Description
Savory slow cooker hoisin chicken brings Asian-inspired comfort to dinner tables with minimal effort. Rich, tangy sauce envelops tender meat, creating a mouthwatering meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
Seasoning:
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 0.5 tablespoon dried minced onions
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
Sauce and Thickener:
- 0.5 cup hoisin sauce
- 0.5 cup low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Asian sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Prepare the slow cooker surface by applying a light nonstick spray or inserting a protective liner to ensure effortless cleanup.
- Create a harmonious sauce by blending hoisin, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, Asian sweet chili sauce, minced ginger, crushed garlic, dried onions, salt, and black pepper in a mixing bowl until perfectly smooth.
- Gently nestle chicken pieces into the slow cooker and cascade the prepared sauce over them, ensuring complete coverage.
- Select cooking method: low temperature for approximately 6 hours or high temperature for roughly 3 hours, monitoring until chicken reaches optimal tenderness.
- Transfer cooked chicken to a cutting board, allowing brief cooling before transforming into delicate shreds using two forks.
- Create a cornstarch slurry by dissolving cornstarch in water, then integrate into the cooking liquid, whisking thoroughly to promote sauce thickening.
- Elevate slow cooker temperature to high, allowing sauce to condense and intensify for 5-10 minutes.
- Reintroduce shredded chicken into the richly developed sauce, stirring to achieve complete and luxurious coating.
- Plate and serve the succulent, sauce-embraced chicken while maintaining ideal warmth.
Notes
- Choose chicken thighs for extra flavor and moisture, as they are more forgiving in slow cooking compared to lean chicken breasts.
- Mix cornstarch with cold water precisely to prevent lumpy sauce, ensuring smooth and glossy consistency when thickening.
- Customize heat levels by adjusting Asian sweet chili sauce or adding red pepper flakes for those who enjoy spicier profiles.
- Substitute hoisin sauce with gluten-free alternatives like tamari for celiac or gluten-sensitive individuals without compromising taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg