in it at the moment.
you put take-out to shame with these bowls of goodness Chey. that sweet salty combo is always a winner for me. sorry to hear about your rough night. is there anything more annoying than a chirping smoke detector?! argh!!
Oh my goodness, smoke alarms chirping can be evil! It’s always in the middle of the night. It terrifies my dog and they are impossible to get down – I always end up just ripping it off the wall. I can’t believe that yours are up 14 feet high. Go have a long nap the afternoon – you deserve it! I love a good bowl for dinner – this one has so much flavor. I wonder if I could swap out tofu for the chicken – it would probably be fabulous!
I adore dinner in a bowl — I’ve got some coming up on the blog tomorrow! And I’ve been in smoke detector hell before, it’s not fun…take a nap 🙂
What a disaster with the smoke detector Chey!! I bet the first thing you’re doing today is going out and buying a ladder! This bowl looks delish and what I like even more about it is that it’s done in the old slow cooker! Perfect! A win-win! Can’t wait to try! Have an awesome week.
A great bowl of goodness and love the slow-cooker chicken, especially! I’ll be trying this 🙂 Sorry about your smoke detector 🙁
So sorry to hear the alarm went off and now you are super tired! Can’t blame ya for wanting to keep things short. Lots of coffee for you today, k 🙂 ?
Ok, these bowl! Girl! They look delish! Just love all the flavours and textures you have going on here, especially that crunch factor with the cashews and avocado for the creamy yumminess . And you know that pepper flakes are not optional for me 😉 Extra please! Loves it! Pinned! Hope you have a restful day, girlie. xoxo
Smoke alarms always seem to go off during the middle of night! I think they do that on purpose because it’s SO annoying! Hopefully you’re recovered from that. These bowls look AMAZING, Cheyanne! I love making quinoa bowls, and with chicken teriyaki, it sounds like the most delicious meal. And so easy, too! Pinned, of course! Hope your Monday is off to a great start! And congrats on your new car!! 🙂
OK, that’s just weird. Our carbon monoxide detector went off last week. Beeping ALL day long. (Luckily, not at night, which is when our smoke detectors like to do that as well.) I couldn’t find the thing. I seriously stood under ever single detector in our house and waited for the beep. The beep would come and I would say, “Nope, not this one.” And move to the next one. Couldn’t find it. J was not happy trying to nap through that. Finally husband gets home and after 2 hours of looking he finds the damn thing under the sink in the kids bathroom. WHAT?! Who knows but I was about to be a crazy person.
Anyway, THIS is my kind of bowl full of goodness!! Love me some teriyaki chicken and I love that you piled it up on a big bowl of quinoa and added all kinds of delicious toppings. A weeknight win for sure! Yum!!! Pinned! Go back to bed and then have a wonderful week! XO
I really SHOULD use my slow cooker oftener than just once or twice a year…this quinoa bowl looks super delicious!