Easy Slow Cooker Asian Honey Sesame Chicken Sliders: Your Go-To Recipe for Weeknights & Parties
Transform your dinner routine with these incredibly easy and utterly delicious Slow Cooker Asian Honey Sesame Chicken Sliders. Featuring tender chicken thighs infused with rich Asian flavors, this recipe promises a quick, hassle-free meal that the entire family will adore. Beyond everyday dinners, these versatile sliders are also a fantastic choice for tailgating events, Super Bowl parties, and any casual gathering where crowd-pleasing, bite-sized food is a must.
Why Slow Cooker Asian Honey Sesame Chicken Sliders Are a Family Favorite
We all crave those recipes that pull double or even triple duty – think dinner, lunch, fantastic leftovers, and effortless party food. This Slow Cooker Asian Honey Sesame Chicken Sliders recipe checks all those boxes and more, making it a true kitchen hero.
The magic starts with chicken thighs, an often-underestimated cut that shines in the slow cooker. Unlike chicken breasts, which can sometimes dry out, chicken thighs maintain their incredible tenderness and juiciness throughout the slow cooking process. They effortlessly absorb all the rich, savory, and sweet Asian-inspired flavors we infuse them with, resulting in perfectly pulled chicken that’s moist and flavorful. This makes them ideal for shredding and piling high onto soft slider buns.
Our family is absolutely obsessed with sliders, and we frequently rotate through favorites like these Chicken Enchilada Sliders, simple yet satisfying Easy Chicken Sliders, and bold Taco Sliders. But these Asian Honey Sesame Chicken Sliders bring a unique, irresistible flavor profile to the rotation that always disappears fast!
Crafting the Irresistible Asian Honey Sesame Sauce
For these Asian Honey Sesame Chicken Sliders, I developed a perfectly balanced Asian-inspired sauce that truly makes the dish. It’s a harmonious blend of sweet honey, savory soy sauce, aromatic toasted sesame oil, rich tomato paste, fresh garlic, and a hint of red chili paste for an optional kick. This exquisite sauce thoroughly coats the chicken and chopped onions before they begin their slow cooking journey.
The beauty of the slow cooker is its set-it-and-forget-it nature. After approximately 4.5 hours on low, the chicken thighs are incredibly tender, practically falling apart. At this stage, all it takes are two forks to easily shred the chicken right in the pot. Once shredded, give it a good stir to ensure every piece is drenched in that delicious sauce.
The final touch is adding a cornstarch and water slurry, which works wonders to thicken the sauce to a perfect consistency – not too watery, not too gloopy. Let it cook for just 30 more minutes, and voilà! You’ll be left with perfectly pulled chicken, coated in a luscious, clingy sauce, ready to be transformed into the most incredible sliders.
The Joy of Bite-Sized Food and Slow Cooker Convenience
There’s something uniquely satisfying about bite-sized foods like sliders. They offer the flexibility to enjoy just one or two, depending on your appetite, and they’re incredibly approachable for all ages. My toddler, for example, finds them to be the perfect size for her little hands, making mealtime fun and easy for everyone.
If you’re a football fan, then sliders are probably a regular feature at your game day gatherings. The real beauty of using a slow cooker for sliders is the incredible convenience it offers. You can easily prepare the chicken and let it cook hands-free while you focus on whipping up other party essentials like your favorite dips, spreads, and desserts. This frees you up to enjoy the game and your guests without being tethered to the kitchen.
Versatility and Meal Prep with Asian Pulled Chicken
This recipe, as written, generously serves about 4 people. However, if you’re hosting a larger crowd or planning for an epic game day feast, simply double or even triple the batch. The slow cooker can handle it, and trust me, you’ll be glad you made extra!
One of the best aspects of this shredded chicken is how wonderfully it works for leftovers. It’s truly a meal prep dream! Imagine making a double batch: serve half as delicious sliders for dinner, and then freeze the other half for future meals. This versatile Asian pulled chicken can be repurposed in countless creative ways:
- Asian-Style Quesadillas: Layer the chicken with some cheese and scallions between tortillas for a quick and flavorful quesadilla.
- Brown Rice Bowls: Serve it over fluffy brown rice with a medley of sautéed vegetables (like bell peppers, broccoli, or snap peas) for a healthy and satisfying bowl.
- Salads: Add it to a fresh green salad for a protein-packed lunch. A drizzle of sesame-ginger dressing would be perfect!
- Wraps: Stuff it into lettuce wraps or whole wheat tortillas with some shredded carrots and cucumber for a light meal.
Premium Ingredients for a Premium Taste
For this recipe, I proudly used Just BARE® Organic Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs. I consistently find this brand’s chicken thighs to be exceptional. A huge bonus is that they require virtually no trimming of fat, and they are always boneless. This attention to detail means significantly less prep work for you, the cook, making this slow cooker dish even simpler. Plus, when it comes time to shred the chicken, you won’t have to worry about any pesky bones getting in the way, ensuring a smooth and easy process.
I feel genuinely good about using Just BARE®Chicken in all my recipes because I deeply resonate with the brand’s mission and values. Knowing that they offer both organic products and premium natural items that are raised without antibiotics, added hormones, or artificial ingredients gives me immense peace of mind. It’s incredibly important to me to be mindful of what my family and I consume, and with Just BARE, I can always feel confident about the quality and purity of our ingredients.
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Slow Cooker Asian Honey Sesame Chicken Sliders
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Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lb Just BARE Organic Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
- 3/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup soy sauce , {low sodium if possible}
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 to 2 teaspoons red chili paste , {optional for spice}
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- black pepper, to taste
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 4 Tablespoons water
Instructions
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Arrange the chicken thighs evenly in the bottom of your slow cooker. Sprinkle the chopped sweet onion over the chicken.
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In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the honey, soy sauce (low sodium if preferred), toasted sesame oil, tomato paste, minced garlic cloves, red chili paste (if using for an extra kick), chicken broth, salt, and black pepper. Whisk everything together thoroughly until well combined.
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Carefully pour the prepared Asian honey sesame sauce over the chicken and onions in the slow cooker, ensuring everything is well coated.
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Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-1/2 hours. After this time, the chicken should be incredibly tender. Using two forks, shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker. Once shredded, stir it well to fully incorporate it with the rich sauce. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water, stirring until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Add this slurry to the slow cooker and mix everything together. Cover again and continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
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Once the chicken is done cooking and the sauce is perfectly thickened, remove it from the slow cooker. Sprinkle generously with sesame seeds for added flavor and visual appeal.
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Serve the warm Asian Pulled Chicken on soft slider buns, perhaps with a side of your favorite coleslaw, quick pickles, or other desired toppings for a complete meal.
Notes
- The cornstarch and water mixture that you add towards the end of cooking helps to thicken the sauce, giving it that perfect consistency for clinging to the shredded chicken.
- This flavorful shredded chicken is incredibly versatile. It works wonderfully on top of fresh salads, in Asian-style quesadillas, or served over a bed of fluffy rice or noodles for a satisfying meal!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I am excited to be partnering with Just BARE Chicken to share today’s recipe and more this year and have been compensated for my time. As always, all thoughts and opinions expressed here are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that allow me to create quality recipes for you.