Name: Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 195 min
Ingredients: 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces; 1/2 cup soy sauce; 1/4 cup honey; 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil; 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger or a 1-inch knob of fresh ginger, finely grated; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 6 cloves garlic, finely minced; 1 tsp onion powder; 2 teaspoons Sriracha; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1 lb frozen or blanched broccoli; 1/4 cup cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold soy sauce and 2 tbsp cold water; 2 tablespoons sesame seeds; Cooked rice

Tender chicken thighs cook in a sweet and savory sesame sauce with frozen or fresh broccoli, served over rice for an easy slow cooker dinner.

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This slow cooker sesame chicken has become one of those dinners I reach for when I want something easy and nourishing. I would consider this one of my ‘survival meals’ on those days where we are just barely keeping it together! I threw this one together after a full day of work and errands.

It is truly one of those dump and go slow cooker meals, which I generally shy away from but it works here. Tender chicken thighs cook in a sweet and savory sesame sauce, and frozen broccoli goes in at the end so everything is ready by dinnertime. Serve it over rice, drizzle on plenty of sauce, and dinner is done.

The Slow Cooker I Use

I have a GreenPan slow cooker, and it is the one I reach for again and again for family dinners like this one. It is pricier than some of the other slow cookers on the market, but I like it because of the shape and the size of it.

The insert is easy to clean, ceramic and non-stick, so it is non-toxic. And you can sauté right inside of the slow cooker, so a lot of meals I can make right in here without using the stove. During our kitchen remodel, we used it as basically our stove. You can find it here: Slow Cooker

Main Ingredients and Swaps

The sauce is the heart of this one, and it comes together from pantry staples. Here is what you need and where you can swap.

Chicken thighs: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs stay tender in the slow cooker. You can use chicken breasts, but watch the time so they do not dry out.
Soy sauce: The savory base of the sauce. Use low sodium if you prefer a less salty finish.
Honey: Adds the sweetness that balances the soy sauce.
Rice vinegar: A splash of brightness.
Toasted sesame oil: A little goes a long way. Make sure it is toasted for that nutty sesame flavor.
Fresh ginger or ground ginger: Either works. Fresh gives a brighter bite. I used ground ginger here because it is so easy and we do not always have fresh ginger on hand.
Tomato paste: Adds body and a little depth to the sauce.
Garlic: Freshly minced is best here.
Sriracha: Just enough for a gentle warmth. Leave it out if your kids prefer no heat.
Frozen broccoli: Stirred in during the last 20 minutes. It makes this dinner especially convenient.
Cornstarch slurry: Thickens the sauce at the end so it coats the chicken instead of staying thin.
Sesame seeds: Stirred in to finish.
Cooked rice: For serving.

How to Make Sesame Chicken in the Slow Cooker

Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and place them in the slow cooker.

In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, ginger, tomato paste, minced garlic, onion powder, Sriracha, and black pepper. Pour the sauce over the chicken and stir to coat everything evenly.

Cover and cook on HIGH for approximately 3 hours, or on LOW for 5 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

During the final 20 minutes, stir in the frozen broccoli. If using fresh broccoli, add it in the final 10-15 minutes. Cover and continue cooking on HIGH until the broccoli is heated through and tender, try to not let the broccoli go for too long to maintain that fresh texture.

To thicken the sauce, mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of cold water until smooth. Keep the slow cooker on HIGH, or use the simmer or saute function if your slow cooker has one. Stir in the slurry a little at a time, letting it simmer until thickened. Add more slurry as needed to reach your desired consistency.

Stir in the sesame seeds and simmer briefly to finish thickening. Spoon the sesame chicken and broccoli over cooked rice, and drizzle plenty of sauce over the top.

Tips

Cooking time: This recipe cooks on HIGH for approximately 3 hours, making it a good option when you need to start dinner in the afternoon.
Afternoon start: You do not always have to start slow cooker meals early in the morning. You can do it in the afternoon and it still works out for dinner. I started this one at 3:00 and we ate at 6:00.
Frozen or fresh broccoli: Adding frozen broccoli during the final 20 minutes makes this dinner especially convenient. Fresh also works here if you want to wash and chop! The key is to not let the broccoli cook for too long, nobody likes mushy broccoli.
Adjust the sauce: The chicken releases moisture as it cooks, so thickening the sauce at the end creates a glossy coating instead of a thin broth.
Thickening: Make sure the heat is on high when you thicken the sauce, and if your slow cooker has a simmer or sauté function, turn that on.

Check out my YouTube video below where I walk through the entire recipe!