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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. 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.
In the mood to try some more Asian-style chicken recipes? Be sure to check out chicken katsu, sweet and sour chicken, and these Chinese salt and pepper chicken wings!
Why You’ll Love This Honey Sesame Chicken
Crockpot honey sesame chicken is worthy of your love for many reasons! Here are just a few:
- Packed with flavor. This sesame chicken sauce is made with savory soy sauce, sweet honey, spicy red pepper flakes, and more.
- Easy. It only takes about 5 minutes to prep this meal, and then you can pop everything into the slow cooker and walk away until it’s done!
- Comfort food. A big plate of juicy chicken smothered in a sweet and savory sauce, and served over a bed of fluffy rice, is just the thing to dig into at the end of a long day.
What You’ll Need
Most of these are ingredients you probably have in your fridge or pantry. Here’s what you’ll need (note that you can find the exact measurements for each one in the recipe card below):
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs – You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts instead of thighs if you prefer.
- Salt and pepper – Keep it simple and season your chicken with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Honey – Pure honey works best here!
- Low sodium soy sauce – You can use tamari if you prefer.
- Ketchup – This adds some sweet and sour flavor to the sauce.
- Vegetable oil – Canola oil or another neutral-flavored cooking oil will work, too.
- Garlic – Freshly minced garlic is best, but store-bought minced garlic is also fine!
- Onion – Use diced white or yellow onion. Chopped scallions make a nice garnish, too!
- Red pepper flakes – Add more or less, depending on your preferences.
- Cornstarch – To thicken up the sauce.
- Sesame seeds – Use black, white, or a combination of both.
How to Make Honey Sesame Chicken in Your Crockpot
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 (the full set of directions can also be found in the recipe card below):
- 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 the sauce 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.
Tips for Success
Super simple, right? I do, however, still have a few more tips and tricks to share with you on this honey sesame chicken recipe.
- Taste and adjust the sauce. Before you add it to the crockpot, taste your sauce to see if you’d like it to be sweeter (more honey) or spicier (more red pepper flakes).
- If the sauce doesn’t thicken when you add in the cornstarch after taking the chicken out, it’s okay. The liquid probably isn’t hot enough to thicken it to the right consistency. It’s okay if the sauce is more on the liquid side.
- If the sauce is too thick, add water. On the other hand, if the sauce is too thick for some reason, add a few tablespoons of water to it.
Serving Suggestions
Here are some easy ways to serve your honey sesame chicken:
- Broccoli and rice. Make meal bowls with steamed broccoli, rice (or another grain), and chicken.
- Salad. Serve the chicken alongside an Asian-inspired salad (like my spicy Chinese cucumber salad) for a lighter meal.
- Stir-fry. Once the chicken is done, make a quick vegetable stir-fry, then add the sauce and chicken.
- Scallion pancakes. I love eating scallion pancakes with pretty much any main dish. They go especially well with this one!
Or you could always put it on toothpicks and offer it to your neighbors as they walk by your house. (Kidding!)
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
If you end up with leftovers, save them for later! Here’s how to preserve your sesame chicken.
- To store. Store leftover Chinese sesame chicken in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.
- To reheat. Reheat it in the microwave until it’s warmed through when you’re ready to eat it again.
Can I Freeze This Crockpot Sesame Chicken?
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.
More Chinese Chicken Recipes
If you want to try out some more classic Chinese takeout recipes, you’re in the right place!
