Crockpot Honey Sesame Chicken
Updated
Updated
This easy Crockpot Honey Sesame Chicken recipe delivers tender pieces of chicken coated in a super flavorful sweet and savory, sticky sauce that is just so delicious. You only need a short list of items and 5 minutes of prep to make it!
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You know those crock pot meals that slow cook all day only to deliver the most bland results? This Honey Sesame Chicken is not one of them. This super easy chicken recipe has tons of great umami flavor.
Rich boneless chicken thighs cook for just a few hours in a mouth-watering sweet and savory sauce, and end up tender and juicy. There’s plenty of extra sauce, too, which is perfect for drizzling over roasted vegetables or for hot cooked rice to soak up.
Bonus, there’s no pre-sautéing or marinating time – it’s truly dump and go for a crazy simple weeknight dinner.
Helpful Tips & Variations
- Chicken thighs. I prefer boneless, skinless chicken thighs over chicken breasts for this dish, since dark meat is more moist and flavorful, but chicken breasts are fine. They won’t need as much time to cook, so start checking on them sooner.
- Don’t skip the honey or ketchup. The honey is makes the sauce sweet, while the ketchup provides wonderful tanginess.
- Soy sauce. For the salty, savory flavor that balances out the honey and ketchup. Make sure to use low-sodium, so the dish isn’t overly salty.
- Sesame Oil and Vegetable oil. These both help transfer fat-soluble flavors onto the chicken and prevent the other sharp flavors from dominating. Also helps the chicken retain moisture. The sesame oil also adds unmistakable depth of flavor.
- To thicken the sauce. You don’t have to thicken the sauce at the end, but if you want to, a simple combination of water and cornstarch works great.
- Don’t have a crockpot? Try using a roasting pan and cook in a 250 degree F oven for 3-4 hours, or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees is reached. Then thicken the sauce in a small pot on the stove.
Crockpot Honey Sesame Chicken
Ingredients
- 1¾ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup honey
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 small sweet onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- 6 tablespoons water
- ½ tablespoon sesame seeds
- 3 scallions, diced
- cooked white rice, for serving
Instructions
- Lightly season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper; transfer to a 6 quart crockpot coated with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, ketchup, vegetable oil, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, onion, and garlic until incorporated. Pour over chicken.
- Cover with the lid and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours (or until an internal temperature reaches 165F.) See note below about adding in vegetables.
- Remove chicken from the crockpot, but leave the sauce.
- Dissolve 4 teaspoons of cornstarch in 6 tablespoons of water and pour into the crockpot. Stir to combine with the sauce.
- Replace lid and cook sauce on high for 10 more minutes or until slightly thickened.
- Leave chicken pieces whole or shred into bite size pieces. Then in individual bowls, place chicken pieces over cooked rice and spoon some sauce on top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped scallions.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!How to Make Honey Sesame Chicken Step By Step
- Season the chicken. Lightly season both sides of 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs with salt and pepper; transfer a greased 6-quart crockpot.
- Make the sauce. Whisk together 1 cup honey, ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce, ¼ cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 small sweet diced onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, and ¼ tsp red pepper flakes. Pour over the chicken.
- Cook. Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours or until an internal temperature reaches 165F. Remove chicken from the crockpot (but leave the sauce.) Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
- Thicken the sauce. Dissolve 4 teaspoons of cornstarch in 6 tablespoons of water and pour into the crockpot. Stir to combine with the sauce. Replace lid and cook sauce on high for 10 more minutes or until slightly thickened.
- Serve. Leave chicken pieces whole or shred into bite size pieces. Then in individual bowls, place chicken pieces over cooked white rice and spoon some sauce on top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped scallions.
Serving Suggestions
We like to serve honey sesame chicken thighs with cooked rice to soak up the sauce, a vegetable, and this simple side salad for a complete meal. This dish pairs perfectly with coconut rice, roasted carrots, or roasted broccoli.
Proper Storage
Allow any leftover chicken and sauce to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container (either together or separate.) Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently in the microwave.
More Easy Chicken CrockPot Recipes:
- Crockpot BBQ Chicken
- Marry Me Chicken
- Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing
- Slow Cooker Italian Lemon Chicken
- Slow Cooker Orange Chicken
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
This recipe was a huge hit in my house, especially the fantastic sauce!! I covered 4 boneless thighs with the sauce, made exactly as Amy directed, and dinner was ready in 3 hours (on LOW).
I doubled the recipe and it turned out great. I received lots of compliments and requests for the recipe!
This recipe is super delicious and very easy to make. You won’t be disappointed!
Once again, Amy your recipe blows me away. So easy and delicious!
THANK YOU! I had No choice to keep the chicken thighs whole they were so tender they shredded them selves! Is there a way to make the sauce thicker for the Next Time?
I made this and it was a big hit with all my family. Love your recipes.
Very nice, I need to make this.
delicious easy dinner!
I’ve made this countless times now – definitely a family fav. I usually toss in some chopped carrots and/or pineapple chunks. Don’t skip the scallions or sesame seeds!
This recipe is awesome! I used chicken breasts and used just over half the reccomended amount of honey and it turned out great! Thanks for the recipe:-)
make sure to print this, dottie
sounds good
I just made this for a pot luck dinner, with huge success. Since I don’t have a crock pot, I used a roasting pan and cooked in the oven at 250 deg. for 4 hrs. The sauce called for in the recipe was enough for the 5 lbs. of bone-in chicken thighs. I removed the bones after cooking and served over 1 1/2 cups of white rice. The plate was wiped clean!
Here is a great recipe to make on a weekend in a crockpot and then eat during the week reheated.
what if i don’t have a crock pot?
Made exactly as written, after cooking 3 hours on low, my chicken was done so definitely check it early. I added fresh pineapple pieces and cut back on the honey.
I agree with the vast number of people who loved it. this was a big winner with my family and I wouldn’t change a thing!
Thank you for a wonderful recipe! My husband and two girls ate huge bowls of this dish! I used boneless thighs and boneless breast, and after I shred the chicken I placed it back into the slightly thickened sauce to stay warm until we were ready to eat. We spooned it over jasmine rice that we made in the rice cooker! It was wonderful!!!
We used chix tenders and it was easily done at 3 hours.
I added broccoli florets in the last 45 minutes of cooking for more of a complete meal. Always trying to get those veggies in! We loved this. Would absolutely make again.
Thank you for sharing this recipe!!! This was an excellent accommodation to our dinner meal. I too used chicken breast, and decided to add a few pineapples. Thanks a million!!!