I have eaten this honey sesame chicken more times in the past month than you’d probably believe. It’s been on our menu once a week, and the recipe yields enough to feed us three nights in a row (if not more) every time I make it. In case you don’t feel like doing the math, that means this dish has been served at least 12 times in the past 30 days. I guess you could say we’re a little bit obsessed with it π Also, any need we once had for variety in our meals has seemingly gone right out the window…
Truthfully though, since we resolved to eat healthier meals, it’s been a bit of a struggle to find dinner ideas both Shane and I can get excited about. So when we do find one that fits the bill, it goes into heavy rotation. I’m hoping that as time goes on that pool of weeknight meal options will grow, but in the meantime we really love the handful we do have, enough that the monotony isn’t bothering us one bit!
Anyway, if you’re on Pinterest, it’s likely that you’ve seen a version of this recipe floating around, it’s quite popular. This adaptation comes from Gina at Skinny Taste, whose goal was to create a version that wasn’t quite as sweet as some of the others. The result is just slightly sweet; it’s perfect for us because Shane’s not big on adding lots of sweetness to savory dishes. Aside from the usual suspects – soy sauce and honey – there’s quite a bit of tomato paste in this recipe, which adds tanginess. I think a lot of the other recipes out there use ketchup instead, but having never made any of them, I can’t say how they compare. I just know we love this one, even more so because a decent-sized portion is under 200 calories (see Gina’s site for the full nutrtional info).
Oh also, this is not one of those slow cooker meals you want to throw in before you go to work and let cook away all day. The original instructions said 3-4 hours on low, but in my slow cooker (which always seems to cook things more quickly than recipes suggest), the chicken only needed two. My slow cooker has a timer and will switch to “keep warm” when it is done cooking so that’s an option if yours is similar, but if not I suggest making the recipe on the weekend instead. You’ll have a simple, delicious dinner for several nights later in the week π
Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken
barely adapted from Skinny Taste
{Note: as written, this dish is not at all spicy – you could add more sriracha or even red pepper flakes if you wanted to increase the heat.}
2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I’ve used tenderloins too)
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon sriracha chili sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
sesame seeds (for garnish)
scallions, thinly sliced (for garnish)
Season the chicken with black pepper than add to your slow cooker in a single layer. Whisk together the soy sauce, honey, tomato paste, rice wine vinegar, garlic, ginger, water, sesame oil, onion powder, and the chili sauce in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker. Set to low and cook until the chicken is cooked through and very tender (in my slow cooker it only needs 2 hours).
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Whisk the cornstarch with the remaining 1/4 cup water until combined, then add to the sauce in the slow cooker. Cover, set your slow cooker on high, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Meanwhile, shred the chicken into bite-size pieces.
Add the chicken back to the slow cooker and toss to coat with the thickened sauce. Serve garnished with the sesame seeds and scallions, if desired.
Love that this can be made in the slow cooker!
Mmm, this sounds so perfectly delicious. Love that it’s good for you, too (because after all those malted eggs I’ve been eating for Easter, I’m going to need this! :))
This looks amazing!Thank you so much!Daniela
i KNOW I would love this. All those good Asian flavors.
I know I’d be excited about eating this! I love that it’s healthy and it can be made in the crock pot.
this looks amazing Tracey. you’re making me starving and i just ate lunch! I love sesame chicken AND my new slow cooker π
This looks great. I love how simple it is.
I always look forward to eating this for dinner, thanks for making it!
I think I may have tried Gina’s recipe before. The ingredients look familiar, but I can’t be sure. The dish does look really great though! π
I think this would be a hit at our house too. I’m on board with a recipe that makes enough for three dinners!
The sweet salty sesame combo in this is one that I know I”d adore!! I’m making it with tofu and I’m betting I”ll eat it every night for 30 days straight!
I’ve been needing a fun dinner idea! LOVE THIS! I just found you on foodgawker and I’m so so glad I did!! Making this this weekend for next week!!
yum, yum, yum! this looks amazing! perfect dinner recipe.
This chicken dish looks delicious! We’re kind of big fans of your Asian dishes over here and cook them often!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.blogspot.com
When I love a dish I’ll make it over and over again until I’m totally sick of it. I can see that happening here!
I have several slow-cooker recipes that only need a few hours to cook. I like to get them going when I’m making dinner one night and they are cooked and ready to be portioned/refrigerated before I go to bed. It’s a little hectic making 2 meals at once, but it eliminates tons of worry and work the next day.
If you’ve made it that many times it MUST be good! Totally gonna try this out π
I am always interested in new slow cooker chicken recipes. This sounds wonderful…my favorite flavors!
My husband would love this, it looks absolutely delicious π
Ohhh! Always looking for tasty low cal meals. This sounds perfect.
I have bookmarked so many of the main meal dishes that you have been sharing lately. They all look so good!
The hubbs loves Chinese food, so I’m sure this would be a hit with him. Your idea to make it ahead on the weekend is a good idea too. I’ve been there before with chicken that’s been in the crockpot for a few hours too long…
This was GREAT!!! Everything about it was perfect! I love that it was so easy to throw together last minute too! Pinned it to my “Tried it Liked it” board π
Since I am on a bit of an Asian kick with my post today, this sounds great…
This was just okay. Sorry.