cooking ala mel

healthy recipes and the occasional craft

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Slow Cooker Sesame Garlic Chicken

When you’re busy, there is absolutely nothing better than a slow cooker for a great meal with minimal work.  This week, we have been all about easy – this fit that bill perfectly.

 

I’ll readily admit that I enjoy getting Chinese takeout every so often, and we often get general tso’s or sesame chicken.  I had that sort of craving, but I didn’t want something that would weigh me down for the rest of the night, since I’ve had to study quite a bit this week.  After doing some major Pinterest searching, I decided to make a variation off of these two recipes.  No deep fried chicken here!

 

I served this up with some steamed broccoli and quinoa to make for a nice, healthier dinner.  The sauce does have a decent bit of sugar in it, but it’s sweetened with honey, so I’m totally okay with it.  It all balances out, I think!

 

This chicken was so, so good.  So moist, and full of sweet, spicy, and garlicky flavor.  This one’s fantastic for a busy day when you don’t have time to stand in front of the stove for a while cooking.  Throw it all in the crock pot, and let it go for about 4 hours, and you’ve got the perfect meal.
What is your favorite takeout food?  Do you ever try to recreate them at home?

 

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Slow Cooker Sesame Garlic Chicken

serves 4-6

Slow Cooker Sesame Garlic Chicken

  • 3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 3/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 4 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup water
  • sesame seeds, for garnish
  • cooked quinoa or rice, for serving
  • steamed broccoli, for serving

In a medium bowl, stir the honey, soy sauce, ketchup, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes together. Place the chicken in the bottom of your slow cooker so that they do not overlap, and pour the sauce over top. Place the lid on the slow cooker, and cook on low for 4-5 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

Once done cooking, remove the chicken to a plate and cut into pieces (or shred with two forks – you decide). Transfer to a large serving bowl.

Stir the cornstarch and 1/4 cup water together. Transfer the liquid from the crock pot to a medium saucepan, and whisk in the cornstarch liquid. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium high heat, cooking until it thickens.

Pour the thickened sauce over the chicken, stirring to coat evenly (or you can choose to pour the sauce over each dish individually to control the amount of sauce). Garnish with sesame seeds.

Serve with cooked quinoa or rice and steamed broccoli (or any other veggie). Enjoy!

https://cookingalamel.com/2013/10/slow-cooker-sesame-garlic-chicken.html