Description
After an action-packed day, it is comforting to know that your slow cooker was hard at work preparing a spectacular dinner for you and your family.
Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
8 chicken thighs, bone-in and skinless (about 3 – 3 1/2 pounds or 1.36 – 1.58 kg)
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1-inch piece of ginger root, chopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup (120 ml) honey
1/2 cup (120 ml) reduced sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon (5 ml) sesame oil
2 tablespoons (30 g) ketchup
2 tablespoons (30 g) hoisin sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons (22.5 g) cornstarch
Sesame seeds, for garnish
3 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish
Hot cooked jasmine rice (for serving)
Instructions
1. Brown the Chicken
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons of olive oil.
- Add half of the chicken thighs to the pan, ensuring not to crowd them.
- Brown the chicken for 4–5 minutes on one side, then flip and brown for another 3–4 minutes.
- Remove the browned chicken and place it in the slow cooker. Repeat with the remaining thighs.
2. Prepare the Sauce
- In the same sauté pan, sauté the chopped onion, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes for 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Transfer this mixture to the slow cooker, pouring it over the browned chicken.
3. Make the Honey Ginger Sauce
- In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, ketchup, and hoisin sauce until fully combined.
- Pour this sauce mixture over the chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker.
4. Slow Cook
- Cover the slow cooker and set it to LOW for 4 hours. Allow the chicken to cook until tender and fully cooked through.
5. Thicken the Sauce
- Once the chicken is cooked, carefully remove the thighs from the slow cooker and set them on a large plate, covering with foil to keep warm.
- In a small bowl, whisk 1 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch with ¼ cup water.
- Stir this slurry into the sauce in the slow cooker, set to HIGH, and cook for an additional 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened.
6. Serve
- Pour the thickened sauce over the chicken thighs. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced scallions.
- Serve the chicken alongside hot jasmine rice for a complete meal.
Notes
Adjusting the sweetness: If you prefer a slightly less sweet dish, you can reduce the honey to ? cup.
Adding extra spice: For a spicier kick, feel free to double the red pepper flakes or add a sliced fresh chili.
Substitute for hoisin sauce: If you don’t have hoisin, you can substitute it with a mixture of soy sauce and a bit of sugar or honey.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 4 hours 15 mins
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Asian Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 thigh with sauce
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 115mg