A Slow Cooker Chicken recipe is an easy way to get dinner on the table and you can’t beat the fantastic hoisin sauce that flavors this crockpot recipe. 176 calories and 4 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP
You can’t beat a great slow cooker chicken recipe for an easy dinner that doesn’t require much thought. Plus, it involves hoisin sauce, which is always a good thing. Actually, a friend recently asked me what hoisin sauce tasted like because she wasn’t sure she had tried it. Once I got over my initial mock horror (haven’t tried hoisin sauce, the best condiment ever to be siphoned into a glass jar?!), I told her that it is a thick, rich Chinese barbecue sauce with the saltiness of soy sauce and a slight sweetness.
Just good all-around.
When I pulled out my crockpot that day, I had hoisin sauce on the brain and chicken in the fridge. This slow cooker chicken recipe practically made itself from there. I love it when that happens!
I’m not kidding when I say that it just doesn’t get any easier than this recipe. Just pour the 6-ingredient sauce over the boneless, skinless chicken thighs in the slow cooker, and cook for an hour and a half.
Once the chicken is cooked, all that’s left to do is shred the meat and boil the sauce with some cornstarch to make it rich and thick.
So, how do you serve this slow cooker chicken?
- Serve it over rice with stir-fried veggies
- Wrap it in a tortilla with vegetables for an easy lunch
- Tuck it in corn tortillas with Spicy Asian Slaw with Carrots & Ginger Dressing for a fun take on tacos
- Toss it with cooked soba noodles and vegetables. Use the remaining sauce to coat the noodles.
Tip: Both hoisin sauce and chili-garlic sauce can be found in the international aisle of most grocery stores.
Other healthy slow cooker recipes:
Slow Cooker Italian Chickpeas {Cookin’ Canuck}
Slow Cooker Turkey & Potato Soup {Cookin’ Canuck}
Pineapple Chicken (Crockpot) {Well Plated}
Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Chili {Spend with Pennies}
Slow Cooker Hoisin Chicken Recipe {Crockpot}
It doesn't get any easier or tastier than this Slow Cooker Hoisin Chicken recipe. Plus, there are plenty of ways to serve it for dinner to keep things interesting. 176 calories and 4 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tbsp honey or agave nectar
- 2 tbsp minced ginger
- 1/2 tsp chili-garlic sauce (or to taste)
- 2 1/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water
- Sliced green onions, for garnish
Directions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chicken broth, honey (or agave nectar), ginger and chili-garlic sauce.
- Place the trimmed chicken thighs in the bottom of a slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the chicken.
- Cook the chicken on HIGH for 1 ½ to 2 hours or on LOW for 4 hours, or until cooked through.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred with two forks or your hands.
- Pour the sauce into a small saucepan. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water, then add to the sauce.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking frequently. Cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Place the shredded chicken in a bowl or into the slow cooker to keep warm, and pour ¾ cup of the sauce over top. (Reserve remaining sauce for serving over rice or stir-fried vegetables.) Toss to coat. Serve and garnish with green onions.
Recipe Notes
This post was originally published on September 29, 2014, and has been updated.
Disclosure: This post contains links to my Amazon affiliate page. Any revenue made from sales through these links helps to support this blog. Thank you!
Christine at Cook the Story says
Sep 29, 2014 at 7:56 amI love how healthy this is!
Dara says
Oct 1, 2014 at 8:43 amThanks, Christine! Yep, I love when healthy food tastes great.
Heidi+@foodiecrush says
Sep 29, 2014 at 8:16 amWow. Not only does the recipe look perfect for any night of the week, but your photos are simply gorgeous! Hoisin is one of my favorites too, and the slow cooker is where it’s at.
Dara says
Oct 1, 2014 at 8:44 amThank you, my friend. The comment about my photos means a lot coming from you!
Ali+|+Gimme+Some+Oven says
Sep 29, 2014 at 8:35 amHoisin is one of my all-time favorite kitchen ingredients. This looks awesome, Dara!!
Dara says
Oct 1, 2014 at 8:44 amI feel the same way about hoisin. We just can’t get enough of it here.
Kelli @ The Corner Kitchen says
Sep 29, 2014 at 10:05 amMy boyfriend introduced me to hoisin last year. It’s so delicious, and I love cooking with it now! This is such a great weeknight dinner, Dara!!
Dara says
Oct 1, 2014 at 8:44 amThanks, Kelli. It’s hard for me to resist adding hoisin to everything I cook. It’s that good.
Liz+@+The+Lemon+Bowl says
Sep 29, 2014 at 10:28 amSo funny – I one time was out of hoisin and had to make my own version. It was not easy to capture that flavor – it is simply irreplaceable!!
Dara says
Oct 1, 2014 at 8:45 amYou’re so right, Liz! Every time I go to the Asian market, I make sure to stock up on their extra-large bottles of hoisin.
KalynsKitchen says
Sep 29, 2014 at 1:07 pmWow, this sounds easy and delicious. And thanks for the shout-out for my slow cooker frittata.
Dara says
Oct 1, 2014 at 8:45 amThanks, Kalyn. Your frittata is something I’ve been meaning to try for a long time.
