This easy Crockpot sesame chicken recipe features tender bites of chicken in a rich homemade sesame sauce! It’s the perfect dump-and-go slow cooker dinner for busy weeknights. And while it may be simple, don’t worry – it doesn’t cut any corners with flavor.
Want to save this recipe?
We'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Why I Love Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken
There’s really nothing I love more than a Crockpot dinner that I can just toss together! This is a true set it an forget it dinner recipe that always hits the spot. It’s filling, flavorful, and my kids (all three of them) will actually eat it without complaining. In my house, that’s a huge win! I also really love any time I can enjoy my favorite take-out staples without actually ordering take-out. Here’s why this sesame chicken recipe is the very best:
- Meal prep: You can meal prep it on Sunday for the week or prep it months ahead and freeze it!
- Versatile: You can easily make this Crockpot sesame chicken work for your family by adjusting the sweetness, spiciness or vegetables added to it by tweaking a few ingredients.
- Gluten free: If you’re on a gluten free diet, this recipe will work for you since the sauce is thickened with cornstarch and not flour. Just make sure you swap the soy sauce with something like tamari or coconut aminos and check all of your other labels.
- So easy: Yes! You basically just have to toss everything into your Crockpot and let it do all the work for you.
Hungry for more Asian-inspired flavors? Enjoy easy recipes like teriyaki shrimp stir fry, wonton soup with homemade dumplings and bourbon chicken.
Key Ingredients
If you’re anything like me, there’s a pretty good chance you already have everything you need in your kitchen right now. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and exact amounts!
- Soy Sauce – I usually opt for a low sodium soy sauce to keep the dish from tasting too salty.
- Cornstarch – This is what thickens the sauce. Make sure you measure with care – too much or too little can really ruin the sauce.
- Tomato Paste – You can use ketchup instead if that’s what you already have on hand.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes – Add more or less to adjust the amount of spice. When I’m making this for just myself and Jorge, I usually double the amount of red pepper! When I make it for the kids, I cut back.
- Chicken – You can use breast or thigh meat, whichever you prefer.
How to Make Sesame Chicken in the Crockpot
This is one of my all time favorite easy slow cooker recipes! Below is a quick recipe overview, but please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions and to watch the step-by-step video.
- Make the sauce. Whisk together all of the sauce ingredients. You can do this in a separate bowl or directly in the Crockpot.
- Slow cook it. Toss the chicken and peppers in the sauce. Cook everything low and slow in your Crockpot until fully cooked!
Chef’s Tips and Variations
- Adjust the sweetness: If you like an extra sweet sauce, you can add extra honey. And on the flip side, you can of course use a little less honey to cut down on the sugar count.
- Add some heat: Adding extra red pepper flakes or Sriracha will definitely step up the heat in your sauce!
- Add more veggies: I recommend using sliced red peppers in the slow cooker cooking with the chicken. They add great flavor and I enjoy the taste they add after cooking all day. Other vegetable ideas include snap peas, cauliflower, yellow/orange bell peppers, or carrots.
- Steam broccoli first: I love adding broccoli to my sesame chicken! However, I quickly steam fresh broccoli in the microwave and toss it in the sauce with the chicken before serving so it stays crisp tender, not soggy.
- Cut the meat: Cut your chicken (breast or thighs) into chunks. Don’t leave it whole or shred it. The sauce to chicken ratio will be quite off. You might wind up with more of a Crockpot sesame chicken soup instead!
What to Serve with Crockpot Sesame Chicken
Usually, I just serve this sesame chicken and veggies over some white rice and call it a day! However, you can always go the extra mile with sides like air fryer Asian roasted broccoli or potstickers.
Crockpot Sesame Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¼ cup finely diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
- 1 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thigh meat, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
optional sides/toppings:
- sesame seeds, to taste
- thinly sliced green onion, to taste
- sticky white rice
- steamed broccoli, or cauliflower florets
Want to save this recipe?
We’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together soy sauce and cornstarch until smooth.
- Add honey, tomato paste, diced onion, garlic and crushed red pepper.
- Add chicken and bell pepper to sauce, toss to coat.
- Transfer to slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours. (Can leave up to 6 hours on low, chicken and red peppers will just be extra soft.)
- Serve over rice and broccoli, as desired. Top with sesame seeds and green onion.
Video
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Categories:
More of the Best Crockpot Chicken Recipes
Post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
This is good, but it’s not sesame chicken. It tastes closer to a teriyaki with the honey and soy sauce. The ingredients list doesn’t even include sesame oil.
Just made this for the first time, Too sweet!!! In fact, I taste the honey more than anything else really.
Mine turned out to be soup. I don’t know why. It wasn’t good.
When you say transfer to Crock Pot do you put the chicken/pepper AND the sauce in, or leave the sauce in the bowl? Thanks! Looking forward to trying it
Made this and honestly hated it. The texture and taste are completely different from chinese takeout sesame chicken. I understand it’s hard to compare fried takeout with homemade crock pot chicken so that isn’t the end of the world- but it’s also just a terrible taste and texture in general. Most of it is sitting in my garbage right now and the smell from it is actually making me want to go throw the garbage outside. If you’re looking for a healthy way to scratch a Chinese takeout urge this ain’t it chief.
3 out of 5 stars. The sauce was very 1 dimensional and doesn’t taste like sesame chicken I’ve had. It could be made better by adding something to the sauce like orange juice or chicken stock.
Can you cook on high for 2 hours and get the same results?
Can you freeze the leftovers after it has already been cooked? Do you think it would reheat ok?
Yes! Should be fine to freeze and then reheat!
are these calories without the rice ?
Yes ma’am! Since it depends on what kind and how much rice, I just included nutrition for the chicken and sauce. 🙂
I made this last night. Was very good. As suggested I lowered the amount of honey as I don’t like sweet sauces too much. I added broccoli in the last half hour and it was so good. Will be making again.