Crock Pot Sesame Chicken (Printable Version)

Tender chicken in savory-sweet sesame sauce, slow-cooked to perfection for an easy dinner.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

→ Sauce

02 - 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
03 - 1/3 cup honey
04 - 1/4 cup ketchup
05 - 2 tbsp rice vinegar
06 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
09 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

→ Thickener

10 - 2 tbsp cornstarch
11 - 2 tbsp water

→ Garnish

12 - 2 tbsp sesame seeds
13 - 2 green onions, sliced

# How to Make It:

01 - Arrange chicken thighs or breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker.
02 - Whisk together soy sauce, honey, ketchup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl until fully incorporated.
03 - Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken, ensuring all pieces are evenly coated.
04 - Cover and cook on LOW setting for 4 hours, or HIGH for 2 hours, until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F and is tender.
05 - Transfer cooked chicken to a cutting board and shred or cut into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
06 - Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl, stirring until smooth and lump-free.
07 - Stir cornstarch slurry into the remaining sauce in the slow cooker. Return shredded chicken to the pot, mix well, and cook on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes until sauce thickens.
08 - Transfer to serving plates or bowls and garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Serve over steamed jasmine rice or with stir-fried vegetables.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The slow cooker does all the heavy lifting while you go about your day
  • That sauce thickens into something restaurant-worthy with just minutes of extra work
  • Better than takeout and you control exactly what goes into it
02 -
  • The sauce will seem thin until that final thickening step, do not panic or add more cornstarch
  • Toasted sesame oil is not the same as regular sesame oil, get the good stuff in the small bottle
  • Letting the sauce bubble with the cornstarch slurry is what creates that restaurant-style glaze
03 -
  • Use chicken thighs with the bone-in for the most succulent results, just debone after cooking
  • Let the cornstarch mixture come to a full bubble to activate its thickening power completely

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