Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki Lo Mein (Better Than Takeout & So Easy!)
If your brain says “takeout” but your wallet says “absolutely not,” this Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki Lo Mein is about to become your new personality.
This is one of those dinners where you throw everything into the slow cooker, walk away, and somehow come back to something that tastes like you ordered it from your favorite spot. Except… you didn’t leave the house, didn’t tip, and didn’t wait 45 minutes wondering if your food got lost along the way.
And honestly? That’s a win.
🍜 What even is teriyaki lo mein?
Quick little food moment (because we’re classy like that):
- Teriyaki = a glossy, sweet + savory sauce (thanks to soy sauce + sugar + honey situation)
- Lo mein = soft, saucy noodles that are tossed, not fried
So what we’re doing here is combining the best of both worlds:
👉 sticky, caramelized teriyaki chicken
👉 + slurpable, saucy noodles
It’s giving takeout energy… without the takeout effort.
✨ Why this recipe just works
This is one of those dangerously easy recipes. Like… you might make it once and then suddenly it’s in your weekly rotation forever.
- Minimal prep – dump, set, walk away
- Big flavor – sweet, salty, slightly tangy, garlicky goodness
- Slow cooker magic – the chicken soaks up all that teriyaki flavor while it cooks
- Family-friendly – no weird ingredients, just straight-up comfort food
Also… the sauce? It thickens into that glossy, cling-to-the-noodles situation that makes you go back for “just one more bite” 14 times.
🛒 Ingredients you’ll need
Nothing complicated here—just pantry staples and a couple fridge basics:
- dark soy sauce
- low sodium soy sauce
- brown sugar
- honey
- rice vinegar
- hoisin
- ginger paste
- minced garlic
- chicken stock
- cornstarch + cold water (for that silky thick sauce moment)
- chicken thighs
- stir-fry noodles
That’s it. No specialty store trip required.
🔥 Let’s talk slow cooker timing
A quick real-life note here because slow cookers love to be unpredictable:
- Low for about 6 hours
- High for about 3 hours
If your slow cooker runs hot (same), you’re probably good with those times.
If yours runs a little chill, you might need to tack on some extra time.
The goal? Super tender chicken that basically falls apart and soaks up all that sauce.
💡 A couple quick tips before you make it
- Make sure the chicken is fully coated in the sauce at the start—this is where all the flavor magic happens
- Don’t skip the cornstarch slurry—this is what gives you that thick, glossy, takeout-style sauce
- Add the noodles at the end so they stay perfectly soft and not overcooked
🍴 The final vibe
This is cozy, saucy, slightly sticky, sweet-and-savory comfort food that tastes like you tried way harder than you actually did.
It’s the kind of dinner you make when:
- you don’t feel like cooking
- you don’t want to order takeout
- but you still want something that hits
And this? This hits.
Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki Lo Mein
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon hoisin
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- Cornstarch slurry:
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- 1 lb chicken thighs
- 14.2 oz stir-fry noodles
Instructions
- Add all the sauce ingredients and stir to combine.
- Add the chicken thighs and turn to fully coat them in the sauce.
- Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours or on high for about 3 hours, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- At the end of the slow cooking, boil your noodles according to package.
- Easily shred the chicken right in the slow cooker, if it doesn’t fall apart easily you can remove and shred.
- If the sauce isn’t thick enough, you can add another cornstarch slurry.
- Add the stir-fry noodles and toss everything together until the noodles are coated in the sauce.
- Cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes (if needed), until the sauce has thickened and the noodles are heated through.
