Growing up, my mom would go through cravings for take-out Asian cuisine. We visited the same local joint run by a kind, friendly Asian family. We never figured out which country they immigrated from, or why they chose our random town. But one thing was certain: they made delicious food!
When I got married and began to cook more frequently, I got that same craving for Asian cuisine. Being newlyweds and living on a budget, we couldn’t afford to eat out that frequently. (Life can be expensive, right?!) Naturally, I decided to make my own creation inspired by Asian food. That’s where I crafted this perfect sesame chicken and broccoli meal.
I’m not a plain-Jane gal, but I have a thing for sesame chicken. My mom never even had to ask me what I wanted for my take-out dinner…she knew (“sesame chicken, please”). I tested out a few recipes but eventually crafted my own version.
The best thing about this recipe, aside from the fact that it cooks itself in the crockpot, is the sauce. It’s dark, rich, thick, and exactly what you’d expect when you order sesame chicken! (Side note: cornstarch works wonders!)
I often make this when we have guests for dinner. I throw it in the crockpot during the day. Once my guests arrive, I steam the broccoli and thicken the sauce, which can easily be done while talking with my visitors and offering them a drink. Then it’s time to serve and enjoy (and graciously thank my friends for their kind compliments about this tasty meal).
I know that you guests will feel the same way!
Crockpot Sesame Chicken with Broccoli
The best thing about this recipe, aside from the fact that it cooks itself in the crockpot, is the sauce: it's dark, rich, thick, and exactly what you'd expect for Sesame Chicken!
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1 cup honey
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup teriyaki sauce
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 Tbs olive oil
- ½ cup diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Optional: ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 4 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 6 Tbs water
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Salt and pepper your chicken breasts before adding them to your crock pot.
- Combine the honey, soy, teriyaki, ketchup, olive oil, onion, garlic and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Pour over chicken.
- Cook on low for [timer minutes=240]4 hours[/timer].
- Remove the chicken from the crock pot. Add the dissolved cornstarch to the crock pot, stir, and cook on high for an additional [timer minutes=10]10 minutes[/timer]. While the sauce is thickening, shred the chicken.
- Once the sauce is done, mix the sauce and chicken together. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving. Tastes best over rice or noodles.
