Description
Honey sriracha chicken brings together sweet and spicy flavors in a simple slow cooker meal. Home cooks savor this easy Asian-inspired dish that delivers bold taste with minimal preparation.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs (907 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- ½ tsp (2.5 g) salt
- ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper
- 1 tsp (2 g) garlic powder
- 1 tsp (2 g) onion powder
- 1 tsp (2 g) grated ginger
- 1 tbsp (15 g) minced garlic
- ½ cup (170 g) honey
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) sriracha sauce
- ¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lime juice
- 1 tsp (5 g) cornstarch
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) water
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 tbsp (10 g) sesame seeds
- cooked jasmine rice or quinoa
Instructions
- Marinade Preparation: Thoroughly coat chicken pieces with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, massaging the seasonings into every surface for maximum flavor infusion.
- Sauce Creation: Whisk together honey, sriracha, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, minced garlic, and grated ginger in a mixing bowl until the sauce becomes a harmonious blend of sweet, spicy, and tangy notes.
- Slow Cooking Process: Transfer seasoned chicken to the slow cooker, pour the vibrant sauce over the meat, ensuring complete coverage, then cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours until chicken becomes incredibly tender and easily separates.
- Sauce Refinement: Remove chicken from cooking liquid, then create a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce, simmering on high heat for 15 minutes until it reaches a glossy, luxurious consistency.
- Finishing Touch: Shred or keep chicken whole, plate with the intensified sauce, and garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds, serving alongside steamed rice, quinoa, or lettuce wraps for a multi-dimensional culinary experience.
Notes
- Optimize Seasoning Technique: Thoroughly coat chicken with dry seasonings by using your hands to massage and distribute spices evenly, ensuring maximum flavor penetration.
- Sauce Balance Control: Adjust honey and sriracha ratios to customize heat level – add more honey for sweetness or extra sriracha for intense spiciness without compromising overall taste profile.
- Prevent Dry Chicken: Monitor cooking time carefully and use chicken thighs instead of breasts to maintain moisture, as thighs naturally remain more tender and juicy during slow cooking process.
- Thickening Sauce Trick: Mix cornstarch slurry precisely by combining equal parts cold water and cornstarch, whisking until smooth before adding to sauce to prevent lumps and achieve glossy, restaurant-quality consistency.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg