Description
Crockpot honey sesame chicken brings together tender chicken with a glossy sauce that’s both sweet and savory, making weeknight dinners simple when you toss everything into one pot. Your family gets a complete meal with minimal effort, since the slow cooker does all the work while you handle other things.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Sauce and seasonings:
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Garnish:
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 2 green onions, sliced
Instructions
- Rinse your 1.5 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs under cold water and pat them completely dry with paper towels, then sprinkle salt and pepper all over each piece.
- Whisk together 1/2 cup of honey, 1/4 cup of low sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, 4 minced garlic cloves, and 1 tablespoon of grated fresh ginger in a bowl until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Place your seasoned chicken into the crockpot and pour the entire sauce mixture over the top, making sure the chicken pieces are coated.
- Set your crockpot to low heat and cook for 6 to 7 hours, or choose high heat for 3 to 4 hours until your chicken shreds easily with a fork.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a serving plate and pour the cooking liquid into a saucepan to simmer over medium-high heat for about 5 to 8 minutes if you prefer a thicker sauce consistency.
- Add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of cold water to your simmering sauce if you want it thickened, stirring constantly for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Return your chicken to the crockpot and pour the sauce back over it, then serve your dish over rice or noodles and top with 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
Notes
- Pat your chicken completely dry before adding it to the crockpot so the sauce coats it evenly instead of sliding off.
- Mix your sauce ingredients in a bowl first rather than combining them directly in the crockpot, which helps the honey dissolve smoothly without clumping.
- If your sauce seems too thin after cooking, transfer it to a saucepan and simmer it for 5-10 minutes to concentrate the flavors, or stir in a cornstarch slurry to thicken it without cooking longer.
- For a dairy-free version that works just as well, this recipe needs no substitutions since it relies on honey and sesame oil for richness instead of cream or butter.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 7 minutes-7 hours 11 minutes
- Category: Slow Cooked Chicken
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American-Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 377 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 410 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg