This dish has turned into one of my personal favorite slow cooker recipes. I don’t spend a lot of prep time getting ingredients into the slow cooker, and at the end of the day, the house smells amazing and dinner tastes just as good! If you’re having one of those busy days, simply serve the chicken with the juices from the slow cooker. But if you’re feeling a little “saucy,” go for the option of reducing the cooking liquid into a taste explosion that really turns this chicken into something special!
CHICKEN
2 pounds (907 g) boneless chicken thighs
SAUCE INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup (720 ml) coconut aminos
¼ cup tomato sauce
1 TBSP (15 ml) tomato paste
2 TBSP (30 ml) apple cider vinegar
1 TBSP fish sauce
1/3 cup (720 ml) honey
2 tsp (10 ml) sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 TBSP (15 ml) minced fresh ginger
GARNISH
Sesame seeds
Sliced green onions
Serves 4
Place the chicken thighs in the slow cooker.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients until fully combined. Pour the sauce over the chicken.
Cook the chicken on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours.
Serve it as is, or follow the remaining directions for a tastier sauce. Transfer the chicken from the slow cooker to a platter, and keep it warm by tenting it with foil.
Spoon the sauce from the slow cooker into a shallow pan, and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer the sauce until it is reduced by half, about 5-8 minutes.
Serve the reduced sauce over the chicken, and garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
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Asian BBQ Chicken is the slow-cooker recipe that bridges two favourite flavour worlds. Chicken thighs braise in a glossy sauce of coconut aminos, honey, tomato, fish sauce, ginger, and garlic, then the sauce reduces to a sticky glaze that clings to every piece.
Pro Tips
- Whisk the sauce fully before pouring — the honey and tomato paste need to dissolve completely or they'll sit in pockets on the chicken.
- Fish sauce is the umami secret here: it reads as deep savoury flavour in the finished dish, not fishy at all once cooked down with the honey and ginger.
- After cooking, spoon the slow-cooker sauce into a shallow pan and boil it down by half — that 5–8 minute reduction is what turns braising liquid into a proper BBQ glaze.
- Boneless chicken thighs are the right cut; they stay tender through 6–8 hours on low where breasts would turn to strings.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions for freshness and crunch against the sticky-sweet glaze.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this in the oven?
Yes, braise the sauced thighs covered at 325°F (165°C) for about 90 minutes, then reduce the sauce on the stovetop to the same sticky glaze.
Is Asian BBQ chicken paleo?
It is: coconut aminos replace the soy sauce, honey sweetens the glaze, and the base is tomato, fish sauce, ginger, and garlic. Check your fish sauce has just fish and salt.
Can I use chicken breasts?
Thighs are strongly recommended — breasts dry out over the long slow-cook. If you must use them, cut the cook time down and check early.
What should I serve it with?
Cauliflower rice and steamed greens make the perfect base for the sticky glaze, with extra green onions scattered over the top.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- GARNISH Sesame seeds Sliced green onions Serves 4 Place the chicken thighs in the slow cooker.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients until fully combined.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken.
- Cook the chicken on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours.
- Serve it as is, or follow the remaining directions for a tastier sauce.
- Transfer the chicken from the slow cooker to a platter, and keep it warm by tenting it with foil. Spoon the sauce from the slow cooker into a shallow pan, and bring it to a boil over medium heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer the sauce until it is reduced by half, about 5-8 minutes.
- Serve the reduced sauce over the chicken, and garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
