Description
This Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken is a flavorful and tender dish featuring juicy chicken thighs cooked in a sweet and savory honey-soy sauce with garlic and ginger. Perfectly easy to prepare with minimal effort, it’s ideal for busy weeknights and serves up beautifully over rice, quinoa, or noodles. Finished with fresh green onions and toasted sesame seeds, this Asian-inspired recipe offers comforting home-cooked goodness with a touch of tangy sweetness.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
Sauce
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
Thickener
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Garnish
- 3 sliced green onions
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Place the boneless skinless chicken thighs in the bottom of the slow cooker, spreading them out evenly to ensure uniform cooking.
- Make the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together honey, low-sodium soy sauce, ketchup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, and grated ginger until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Cook the chicken: Pour the sauce over the chicken thighs, making sure each piece is well coated. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is fork-tender and fully cooked through.
- Shred the chicken: Carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks. Set aside.
- Thicken the sauce: In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Stir this slurry into the sauce remaining in the slow cooker. Turn the slow cooker to high and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens to a glossy consistency.
- Combine chicken and sauce: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir thoroughly to coat the chicken evenly with the thickened honey sesame sauce.
- Serve and garnish: Dish out the honey sesame chicken and top with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds for added flavor and crunch. Enjoy over your choice of rice, quinoa, or noodles, optionally alongside steamed vegetables.
Notes
- Serve this dish over rice, quinoa, or noodles to soak up the delicious sauce.
- Add steamed broccoli, snap peas, or other vegetables to make it a complete meal.
- Chicken breasts can be substituted but tend to cook faster and may be less juicy than thighs.
- If sauce is too thick, stir in a small amount of water to reach desired consistency.
- For a spicier kick, add crushed red pepper flakes when making the sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
