Sweet & Spicy Slow Cooker Chicken

4.67 from 6 votes

A little bit sweet, with garlic and ginger, and as spicy you’d like it, this sweet & spicy slow cooker chicken is super simple and requires very little hands-on time. Serve over rice with a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Prep Time10

Cook Time3

Total Time3 10

Course: Chicken and turkey recipes

Cuisine: Asian-American

Servings:

Calories: 420kcal

Author: Cheryl Bennett

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs

For the sauce

1/2 cup or 120ml water
1/4 cup firmly packed or 50g brown sugar
1 thumb-size piece fresh ginger – about 40g peeled and grated
3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
5 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons sambal oelek or your favorite hot sauce to taste
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons sweet dark soy kekap manis or molasses if you can't find it.

Instructions

Mix all of the sauce ingredients together, stirring well to dissolve the sugar and the cornstarch.
Put the chicken thighs in the slow cooker.
Pour the sauce over the top. Cover the slow cooker tightly.
Cook on high for 1 1/2 hours.
Turn the chicken thighs over, give the sauce a stir and cover again. Cook for an additional 1 1/2 hours.
Serve over rice (white or brown) with lime wedges, plus additional garnishes.

For the garnish

Lime sections – a good squeeze of lime elevates this dish. Don’t skip the lime.

Optional other garnishes

Crushed red pepper flakes – for more heat, if desired
Sesame seeds
Toasted sesame oil – just a drizzle
Chopped cilantro

Notes

As with anything you are cooking in a slow cooker, resist the urge to open the lid except at the prescribed interval.

Every time you remove the lid it takes the slow cooker some time to get back up to temperature.

Not a fan of thighs? Use breasts but please at least get the bone-in ones and cook on low for the three hours or reduce the cooking time on high.

Nutrition