slow cooker<\/a> is great for any time of the year, but I especially love to use it when I have a busy day planned. Using the slow cooker allows me to prepare the recipe ahead of time, toss it all in the slow cooker and then come back to a delicious meal after a busy day.<\/p>\nCOMBINE SAUCE<\/strong> Start by placing the chicken thighs in the bottom of your slow cooker in an even layer. Whisk all the ingredients for the sauce together (minus the cornstarch) and pour over the chicken thighs.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
COOK ON LOW <\/strong> Turn the slow cooker to low and cook for 6 hours. You could also cook it on high for just 3 to 4 hours, but I feel like the chicken is more tender when cooked on low. <\/p>\nTHICKEN SAUCE<\/strong> After the chicken has cooked, make a slurry with the cornstarch and some water and stir this into the sauce in the slow cooker. Increase the heat to high and cook an additional 15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
SERVE OVER RICE<\/strong> The chicken is fantastic when served whole or shredded. It is so tender! Carefully place it over a bed of rice and spoon a little extra sauce on top. Garnish with sesame seeds and diced green onion if desired.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Make Ahead and Recipe Variations<\/h2>\n
PREPARE AHEAD <\/strong>You can easily prepare this recipe ahead of time by placing the chicken thighs and sauce ingredients all in a zip-close bag and storing in the refrigerator for up to 3 days<\/strong>.<\/p>\nSimply pour all the ingredients into the slow cooker when you’re ready to prepare.<\/p>\n
RECIPE VARIATIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Try using chicken breast in place of chicken thighs.<\/li>\n
- If you don’t have hoisin sauce, you can swap with oyster sauce. <\/li>\n
- Adjust the spice level by using more or less red pepper flakes.<\/li>\n
- Want a thicker sauce? Increase the amount of cornstarch to make the sauce even thicker.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
More Asian Inspired Chicken<\/h2>\n
With the classic flavors of soy sauce, garlic and ginger you can create an endless amount of dishes. Here are a few more of my favorite Asian-inspired chicken recipes that I think you’ll enjoy…<\/p>\n