Crockpot Honey Sesame Chicken

Crockpot honey sesame chicken is the perfect combination of sweet-and-savory flavors, and since it can be made in a slow cooker, it’s super easy too. Who needs takeout?!

Even though I know the chicken they serve at food court Chinese restaurants isn’t authentic, I still can’t resist it—even when it’s the form of a sample on a toothpick shoved in my face at 10am. Just because it’s not authentic doesn’t mean it’s not good. That sticky, sweet-and-savory sauce gets me every time! This crockpot honey sesame chicken reminds me of that kind of Americanized food court Chinese food, and I mean that in the best possible way.

If, like me, you have a weakness for sticky sweet chicken, you’re going to flip over this recipe. It tastes even better than the chicken served on toothpicks at the mall, and it’s easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner since it’s all done in the slow cooker. I love making a batch of honey sesame chicken and using it for meal prep lunches all week, too.

What You’ll Need

Most of these are ingredients you probably have in your fridge or pantry. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs
• Salt and pepper
• Honey
• Low sodium soy sauce – You can use tamari if you prefer.
• Ketchup
• Vegetable oil – Canola oil or another neutral-flavored cooking oil will work, too.
• Garlic
• Onion
• Red pepper flakes – Add more or less, depending on your preferences.
• Cornstarch
• Sesame seeds – Use black, white, or a combination of both.

Do I have to use chicken thighs?

You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts instead of thighs if you prefer.

How to Make Crockpot Honey Sesame Chicken

I like to put all the ingredients together as soon as I get home from work and cook this on high so I have a low-effort dinner ready in a few hours. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

Prepare. Arrange the chicken thighs in the crockpot and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Make the sauce. Whisk together the honey, soy sauce, ketchup, oil, garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl. Pour over the chicken.

Cook. Cook the chicken on low for 3 to 4 hours or on high for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Finish. Remove the chicken from the crockpot and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Whisk the cornstarch with water, then whisk this mixture into the sauce in the crockpot to thicken it. Add the chicken back to the slow cooker and toss it in the sauce.

Serve. Serve the chicken over a bed of white rice, if desired, and garnish with sesame seeds.

Serving Suggestions

Here are some ways to serve your honey sesame chicken:

• Make meal bowls with steamed broccoli, rice (or another grain), and chicken.
• Serve the chicken alongside an Asian-inspired salad (like my Spicy Chinese Cucumber Salad) for a lighter meal.
• Once the chicken is done, make a quick vegetable stir-fry; add the sauce and chicken.
• Put it on toothpicks and offer it to your neighbors as they walk by your house. (Kidding!)

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Store leftover chicken in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Reheat it in the microwave until it’s warmed through.

Can This Recipe Be Frozen?

Yes, you can freeze leftovers for later. Place the chicken in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat the chicken in the microwave until it’s warmed through.

Crockpot Honey Sesame Chicken

Who needs takeout when you can make sticky honey sesame chicken at home in the slow cooker?

4.34 from 3 votes

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours hours

Total Time: 4 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Author: Julie Chiou

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Ingredients 

½1x2x3x

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 5
• ▢ Salt and pepper
• ▢ 1 cup of honey
• ▢ ½ cup of low sodium soy sauce
• ▢ ¼ cup ketchup
• ▢ 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ▢ 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• ▢ ½ cup diced onion
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ▢ Cornstarch
• ▢ Sesame seeds

The default measuring system for this website is US Customary. Unit conversions are provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. While we strive to provide accurate unit conversions, please be aware that there may be some discrepancies.

Equipment

• Slow Cooker

Cook Mode(toggling this on will prevent your screen from going dark)

Instructions

• Place the chicken thighs in the crockpot insert and sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides.
• In a medium sized bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, ketchup, oil, garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine well. Pour over the chicken in the crockpot.
• Cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 1 1/2-2 1/2 hours.
• When done, remove chicken from stock pot and cut into chunks. Prior to putting the chicken back in the stockpot, combine some cornstarch in water and whisk it into the crockpot to thicken up the sauce a bit (if the sauce doesn’t thicken, it’s ok – the liquid probably isn’t hot enough to thicken it to the right consistency. It’s ok if the sauce is more on the liquid side.) Throw the chicken back in and stir around to recoat the chicken in the sauce.
• Serve hot over a bed of white rice (optional) and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top.

Recipe Notes

Source: Six Sisters’ Stuff

NUTRITION FACTS

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 550 kcal | Carbohydrates: 74 g | Protein: 24 g | Fat: 12 g | Sugar: 70 g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: easy crockpot meals, slow cooker chicken recipes, sticky chicken