I took a leap of faith last year when I decided to try making Sesame Chicken in my slow cooker. Especially since it has a crunchy coating and I love that crunchy component. BUT we loved it and all things considered; the ease of preparation combined with so many less calories and it’s become a favorite. So I had this idea. I wanted to recreate a recipe from an event I attended recently which was Brussels sprouts that are fried and then finished with a spicy and sweet sauce. I will still do that soon but in the meantime my friend who joined me at that event was sick and she loves spicy AND loved that dish so instead of chicken soup I thought this Honey Sriracha Chicken with Lime made in a slow cooker would help her mend. Oh, did I mention garlic? Yes…some of that too!
I’ll be honest, I went the way of the Orient but have no idea if anything like this truly exists; I just thought it sounded like it could have been an Asian dish so preparation included rice and service in a bowl with chopsticks. It was simple and simply delicious. The sauce is easy and made on the stovetop and then the raw chicken is put into a slow cooker, covered with the sauce and cooked for a couple of hours. I used dark meat chicken thighs; I went the white meat route for years for one reason. It could be purchased boneless. Once boneless chicken thighs became easy to find I’ve never looked back; I prefer dark meat so much more. It doesn’t cut into the same almost perfect shaped pieces of white meat but who cares?
This is meant to be one of those quick family dinners. I actually made it the night before I served it so if you’re working I suggest you do the same. Then all you have to do is warm it and make some rice and voila; a great, simple yet nicely spiced meal is ready in 20 minutes. There is heat in the sauce but it’s not HOT. Add more if that’s your pleasure but I also served it with chili flakes and sesame seeds so you can add additional heat after it’s served too. Spritz the finished dish with some fresh lime juice and it’s got everything. Sweet, sour, a bit of acid and all delicious. I have some leftovers…I do believe they are calling my name!
- 6 chicken thighs, cut into bitesize pieces
- 1 cup water
- 2-3 Tbsp sriracha (adjust to taste)
- 5 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2-3Tbsp honey (adjust to taste
- 2 Tbsp corn starch
- 2-3 Tbsp water
- Rice, cooked
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- Toasted Sesame Seeds (optional)
- Lime sections
- optional: crushed red pepper flakes, cooked rice for serving
- Combine the water, sriracha, soy sauce, garlic, sugar, and honey and stir. Mix cornstarch and water to make a slurry and add it to the other ingredients in the saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat and allow to simmer until thickened.
- Add chicken pieces to a slow cooker. Cover with the sauce and stir to coat. Cook on low for approximately 3 hours.
- Strain chicken and return sauce to saucepan; simmer on medium heat until sauce has boiled off some water and juices and is thickened again.
- Add chicken to sauce and stir to coat; serve over warm rice.
- Garnish with lime wedges, crushed red pepper flakes and toasted sesame seeds.
