Sweet and Spicy Slow Cooker Honey Sriracha Chicken Recipe
Slow cookers bring magic to kitchen chaos with this honey sriracha chicken that promises a flavor explosion.
Sweet meets spicy in a dance of delectable proportions.
Weeknight dinners just got an upgrade with minimal effort and maximum taste.
Minimal prep means you can walk away and let the appliance work its wonder.
Each bite delivers a perfect balance between honey’s smooth sweetness and sriracha’s bold kick.
The aroma will fill your kitchen, tempting everyone toward the dinner table.
Grab some chopsticks and get ready to savor every succulent morsel.
Why Slow Cooker Honey Sriracha Chicken Is The Perfect Balance
Ingredients For Slow Cooker Honey Sriracha Chicken
Protein Base:Sauce Ingredients:Seasoning and Thickening:Garnish:How To Make Slow Cooker Honey Sriracha Chicken With Ease
Step 1: Prepare Flavorful Chicken
Generously coat chicken pieces with a blend of spices including salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Carefully place the seasoned chicken into the slow cooker, ensuring an even distribution.
Step 2: Craft Spectacular Sauce
Create a mouthwatering sauce by combining these vibrant ingredients:Whisk all ingredients together in a mixing bowl until perfectly blended. Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken, making sure every piece is generously coated.
Step 3: Slow Cook to Perfection
Cover the slow cooker and let the magic happen. Cook on low heat for 4-5 hours or on high heat for 2-3 hours. The chicken is ready when it becomes incredibly tender and easily pulls apart.
Step 4: Enhance Sauce Consistency
Remove the cooked chicken from the slow cooker. For a thicker sauce, create a cornstarch slurry by mixing cornstarch with cold water. Stir the slurry into the cooking liquid and cook on high for 15 minutes until the sauce reaches a rich, glossy consistency.
Step 5: Serve with Flair
Plate the chicken and drizzle with the luscious sauce. Sprinkle generously with:Serve alongside steamed rice, fluffy quinoa, or crisp lettuce wraps for a complete meal that will tantalize taste buds.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Slow Cooker Honey Sriracha Chicken
The dish offers a perfect balance of sweet honey, spicy sriracha, and tangy vinegar. It creates a bold, zesty flavor that’s both addictive and satisfying, with a kick of heat that’s not too overwhelming.
The spice level depends on the amount of sriracha you use. For a milder version, reduce the sriracha; for more heat, add extra. Most people find it has a pleasant warmth that isn’t too intense.
Absolutely! While chicken works best, you can easily substitute with pork tenderloin or boneless turkey. Just adjust cooking times to ensure the meat is fully cooked and tender.
A slow cooker is essential for this recipe. If you don’t have one, you can adapt it to an oven or stovetop, but the slow cooker ensures the most tender, flavorful result with minimal effort.
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Slow Cooker Honey Sriracha Chicken Recipe
- Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Savor succulent slow cooker honey sriracha chicken, a spicy-sweet symphony that dances across taste buds with bold Asian-inspired flavors. Home cooks can easily craft this crowd-pleasing dish, delivering restaurant-quality excitement straight from their kitchen.
Ingredients
Protein:
- 2 pounds (907 grams) boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts)
Seasonings and Spices:
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) salt
- ½ teaspoon (1 gram) black pepper
- 1 teaspoon (2 grams) garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon (2 grams) onion powder
- 1 teaspoon (2 grams) grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) minced garlic
Sauce and Liquid Ingredients:
- ½ cup (170 grams) honey
- ⅓ cup (80 milliliters) sriracha sauce
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) lime juice
Thickening and Garnish:
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) water
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon (10 grams) sesame seeds
Serving Suggestion:
- Cooked jasmine rice or quinoa
Instructions
- Carefully massage the chicken pieces with a blend of aromatic seasonings, ensuring each surface is evenly coated with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Create a vibrant, glossy sauce by whisking together honey’s sweetness, sriracha’s fiery kick, umami-rich soy sauce, tangy rice vinegar, zesty lime juice, minced garlic, and grated ginger in a mixing bowl.
- Gently pour the luminous sauce over the seasoned chicken in the slow cooker, allowing the liquid to cascade and envelop the meat completely.
- Secure the lid and let the slow cooker transform the ingredients, maintaining a low temperature for 4-5 hours or high heat for 2-3 hours until the chicken becomes remarkably tender and easily pulls apart.
- For a more luxurious texture, carefully extract the chicken from the cooking liquid and decide whether to shred or keep whole.
- Enhance the sauce’s consistency by introducing a cornstarch slurry, stirring thoroughly and allowing it to simmer on high heat for approximately 15 minutes until it reaches a luxurious, glossy thickness.
- Plate the succulent chicken, generously drizzling the glossy sauce over the top and garnishing with finely chopped green onions and a sprinkle of nutty sesame seeds.
- Serve alongside steamed rice, fluffy quinoa, or crisp lettuce wraps for a versatile and exciting meal.
Notes
- Swap honey for agave or maple syrup to make the dish vegan-friendly and maintain the sweet undertone.
- Reduce sriracha quantity for a milder version, perfect for those who can’t handle intense heat.
- Use chicken thighs instead of breasts for more tender, juicy meat that won’t dry out during slow cooking.
- Create a low-sodium option by replacing regular soy sauce with a low-sodium alternative or coconut aminos.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg
Emily Morgan
Food Critic & Kitchen Tips Specialist
Expertise
Global Food Exploration & Critique, Simple Kitchen Hacks & Time-Saving Tips, Presentation & Plating Techniques, Culinary Research & Storytelling.
Education
New York University
Emily Morgan has journeyed across the globe, collecting culinary secrets that turn everyday ingredients into impressive meals.
Based in Seattle and armed with a Journalism degree from NYU, she blends thorough research with a flair for presentation, ensuring every dish looks just as good as it tastes.
Focusing on fresh flavors, simple methods, and a bit of fun, Emily shows home cooks how to elevate their daily cooking without fancy gadgets or complex steps.