This Slow Cooker Kung Pao Chicken delivers all the bold, spicy-sweet flavor of your favorite takeout with minimal effort. The slow cooker gently simmers chicken thighs in an iconic sauce until fall-apart tender. It’s a weeknight game-changer that fills your kitchen with an intoxicating aroma.
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Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Kung Pao Chicken
- Hands-off cooking: The slow cooker does all the work.
- Deep, complex flavor: Slow simmering builds a rich, savory taste.
- Highly adaptable: Easily adjust the heat or add extra veggies.
- Perfect texture: Juicy chicken thighs and crunchy peanuts.
Ingredients & Tools
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- 1 cup unsalted, roasted peanuts
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water (slurry, for thickening)
Tools: A 4-6 quart slow cooker, a small whisk for the sauce, and a small bowl for the cornstarch slurry.
Notes: The quality of your soy sauce and hoisin really matters here—they form the savory backbone of the dish. And don’t skip the sesame oil at the end; that final drizzle adds an incredible nutty aroma you just can’t get from anything else.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories: | 420 kcal |
| Protein: | 35 g |
| Fat: | 22 g |
| Carbs: | 20 g |
| Fiber: | 3 g |
Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 4 hours (Low) or 2 hours (High) | Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes (mostly hands-off)
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Chicken thighs are non-negotiable. Seriously, they have more fat than breasts, which means they stay incredibly moist and tender through the long, slow cook. Breast meat tends to dry out and become stringy.
- Don’t skip the cornstarch slurry. The slow cooker creates a lot of liquid, and the slurry is what transforms it from a soupy broth into a glossy, restaurant-style sauce that clings to every piece of chicken.
- Toast your peanuts (if you have time). If you bought raw peanuts, give them a quick toast in a dry skillet for a few minutes until fragrant. It elevates their flavor and crunch to a whole new level.
- Grate your ginger fresh. The jarred stuff just doesn’t have the same bright, pungent kick. A microplane makes this task effortless, and the flavor difference is absolutely worth it.
How to Make Slow Cooker Kung Pao Chicken
Step 1: First, let’s get the sauce ready. In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, honey, sesame oil, grated ginger, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes. You’ll notice the sauce is quite thin at this stage—that’s perfectly normal. Give it a taste and adjust the heat level if you like; remember, the spice will mellow slightly during cooking.
Step 2: Now, prepare your chicken and veggies. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel—this helps the sauce stick better—and place them in the slow cooker insert. Scatter the chopped red bell pepper over the top. The peppers will soften and sweeten as they cook, providing a lovely pop of color and a subtle sweetness.
Step 3: Pour the sauce you just whisked together evenly over the chicken and peppers. Don’t stir it—just let everything settle. This allows the flavors to penetrate from the top down. Cover with the lid and set your slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 4 hours or on HIGH for 2 hours. The low setting is ideal for the most tender result.
Step 4: When the cooking time is up, carefully remove the lid. The chicken should be fork-tender and easily shreddable. Using two forks, shred the chicken right in the slow cooker. It will absorb even more sauce this way.
Step 5: This is the crucial thickening step! In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch and cold water together until it forms a smooth, milky paste (this is your slurry). Stir this slurry into the slow cooker, along with the roasted peanuts. The sauce will look cloudy at first.
Step 6: Replace the lid and cook on HIGH for another 20-30 minutes. You’ll notice the sauce transform from thin and watery to thick and glossy, perfectly coating the chicken and peanuts. This final blast of heat activates the cornstarch.
Step 7: Just before serving, stir in most of the sliced scallions, reserving some for a fresh garnish. Give it one final taste and adjust seasoning if needed—sometimes a tiny extra splash of soy sauce or rice vinegar can brighten everything up.
Step 8: Serve your glorious Slow Cooker Kung Pao Chicken hot over a bed of fluffy jasmine rice. Garnish with the remaining scallions for a burst of color and fresh, oniony flavor. Dig in and enjoy the magic you’ve created with so little effort!
Storage & Freshness Guide
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze (without peanuts) for up to 3 months; thaw in fridge before reheating.
- Reviving: Reheat gently with a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- Steamed Jasmine Rice — The fluffy, slightly sticky grains are the perfect canvas for soaking up every last drop of that incredible Kung Pao sauce.
- Quick-Pickled Cucumber Salad — A simple salad of thinly sliced cucumbers with a splash of rice vinegar and a pinch of sugar provides a crisp, refreshing contrast to the rich, spicy chicken.
- Simple Garlicky Bok Choy — Sautéed bok choy with a hint of garlic adds a lovely green vegetable element that complements the dish without overpowering it.
Drinks
- Jasmine Green Tea (Iced or Hot) — Its delicate floral notes help cleanse the palate between bites and balance the dish’s spiciness beautifully.
- A Crisp Lager — The light, effervescent quality of a cold lager cuts through the richness and heat, making each bite taste fresh and new.
- Ginger Beer — The spicy-sweet fizz of a good ginger beer mirrors the ginger in the dish and offers a non-alcoholic option that stands up to the bold flavors.
Something Sweet
- Lychee Sorbet — The sweet, perfumed flavor of lychee is a classic and refreshing way to end an Asian-inspired meal, cooling the palate delightfully.
- Fortune Cookies — It’s a cliché for a reason! They’re fun, crunchy, and a little bit sweet—the perfect playful finish to a takeout-style feast at home.
- Mango Sticky Rice — If you’re feeling ambitious, this Thai dessert with sweet coconut milk and fresh mango is a decadent and fitting end to the meal.
