This crock pot honey sesame shredded chicken served with fluffy rice or fresh wraps is a complete and delicious meal.
Slow cooker dinners are one of my favorite ways to answer the question “what’s for dinner?” Everything cooks all in one pot for ease, convenience and fewer dishes!
This crock pot honey sesame shredded chicken is a step up from similar meals you’ve likely seen and tried yourself. It has amazing flavor from sweet honey, savory soy sauce, and tangy garlic, and shredding the chicken means it holds onto every drop of that glossy sauce for a more flavorful, well-rounded meal to put on the table!
Ingredients in Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken
A simple mix of pantry ingredients creates a sauce that blends perfectly with shredded chicken.
How to Make Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken
This method focuses on slow cooking first, then shredding and soaking the chicken in sauce.
1. Add chicken to crock pot
Place whole chicken breasts or thighs into the crock pot. Keep them in a single layer so they cook evenly.
2. Mix the sauce
In a bowl, stir together honey, soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and water until smooth.
3. Pour sauce over chicken
Pour the sauce directly over the chicken, making sure it covers most of the surface so flavor spreads evenly.
4. Cook until tender
Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. The chicken should become very soft and easy to pull apart.
5. Shred the chicken
Remove the chicken from the crock pot and place it on a plate. Use two forks to shred it into thin pieces.
6. Return chicken to sauce
Place the shredded chicken back into the crock pot. Stir it well so every piece gets coated in the sauce.
7. Thicken the sauce
Mix cornstarch with a little water, then stir it into the crock pot. Let it cook for another 20 to 30 minutes until the sauce thickens.
8. Finish with garnish
Sprinkle sesame seeds and chopped green onions over the top just before serving.
How to Serve Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken
Spoon the shredded chicken over warm rice for a simple and filling meal. The sauce soaks into the rice and makes each bite flavorful.
Try it inside soft buns or wraps for an easy sandwich style meal. The shredded texture works perfectly for this.
Serve it alongside steamed vegetables like broccoli or carrots. The fresh vegetables balance the rich sauce.
Another option includes adding it to noodles for a quick dinner. The sauce coats the noodles nicely and creates a complete dish.
Recipe Tips
- Use chicken thighs if a juicier texture feels better.
- Do not rush the cooking time since slow cooking helps the chicken shred easily.
- Shred the chicken while it is still warm for easier handling.
- Stir well after returning the chicken to the sauce so flavor spreads evenly.
- Add cornstarch slowly to control how thick the sauce becomes.
- Taste the sauce after thickening and adjust sweetness or salt if needed.
- Store leftovers in the fridge and reheat gently to keep the chicken soft.
Crock Pot Honey Sesame Shredded Chicken
Course: DinnerCuisine: Asian-InspiredDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes5
hoursIngredients
2 pounds chicken breast or thighs
½ cup honey
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
¼ cup brown sugar
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 green onions chopped
Directions
- Add chicken to crock pot:
Place whole chicken breasts or thighs into the crock pot. Keep them in a single layer so they cook evenly. - Mix the sauce:
In a bowl, stir together honey, soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and water until smooth. - Pour sauce over chicken:
Pour the sauce directly over the chicken, making sure it covers most of the surface so flavor spreads evenly. - Cook until tender:
Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. The chicken should become very soft and easy to pull apart. - Shred the chicken:
Remove the chicken from the crock pot and place it on a plate. Use two forks to shred it into thin pieces. - Return chicken to sauce:
Place the shredded chicken back into the crock pot. Stir it well so every piece gets coated in the sauce. - Thicken the sauce:
Mix cornstarch with a little water, then stir it into the crock pot. Let it cook for another 20 to 30 minutes until the sauce thickens. - Finish with garnish:
Sprinkle sesame seeds and chopped green onions over the top just before serving.






