Description
This Slow Cooker Sweet Chili Chicken recipe features tender, shredded chicken breasts or thighs simmered in a flavorful sweet chili sauce blended with soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, ginger, and a touch of heat from red pepper flakes. It’s an easy, hands-off meal perfect for busy days, served over rice, quinoa, or noodles and garnished with green onions and sesame seeds for added texture and flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
Sauce
- 1 cup sweet chili sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
Thickening Slurry
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Garnish
- 2 green onions, sliced
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Place the boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs in the bottom of your slow cooker, spreading them out evenly to ensure even cooking.
- Mix the Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, minced garlic, grated ginger, and optional red pepper flakes until well combined.
- Cook the Chicken: Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the chicken in the slow cooker, making sure each piece is well coated. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender enough to shred.
- Shred the Chicken: Carefully remove the cooked chicken from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks into bite-sized pieces.
- Thicken the Sauce: In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Stir this slurry into the slow cooker’s sauce and mix well to combine.
- Combine and Heat: Return the shredded chicken back to the slow cooker, stirring thoroughly so the chicken is coated in the thickened sauce. Cook for an additional 15 minutes on low to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken further.
- Garnish and Serve: Before serving, garnish with sliced green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve over steamed rice, quinoa, or noodles for a complete meal.
Notes
- Serve over steamed rice, quinoa, or noodles for a balanced meal.
- Add bell peppers or snap peas during the last hour of cooking for extra vegetables and crunch.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