Top Mistakes to Avoid
- Mistake: Using chicken breasts. I’ve messed this up before too, thinking it would be healthier. Trust me, it’s not. Breasts simply don’t have the fat content to withstand slow cooking and will turn out dry and tough.
- Mistake: Adding the peanuts at the beginning. If you add them with everything else, they’ll become soft, soggy, and lose all their wonderful crunch. Stirring them in during the last 30 minutes is the key.
- Mistake: Skipping the cornstarch slurry. Without it, you’ll be left with a soupy, brothy mess that doesn’t cling to the rice. The slurry is what gives you that glossy, thick, restaurant-quality sauce.
- Mistake> Overcrowding the slow cooker. If you’re doubling the recipe, make sure you’re using a large enough cooker (6 quarts or more). Overcrowding prevents even cooking and can lead to some pieces being undercooked.
Expert Tips
- Tip: Sear the chicken first for deeper flavor. If you have an extra 5 minutes, sear the chicken thighs in a hot skillet until golden brown before adding them to the slow cooker. This Maillard reaction adds a whole new layer of savory complexity.
- Tip: Use Sichuan peppercorns for authentic “mala” tingle. For a truly traditional touch, toast and crush a teaspoon of Sichuan peppercorns and add them with the sauce. They provide that unique numbing, citrusy sensation.
- Tip: Make it a freezer meal. Combine the raw chicken and all sauce ingredients (except the cornstarch, peanuts, and scallions) in a freezer bag. Freeze flat. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then dump it all in the slow cooker for the easiest dinner ever.
- Tip: Brighten it up at the end. A final squeeze of fresh lime juice or a tiny splash of unseasoned rice vinegar right before serving can really make the flavors pop and cut through the richness.
FAQs
Can I make this Slow Cooker Kung Pao Chicken spicier?
Absolutely! The beauty of this recipe is its adaptability. You can increase the red pepper flakes, add a diced fresh chili like a serrano or Thai bird’s eye chili to the sauce, or even stir in a tablespoon of chili garlic sauce or sambal oelek. Just remember, you can always add more heat at the end, but you can’t take it away, so start conservative and adjust upwards.
Can I use frozen chicken?
It’s not recommended. Frozen chicken will lower the temperature of the slow cooker too much as it thaws, potentially keeping the food in the “danger zone” (40°F – 140°F) for too long, which is a food safety risk. For the best and safest results, always use fully thawed chicken.
How do I store and reheat leftovers?
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat, adding a tiny splash of water or chicken broth to loosen the sauce if it has thickened too much. The peanuts will soften upon reheating, but the flavor will still be fantastic.
Is there a substitute for hoisin sauce?
If you’re in a pinch, you can make a rough substitute by mixing 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter (or black bean paste), 1 tablespoon of honey or molasses, a dash of rice vinegar, and a pinch of five-spice powder. It won’t be identical, but it will get you in the ballpark.
Can I add other vegetables to this?
Of course! This is a great way to clean out the veggie drawer. Broccoli florets, snap peas, carrots, or water chestnuts are all excellent additions. For softer veggies like broccoli and snap peas, add them during the last 30-60 minutes of cooking so they stay vibrant and don’t get mushy.
Slow Cooker Kung Pao Chicken
Get the best Slow Cooker Kung Pao Chicken recipe for an easy, hands-off dinner. Tender chicken in a spicy-sweet sauce—better than takeout! Try it tonight.
Ingredients
For the Ingredients
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1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
-
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
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1/4 cup rice vinegar
-
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
-
3 tbsp honey
-
2 tbsp sesame oil
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1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
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4 cloves garlic (minced)
-
1-2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
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1 cup unsalted, roasted peanuts
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1 red bell pepper (chopped)
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2 scallions (thinly sliced)
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1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water (slurry, for thickening)
Instructions
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First, let's get the sauce ready. In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, honey, sesame oil, grated ginger, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes. You’ll notice the sauce is quite thin at this stage—that’s perfectly normal. Give it a taste and adjust the heat level if you like; remember, the spice will mellow slightly during cooking.01
-
Now, prepare your chicken and veggies. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel—this helps the sauce stick better—and place them in the slow cooker insert. Scatter the chopped red bell pepper over the top. The peppers will soften and sweeten as they cook, providing a lovely pop of color and a subtle sweetness.02
-
Pour the sauce you just whisked together evenly over the chicken and peppers. Don’t stir it—just let everything settle. This allows the flavors to penetrate from the top down. Cover with the lid and set your slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 4 hours or on HIGH for 2 hours. The low setting is ideal for the most tender result.03
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When the cooking time is up, carefully remove the lid. The chicken should be fork-tender and easily shreddable. Using two forks, shred the chicken right in the slow cooker. It will absorb even more sauce this way.04
-
This is the crucial thickening step! In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch and cold water together until it forms a smooth, milky paste (this is your slurry). Stir this slurry into the slow cooker, along with the roasted peanuts. The sauce will look cloudy at first.05
-
Replace the lid and cook on HIGH for another 20-30 minutes. You’ll notice the sauce transform from thin and watery to thick and glossy, perfectly coating the chicken and peanuts. This final blast of heat activates the cornstarch.06
-
Just before serving, stir in most of the sliced scallions, reserving some for a fresh garnish. Give it one final taste and adjust seasoning if needed—sometimes a tiny extra splash of soy sauce or rice vinegar can brighten everything up.07
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Serve your glorious Slow Cooker Kung Pao Chicken hot over a bed of fluffy jasmine rice. Garnish with the remaining scallions for a burst of color and fresh, oniony flavor. Dig in and enjoy the magic you’ve created with so little effort!08
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