Sweet, savory, and slightly spicy, this easy Crockpot Sesame Chicken is an easy Asian-inspired dinner with perfectly balanced flavors.

Crockpot Sesame Chicken

If you love sesame chicken, I think you’ll enjoy this easy, hands off slow cooker sesame chicken recipe. Making it in the slow cooker, the chicken turns out more like my Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken. If you prefer it more like a stir-fry, I would stick to the stove top recipe. It’s made with boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and sriracha for that balance of sweet, spicy, savory and acid. Serve it over a bowl of rice or with your favorite brown fried rice recipe.

Why This Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken Works

I’m not a fan of sweet foods as a main dish unless they’re balanced with savory and spicy flavors. In this recipe, the honey, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and sriracha complement each other beautifully, creating a harmonious balance without being overly sweet. After several trials, I finally nailed the perfect sweet-savory ratio without relying on too much sugar (or honey in this case).

However, some feedback since I shared this in 2013 inspired me to make a few tweaks to make it better. I reduced the tomato paste, added fresh ginger for a touch of warmth, and bumped up the sesame for extra depth. I also tested this recipe with chicken thighs, which turned out to be my favorite—juicy, flavorful, and perfect for this dish. If you prefer chicken breasts, feel free to use those instead!

What You’ll Need

Here’s the ingredients to make sesame chicken in the slow cooker. See exact measurements in the recipe card below:

• Chicken thighs or breasts: Use your preferred cut for juicy, flavorful results.
• Black pepper: Adds a subtle kick to enhance the overall flavor.
• Soy sauce: Provides a salty, umami base; tamari works great for a gluten-free option.
• Honey: Balances the saltiness with a touch of natural sweetness.
• Tomato paste: Adds depth and richness to the sauce.
• Rice wine vinegar: Brings acidity to brighten the flavors.
• Garlic: Infuses the dish with a bold, aromatic layer.
• Ginger: Adds warmth.
• Sesame oil: For that sesame flavor.
• Sriracha: For heat to balance the sweetness.
• Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce to coat the chicken perfectly.
• Water: Helps dissolve the cornstarch.
• Sesame seeds: Adds a light crunch and nutty flavor.
• Scallions: Brightens the dish with a fresh garnish.

How To Make Crockpot Sesame Chicken

Here’s the step-by-step directions, see recipe card below for the printable recipe.

Place the chicken in the slow cooker and season with black pepper. In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, tomato paste, vinegar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, 1 tablespoon water and sriracha. Pour over the chicken and cook on LOW 3 to 4 hours. If you are not home and need it to cook longer, it will be fine.

Remove chicken, leaving the sauce in the slow cooker. Shred chicken with two forks; set aside.

In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in remaining 1/4 cup water; add to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on HIGH until slightly thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes; return chicken to the slow cooker and mix well.

Serve chicken and sauce over rice and top with sesame seeds and chopped scallions for garnish.

Serving Suggestions

• Rice – Serve this over sticky rice, jasmine rice or brown rice. For easy rice recipes try this Instant Pot Brown Rice. Cauliflower rice would make a great low-carb option.
• Vegetables – steamed or roasted broccoli, snow peas, asparagus or bok choy would be a great side.

Leftovers

For lunch the next day, I made some lettuce wraps with some leftover forbidden rice. This will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

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