Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken
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Dump everything in the crockpot for a family-friendly meal! Best served over rice. Sweet, savory & so easy.
Featured Comment
This crockpot honey sesame chicken has saved me so many times. Even with the busiest of days/nights/weekends – this slow cooker recipe is always coming to the rescue, and has never failed me.
The ingredient list is short too – reduced sodium soy sauce (highly recommend using reduced sodium as the dish will be substantially less salty), honey, ketchup, garlic, ginger, s+p. All pantry staples. And I have definitely been guilty of skipping the onions half the time.
Chicken breasts and thighs can be used interchangeably here but thighs are much fattier (and thus more flavorful). The hardest part though is shredding the chicken! When ready to serve, serve over rice with all the juices. You’ll want that rice to soak up alllllll the goodness here.
Tools For This Recipe
6-qt slow cooker
Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken: Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, chicken breasts can absolutely be used here but chicken thighs have more dark meat and a higher fat content which will yield juicier, more flavorful chicken.
You can serve this with white rice or our favorite no-fuss sheet pan fried rice!
Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, diced
- ½ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Equipment
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine onion, soy sauce, honey, ketchup, vegetable oil, garlic, ginger and red pepper.
- Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, to taste. Place chicken thighs into a 6-qt slow cooker. Add soy sauce mixture and gently toss to combine. Cover and cook on low heat for 3 hours and 30 minutes.
- Remove chicken thighs from the slow cooker and shred the chicken before returning to the pot with the juices. Cover and keep warm for an additional 30 minutes.
- Serve immediately, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
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This is the recipe that made me a damn delicious fan. It’s my favorite crockpot recipe because it is easy and delicious. I use the chicken to make grain bowls for a group. It’s especially helpful when I don’t know how many people are coming because I can easily stretch the recipe.
What are you supposed to do with the one small diced onion? It’s listed in the ingredients but then nothing in the instructions.
Hi Kelly! The onion is combined in the first step with the soy sauce and honey.
1. In a large bowl, combine onion, soy sauce, honey, ketchup, vegetable oil, garlic, ginger and red pepper.
I have bok choy from my CSA that I want to make with this. Should I steam it separately or can I add it in to the crock pot at some point?
This looks amazing! Can I make it in the instant pot?
Do you happen to have instant pot directions for this?
We made this after a little bit of scrolling for an easy prep meal! This was an instant hit in our house, even for the picky eaters!
Question:
I would like to add some veg. Any ideas on brocolli or peppers and would I add it in?
That sounds like a good idea. I would roast them separately and then put them in the crockpot at the very last so they would stay crisp.
Wow, was this delicious, and so easy! The only thing I did differently was that I cut the chicken unto chunks and cooked it that way so I wouldn’t have to shred it at the end. I also added broccoli during the last 30 minutes. I served it over couscous. Such a yummy meal– thanks for the recipe!
Can you cook this on high to shorten the cook time?
We enjoy this wonderful recipe cutting chicken in large chunks vs shredding.
I’m going to use my electric pressure cooker. Going to add fresh ginger and maybe a couple lemon slices. Cooking pressure 5 minutes with natural release for 10 minutes.
How did it go? I want to try it in my pressure cooker too!
Very easy to make! And Delicious!
I accidentally grabbed boneless chicken breasts instead of thighs. I cut the breasts into big chunks (each breast into 3 chunks). Should I adjust the time?
Does using frozen chicken affect cooking time in the slow cooker?
I generally defrost the chicken first, but on occasion have placed still frozen chicken breast in to make a dish and it has come out just fine. I imagine it should be the same, but I never cook dark meat.
This was easy to prep and tasted really good!
Oh yum … so easy and it was delicious!!
Meat shredding tip: You can shred meat in 2-3 seconds with a stand mixer. I’m not kidding. Google it. Life changing. You’re welcome.
Also works with a hand mixer! Life-changing indeed.
Can you substitute thighs for tenders
I’m making it sounds delicious
Could I substitute coconut aminos for the soy sauce?
In case anyone’s wondering. I substituted coconut aminos for the soy sauce and it was still delicious!