Crock Pot Garlic Sesame Brown Sugar Chicken

4.88 from 8 votes

This Crock Pot (or Instant Pot) garlic, sesame, and brown sugar chicken is an easy dinner that the whole family will love!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Asian, Chinese

Keyword brown sugar chicken, crock pot chicken thighs, instant pot chicken recipe, Slow Cooker Chicken Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 2

Total Time 2 10

Servings people

Calories 336kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

2 ½ - 3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or substitute with an equal amount of chicken breasts)
1 - 2 tablespoons sesame oil
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup less sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
Optional garnish: sliced green onions, sesame seeds, red pepper flakes
Optional for serving: rice or cauliflower rice

Season chicken with kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste. Set aside.
Whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, and water. Set aside.
Spread sesame oil in the bottom of a large slow cooker to coat the bottom.
Place onion and garlic in the slow cooker and season with additional salt and pepper.
Place chicken on top of onions and pour sauce over everything.
Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours, or until chicken is tender but not dry.
Slice chicken or shred with forks; return to the pot and stir into the sauce. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve chicken and sauce over rice or cauliflower rice. Garnish with sliced green onion, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes, if desired.

Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, and water. Set aside.
Press the “sauté” button and add sesame oil to coat the bottom of the pot. When the oil is shimmering, add the onions and additional salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until soft (about 3-5 minutes).
Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds.
Add the chicken to the pot and pour the soy sauce mixture over top. Turn off the sauté function and close the Instant Pot (locking the lid).
Press the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” button and set the cooking time to 10 minutes for chicken thighs or 7 minutes for chicken breasts (if your chicken pieces are bigger than 8 ounces each, you can cut them in half or increase the cooking time to 9 minutes).
When the chicken is finished cooking, release the steam and open the lid right away to prevent over-cooking.
Slice the chicken or shred with forks; return to the pot and stir into the sauce. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve over rice or cauliflower rice. Garnish with sliced green onion, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes, if desired.

Be careful not to overcook your chicken. I find that the chicken breast or thighs have the best texture when cooked in my slow cooker on HIGH for about 2-3 hours (at the most -- sometimes they're done in just 90 minutes). That keeps them moist and juicy, and prevents them from drying out. The meat is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Also remember — every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature (which is why the recipe gives you general time ranges, rather than exact times). Since my slow cooker tends to cook at a relatively high temperature, I find that the meal is best when cooked on HIGH for about 2 hours or on LOW for about 4 hours. Just get familiar with your pot and adjust accordingly.
Garnish each serving with sliced green onion, herbs (such as fresh parsley or thyme), toasted sesame seeds, or crushed red pepper flakes for added flavor.