Pour bottled teriyaki sauce and these 3 ingredients over chicken breasts into a slow cooker for a weeknight meal you’ll keep coming back to

This slow cooker 4-ingredient Amish-style teriyaki chicken is the kind of weeknight meal you make once and then keep in your regular rotation. It leans on a bottle of store-bought teriyaki sauce and just three pantry staples to create tender, gently sweet-and-savory chicken with very little hands-on time. While teriyaki itself is Japanese, this version borrows from the simplicity and practicality of Amish home cooking: minimal ingredients, long slow simmer, and a focus on comfort over fuss.

Serve the chicken sliced or shredded over steamed white or brown rice to soak up the sauce, and add a simple side like buttered green beans, roasted broccoli, or a crisp cabbage slaw for freshness. The leftovers are wonderful tucked into lettuce wraps, spooned over egg noodles, or piled onto soft sandwich rolls with a little mayo or coleslaw. A light cucumber salad or sliced fresh oranges on the side balances the sweetness of the teriyaki and keeps the meal feeling bright.

Servings: 4

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Lightly coat the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick spray or a thin film of neutral oil to help with cleanup.

Scatter the thinly sliced onion evenly over the bottom of the slow cooker; this creates a flavorful bed that also keeps the chicken from sticking.

Lay the chicken breasts in a single layer over the onions. It’s fine if they overlap slightly, but avoid stacking them too high so they cook evenly.

In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the bottled teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, and chicken broth (or water) until the sugar is mostly dissolved.

Pour the teriyaki mixture evenly over the chicken breasts and onions in the slow cooker, making sure all of the chicken is coated. This should resemble that classic high-angle shot: hands pouring glossy bottled sauce over raw chicken in the crock.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

Once cooked, transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board. Let them rest for 5 minutes, then slice or shred with two forks, depending on how you’d like to serve them.

If you’d like a slightly thicker sauce, turn the slow cooker to HIGH and let the cooking liquid bubble uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes while the chicken rests and is shredded, stirring occasionally.