Slow Cooker Mongolian Chicken (Printable View)

Tender chicken in a rich savory-sweet sauce with garlic, ginger, and hoisin. Easy comforting meal.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

→ Sauce

02 - 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
03 - 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
04 - 1/4 cup honey
05 - 1/4 cup water
06 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
07 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
08 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
10 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

→ Thickener

13 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
14 - 2 tablespoons cold water

→ Garnish

15 - 4 green onions, sliced
16 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

# How To Make It:

01 - Place chicken thighs or breasts in the base of the slow cooker.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, honey, water, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
03 - Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken, ensuring each piece is well coated.
04 - Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours or on HIGH for 2 hours, until chicken is tender and cooked through.
05 - Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred with two forks.
06 - In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and cold water to form a slurry. Stir this into the sauce in the slow cooker.
07 - Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker, stirring to combine. Cook on HIGH for an additional 15–20 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
08 - Serve over steamed rice, and garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce hits that perfect balance of sweet and savory that makes you want to lick the plate
  • Chicken thighs stay impossibly tender after hours of slow cooking, practically shredding themselves
  • Everything comes together in one pot leaving you with almost zero cleanup
02 -
  • The sauce will seem thin when you first pour it in, but that cornstarch step at the end transforms it completely
  • I once forgot to shred the chicken before thickening the sauce and ended up with giant chunks that were harder to eat
  • If you're going gluten-free, double-check your hoisin sauce since many brands contain wheat
03 -
  • Line your slow cooker with a parchment paper sling for easier cleanup, especially if the sauce caramelizes around the edges
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2 minutes before garnishing, it brings out a nutty flavor that's worth the extra step

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