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
Scale
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