Jenny+@+The+Peachy+Pair says
Sep 29, 2014 at 1:10 pmAlways looking for slow cooker recipes. Even better that it’s made with dark meat. So much tastier than chicken breast!
Dara says
Oct 1, 2014 at 8:46 amI completely agree, Jenny! I use chicken thighs as much as possible because of their flavor and extra moisture.
Liz says
Sep 29, 2014 at 1:36 pmI love this recipe and my slow cooker. A great tool in the kitchen. Thank you.
Dara says
Oct 1, 2014 at 8:46 amI agree, Liz. I don’t use my slow cooker nearly enough!
Pink+guava says
Sep 29, 2014 at 1:57 pmHoisin is always one of those standards in my frig. Along with several other items. A little bit or more always gives a lovely, full flavour. Ahhh, the cooler weather has arrived and a perfect time to put the slow cooker to use again. In locations with seasons we tend to hide the slow cooker in the Summer in place of the barbeque. Dara, this sounds like a perfect way to start the cooler season – I can even smell the good fragrance of your recipe already.
Dara says
Oct 1, 2014 at 8:47 amThanks, Pink Guava (love the name!) If you love hoisin, you’ll love this recipe. It’s perfect for the cooler weather.
Rachel+@+Baked+by+Rachel says
Sep 29, 2014 at 1:58 pmI honestly wasn’t sure what hoisin sauce was either, but after you gave that perfect description, I want to run into my kitchen and make this immediately!
Dara says
Oct 1, 2014 at 8:47 amYou need to run out and buy some hoisin immediately, Rachel. I promise that you’ll be hooked!
Pink+guava says
Sep 29, 2014 at 1:59 pmP.S. Gorgeous photos!
Dara says
Oct 1, 2014 at 8:47 amThank you!
Deborah says
Oct 1, 2014 at 7:58 amLove, love, love this!! We are hoisin addicts, and every flavor in this dish sounds like a home run!!
Dara says
Oct 1, 2014 at 8:48 amThanks, Deb. It’s a great recipe for those busy days when there are a million activities happening.
Jamie says
Oct 1, 2014 at 10:47 amThis looks delicious. I’ve never had hoisin sauce and was wondering if it is spicy? I have 2 1/2 and 4 year olds and like to feed them the same thing we eat. Would this be something they could handle or would you recommend waiting on it? Thanks!!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
Oct 9, 2014 at 1:41 amThis slow cooked chicken recipe is totally perfect for me when I don’t feel like cooking at all. Great recipe and it looks so delicious and packed full of yummy flavour!
Elaine says
Oct 9, 2014 at 7:28 amThis combination looks so great and yummy. I am a big fan of Hoisin sauce.
Kirsten says
Oct 10, 2014 at 5:21 amDara,
When this post popped up in my feed it burrowed into my brain and took root. I made it last night, adding turnips and turnip greens from the farm share for a braised stew, and it was delicious.
Thanks!
polly says
Oct 10, 2014 at 11:22 amHow big of a crock pot did you use?
Megan says
Nov 2, 2014 at 7:01 pmExcellent recipe and SUPER easy to make. This will become a staple in our home 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!!!
Dara says
Nov 3, 2014 at 10:20 amI’m so glad that you liked it, Megan! I’ve made it four times since posting it, so I know what you mean by it becoming a staple. 🙂
Cindy says
Nov 3, 2014 at 8:51 pmCould you make this with a pork tenderloin?
Kristina says
Nov 4, 2014 at 1:38 amI made this and it was awesome! I added a squeeze of lime juice at the end and sprinkled some sesame seeds on top for texture and it was sooooo good. Thanks for the recipe, simple and will definitely be making it again!
Marlis says
Nov 21, 2014 at 7:09 amWhat can I say except the fact that this recipe changed my life yesterday. Really. I mean seriously! I am a super busy mom taking care of two kids (one who is homeschooled), a business, a household challenged husband, a crazy dog, AND my father in-law. This recipe is quick, lower fat than regular Chinese type meals, and utterly delicious. I ran out of soy sauce, only had about half of the needed amount, so I substituted tamari sauce and it was delicious. I also used chicken breast because I didn’t have enough chicken thighs and due to the lower fat content of the meat added a teaspoon of sesame oil to the cooking sauce. Thank you for coming up with this fabulous recipe!
Dara says
Nov 23, 2014 at 2:08 pmMarlis, it makes me so happy to hear this! This recipe is a favorite with my family (I’ve made it about 5 times since posting it) and I’m so glad that you and your family feel the same way. Thanks so much for letting me know.
Shannon says
Dec 9, 2014 at 11:14 amI only have bone in chicken thighs. Would I increase the cook time or how could I make it work?
Dara says
Dec 9, 2014 at 11:20 amShannon, this recipe will definitely work with bone-in chicken thighs (though I would still remove the skin). You will likely have to cook it slightly longer – maybe by 1/2 hour or an hour. Just check the chicken along the way to check for doneness. I hope you enjoy it!
Pam willey says
Jan 12, 2015 at 7:22 pmMade this for dinner tonight–we all loved it! Thanks Dara!
