Pinspring Recipe #3- Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken

I think this was by far the easiest Pinterest recipe I've made and probably one I that will be worthy of a repeat. Incredibly easy to put together, a crowd pleaser, and it didn't make my entire house smell like garlic for two days. You now how sometimes Crockpot recipes taste great, but don't make your house smell that great? The garlic and onions smell that can linger around the house eve though the food is gone kind of smell.This recipe is not one of them! I tweaked the recipe by adding in fresh ginger. Totally worth it. Not only did the fresh ginger add to the flavor factor, I hypothesize that it also made my house smell positively aromatic. All positive things my friends.

To vamp the flavor factor even more, I added 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil. Besides, the name of the recipe is Sesame Chicken right? I was surprised this was not in the original recipe I pinned. Lucky for me I added it. I also made a corn starch slurry at the end of the cooking time. Corn starch slurries are a great, easy, cheap, gluten-free way to thicken any sauce or gravy in substitution for flour. If you cannot tolerate corn, substitute another thickener or serve as is. Regardless, if you are a busy person, but love good home cooked food, this recipe is for you!

Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken

adapted from Crockpot Sesame Chicken 

1-2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce (I use Market Pantry, surprisingly no gluten:))

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 clove garlic, pressed or minced

2 tablespoons fresh ginger root, finely chopped

1 tablespoon ketchup

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon corn starch

4 cups cooked brown rice

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Spray the inside of your slow cooker with non-stick spray. Add the chicken. In a small dish, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, ketchup, and sesame oil. Pour over the chicken. Cover your slow cooker and set on low. Cook for 7-8 hours. Then, ladle 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid into a small dish. Whisk in the corn starch until smooth to make your corn starch "slurry." This will help thicken the sauce. Pour the slurry back into the slow cooker and stir until the sauce thickens. Turn off your slow cooker and serve the chicken over hot rice topped with sesame seeds. Makes 4-6 servings depending on the weight of your chicken. I served this with a side of steamed broccoli.