- Chicken and Broccoli
- Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs
- Instant Pot General Tso’s Chicken
- Orange Chicken
- Chicken Lo Mein
Crockpot Honey Sesame Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound (454 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 5
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup (339 g) honey
- ½ cup (128 g) low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup (60 g) ketchup
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- ½ cup (80 g) diced onion
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Cornstarch
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs in the crockpot insert and sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides.1 pound (454 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, Salt and pepper
- 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.1 cup (339 g) honey, 1/2 cup (128 g) low sodium soy sauce, 1/4 cup (60 g) ketchup, 2 tablespoon vegetable oil, 2 cloves of garlic, 1/2 cup (80 g) diced onion, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 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.Cornstarch
- Serve hot over a bed of white rice (optional) and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top.Sesame seeds
Notes
- Source: Six Sisters’ Stuff
- To store: Store leftover sesame chicken in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Reheat it in the microwave until it’s warmed through when you’re ready to eat it again.
- To freeze: 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.
Nutrition
This was awesome, no matter what you name it! I added a splash of OJ to the sauce before cooking and it added some tasty dimension. Thanks for sharing this with us :)
Could you use Chicken wings or chicken breats instead of what is asked in the recipe?? If so how much of each? I bought a huge package of chicken wings and thought about using those, for this recipe. ^,^ This looks fantastic!
Yes, as previous comments I’ve answered, I have said you can use chicken breasts instead but would need to cut down on the time it cooks since breasts aren’t as fatty as thighs and you wouldn’t want them to dry out. I’m not sure about wings though.
I made this the other night with rice and stir fried veggies and it was so good! Thanks for the recipe.
Made this tonight, I looooved it, went back for seconds which is not my yoush. My little people wouldn’t eat more than one bite but that doesn’t say much, thing one won’t even eat mashed potatoes, that’s absurd. I agree there was a lot of extra sauce, maybe didn’t need to finger clean my honey jar to get a full cup out of it… So yummy though, toasted the sesame seeds, extra yum. Thank you for this recipe!
Could you use chicken breast meat instead of thighs?
I’ve answered this in previous comments. Answer is yes.
I made this recipe tonight. I prepped it before work and then turned the crockpot on high once I got home. 2 1/2 hours was a perfect cook time. My husband and I both enjoyed the recipe. I felt like it was a bit saucy even when using a pound and a half of chicken. I will either double the chicken or reduce the amount of honey and soy sauce I use the next time I make this recipe. I will definitely try this one again. It was easy, different, and very flavorful. Steamed broccoli was a nice pairing with the rice. Thank you for sharing it!
Not to make this unhealthy, but—do you think you coat the chicken pieces in whole wheat flour and brown them, then put them in the crock pot? I like a little crust on my chicken…what do you think?
Thanks! it looks delicious!
I feel like the crust would just melt off and not even be on there after the 4 hours it’s in the crockpot.
I just made this last night and it was AMAZING!!! I wanted to share though that I could only find a package of 12 chicken thighs, so I planned on just doubling the sauce. First I mixed up one batch of sauce according to the recipe….and it looked like so much. I went with my gut and used the regular recipe with double the amount of chicken, and it turned out so well. Better than take-out!
I’m sorry you have had to deal with controversy over the name for this dish! Some folks just look for stuff to quibble over, we’ve all had the bourbon chicken in the mall experience I think, and ought to know what you are trying to share with us. I tried this and it’s great, whatever you want to call it. Thanks for the recipe! “However, it’s not “real” Chinese food”… after my first child was born I worked part-time in a restaurant called the Soo-Chow Inn. It was family owned and operated and I was so grateful to work for people that expected me to put my family first. The food on the menu was quite delicious, and the clientele was happy. But it was our custom to sit down to a late supper after closing, and THAT my friend, was “real” Chinese food. Absolutely nothing at all like the Americanized stuff on most restaurant menus, and I had some adventures, trying things I probably never would have otherwise. Beautiful people, they were so good to me and mine. I still do the Chinese takeout thing, but I have some very fond memories and sometimes a downright CRAVING for the after hours stuff! So I usually smile when folks want to get all up in arms about the names of food court stuff…. ;-)
This was delisth!!!! I Used bone in chicken thighs. And I put them in frozen because I need a longer cook time than this. Lol. It was on low for 8 hours maybe even 9. Thanks for the recipe!