Forget takeout! These teriyaki chicken rice bowls have juicy grilled chicken, fresh sautéed veggies and the stickiest homemade teriyaki sauce, all ready in about 30 minutes.

It’s faster than takeout, uses simple ingredients, and makes an easy weeknight dinner everyone can customize.

Yesterday I said to my husband, I want takeout-style teriyaki chicken, but I need an easy dinner I can make at home. And voila, we made these awesome teriyaki rice bowls!

The reality is, you want takeout but don’t have the time to pick up, budget to eat out or desire to eat fast food. So what do you do when you’re craving takeout?  Skip the Takeout: This Easy Teriyaki Chicken Bowl Is Ready in 30 Minutes and makes a great freezer meal!

The first time I made teriyaki chicken at home I was so disappointed by the dry chicken with a watery sauce that was overly sweet and nothing like my favorite takeout. We had to test a lot of different recipes and styles (ditch the slow cooker this time) to come up with a 20-30 minute dinner idea that’s a cheap recipe on a busy weeknight. Buying a low sodium sauce helps it not be too salty that you need to load it with brown sugar and still maintains the flavor. 

But there was still one problem: thin and watery sauce was not what I remembered from our local restaurant. I need a thick, glossy and sticky sauce. The perfect amount of cornstarch or ez gel solved that problem with just a few turns of the whisk and heat set to simmer! 

Ingredients You Will Need

Teriyaki Chicken

• Soy Sauce: The salty, savory base of our homemade teriyaki sauce.
• Brown Sugar + Honey: Add sweetness and help create that

This Easy Crockpot Pineapple Chicken is a family favorite! It’s a cheap, quick and easy dinner that comes together in a few minutes then cooks all day in a slow cooker!

You’ll love this tender chicken in the Hawaiian and Asian inspired flavors of teriyaki sauce and pineapple.

The first time I ever went to Hawaii I expected there to be beautiful pineapple trees every where. I couldn’t wait to feel so tropical and have the air smell as sweet as the sweet and tangy fruit.

They grow on the ground.

I literally had missed the memo for 18 years of my life. I know, I was ridiculous, but now it’s the flavor that’s ridiculous. This is one of our top 5 family favorite recipes for the crockpot!

Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Pineapple Chicken

• Packed with flavorful protein
• Slow cooker does all the work
• Totally from scratch so you have control of the ingredients
• Makes great leftovers for lunch the next day
• Great for meal prep

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• Chicken Thighs: Provide a tender, juicy protein base that soaks up all the sweet and savory flavors from the sauce.
• BBQ Rub: Adds depth, smokiness, and seasoning that enhances the chicken’s flavor before it even hits the sauce.
• Olive Oil: Used to brown the chicken to add more flavor.
• Teriyaki Sauce: Brings sweet, umami-rich flavor with a glossy texture that ties everything together.
• Soy Sauce: Balances sweetness with salty, savory depth and enhances the overall flavor of the dish.
• Garlic: Adds bold aroma and a savory backbone that complements the sweetness of the pineapple.
• Red Onion: Brings mild sweetness and a little bite for contrast against the rich sauce.
• Red Bell Pepper: Adds color, crunch, and natural sweetness that brightens up the whole dish.
• Pineapple Chunks: Deliver that tropical sweetness and tang that makes the sauce irresistible.
• Green Onion: Finishes the dish with fresh, crisp flavor and a pop of color.
• Rice: The perfect base to soak up all that sweet and savory sauce — it’s how you turn this dish into a complete, satisfying meal.

How to Make Crockpot Pineapple Chicken

1. Season and Sear the Chicken: Sprinkle BBQ rub all over both sides of the chicken and then sear it on both sides until golden brown.
2. Make the Sauce: Add all the sauce ingredients for the sauce to a small bowl and whisk together.
3. Cook: Add the chicken to the slow cooker and pour the sauce over the top.