Do you know about umami? It’s the fifth basic flavor, a deeply savory taste. It’s the thing that makes us crave soy sauce and mushrooms, and this recipe is full of it. The slow cooker marinates and cooks the chicken simultaneously for deep flavor with minimal effort. Learn how to make your new favorite chicken in the recipe below.
Garlic, ginger and scallions provide an aromatic base for the delectable, sticky sauce. If you’d like a little heat add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper to the sauce. Serve this chicken over white rice or Asian noodles. It’s also delicious tossed with steamed or roasted broccoli.
Slow Cooker Hoisin Chicken
6
10 minutes
4 hours
4 hours, 15 minutes
3 tablespoons (45 ml) soy sauce
1 tablespoon (15 ml) rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup (60 ml) hoisin sauce
1/2 cup (120 ml) chicken broth
2 tablespoons (30 ml) honey
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3 scallions, thinly sliced, dark green tops reserved
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/4 lbs. (1.02 kg) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
1 tablespoon (8 g) cornstarch
2 tablespoons (30 ml) water
Make the sauce by stirring the first eight ingredients, soy sauce through garlic cloves, together in a medium bowl.
Arrange chicken thighs in a single layer on the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the chicken.
Cook on low for 4 hours.
Transfer meat to a cutting board, rest for 5 minutes, then shred with 2 forks.
Pour the sauce into a small sauce pan. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water then whisk into sauce.
Bring sauce to a boil over medium heat and cook 4-5 minutes, until thickened.
Mix sauce and chicken and serve over rice, garnished with reserved scallion tops.
Want to fancy this up a bit? Sesame seeds, bean sprouts and cilantro also work beautifully as garnishes.