Determined WW Momma says
Mar 6, 2015 at 3:12 pmI made this a few nights ago and it was delicious! My family agreed that it goes on our “Repeat Dinner” list! Thanks so much!
Mariah says
Jun 30, 2015 at 3:29 pmWould this work if I kept the chicken whole and just used the sauce as a glaze? Thank you!
Tasha @thatssoyummy says
Sep 17, 2015 at 6:12 pmDara, thus dish is perfect to make on crazy weekdays, love the recipe so much making next week!
Barbara @ Barbara Bakes says
Dec 29, 2015 at 7:24 amSuch mouth-watering pictures. This recipe would make a perfect pressure cooker recipe. Just pressure cook it for 9 minutes. Then come guest post it on Pressure Cooking Today 🙂
Anne says
Jan 13, 2016 at 9:38 amWe like Asian cuisine, especially Chinese and Indian, and as I always do, making it for the first time, I followed the instructions exactly. Sad to say, this dish turned out way, way, way too sweet! A lot less hoisin and no honey/agave, I think. Sorry:this one just didn’t work for us.
Sarah Walker Caron (Sarah's Cucina Bella) says
Jan 19, 2016 at 7:11 pmDara: Just wanted you to know that I made this tonight and we loved it. The sauce is phenomenal. I ended up having to cook it a little longer to get the thighs to cook just right, but otherwise it was perfect as is. Thinking of trying this with chicken breasts in the future (we prefer breasts) — and perhaps some veggies in the slow cooker to make it a complete one pot meal (and hopefully stretch the cooking time a little). Thanks so much for the great recipe!
Lisa says
Feb 7, 2016 at 5:58 pmWe fixed this for our Super Bowl party as sliders and it was a hit! Love your recipes, Dara!
Kimberly O. says
May 2, 2016 at 7:32 pmHi, I’m curious how you calculated the SmartPoints for this recipe. I ran it through Weight Watchers’ Recipe Builder and it comes to 5 SP per serving. I’m not complaining as this is still a low point meal AND it’s made in the crock pot!! I’m looking forward to making this.
Kim Taylor says
Dec 5, 2016 at 2:28 pmThis is my 4th or 5th time making this recipe, so we obviously love it over here. Super easy and really tasty!
Jau says
Apr 10, 2017 at 5:00 pmThis is going down immediately. Thank you for this. Go AIR FORCE!
DaveNancyH says
Aug 23, 2017 at 5:35 pmThis recipe is one of our regulars and is THE BEST when I have little time for dinner prep during the school year. Please keep the slow cooker recipes coming!
Grambeau says
Nov 2, 2017 at 8:42 pmThis was yummy! But I forgot the ginger! Dang. My slow cooker on low took about 25-3.0 hrs. And, instead of making the sauce, I used the pan juice to cook a packet of ramen noodles in the slow cooker, poured everything into a bowl with some of the shredded chicken, some chopped cilantro and sliced green onions. Really tasty. But I really missed the ginger…. Thanks!
Dara says
Nov 3, 2017 at 1:50 pmI love that you made this your own with the addition of ramen and am so glad you enjoyed it! And I agree – the ginger is a must. 😉
Maria McWade says
Jan 8, 2018 at 5:51 amIs there a particular brand of Hoisin sauce you recommend?
Dara says
Jan 8, 2018 at 1:57 pmHi Maria, I typically use the Lee Kum Kee brand, which I find at my local grocery store. It can also be purchased on Amazon (affiliate link).
Bake Up, Little Suzy says
Mar 26, 2018 at 9:51 pmThe last time I cooked boneless, skinless chicken in the slow cooker it came out like particle board. So I was shocked (shocked!) that these chicken thighs were tender, juicy, and full of flavor. I skipped the ginger because I’m allergic, and I skipped the corn starch slurry because I’m watching my carbs, but otherwise, I made the recipe as directed.
I used the chicken in banh mi-inspired spring rolls, with pickled vegetables, cilantro, chopped peanuts, sliced jalapenos, and a sesame sriracha mayo dipping sauce.
Nicole H says
Jun 1, 2018 at 11:08 amThis recipe is so easy, and so delicious! I’ve made it 3 times, to rave reviews. The 3rd time I tried it in the pressure cooker. It took 9 minutes and was PERFECT. I was concerned that the chicken would be bland, since it didn’t have hours and hours to sit in the sauce. But that was not the case at all. Thought I would mention it here in case anyone else wanted to try it and needed the cook time. So, so good, thank you!
Imelda says
Jun 3, 2018 at 7:55 pmHi Dara, thanks for sharing this recipe! I love it. I used breast, since that’s the only chicken I have available. It was a big Hit! We like a lot of sauce, so I made it with 1/2 cup for all the ingredients that are 1/3 cup in you recipe.
Thanks again
Nancy says
Aug 30, 2018 at 10:17 amLove the recipe! Would love to make it with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Any thoughts on cook time versus chicken thighs?
Mirjam says
Dec 11, 2018 at 4:02 amLove it! the sauce was delicious. I used wraps, also very good! Thank you