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Whip up our single serving slow cooker sesame chicken recipe. Perfectly portioned, bursting with rich flavors for a delightful solo dinner!

Say goodbye to ordering takeout and hello to this single serving Sesame Chicken recipe. Perfectly portioned for one and skipping the typical breading, this wholesome, flavorful dish offers all the tangy-sweet flavors of your favorite Chinese takeout, but with a healthier, more personalized twist.

A bowl of sesame chicken over white rice topped with toasted sesame seeds.

Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Recipe

  • Ease of Preparation: This recipe requires minimal preparation and simple ingredients.
  • Healthy Alternative: Skipping the breading and frying makes this a leaner choice without compromising flavor.
  • Versatility: Whether you’re following a diet or accommodating allergies, this recipe can be adapted easily.

What Is Sesame Chicken?

Sesame chicken is a staple in many Chinese-American and Canadian restaurants. Traditionally, it involves breaded, fried chicken drenched in a sweet, tangy sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds. However, our version provides a healthier twist, forgoing the breading while maintaining the irresistible flavors.

Sesame chicken’s roots trace back to the vibrant culinary traditions of China, specifically Guangdong province, renowned for its sweet and tangy sauces. Our lighter version retains the essential spirit of the original while making it more accessible to health-conscious individuals.

RELATED: Easy Slow Cooker Recipes For One

Ingredients

ingredients needed to make sesame chicken on a wooden table in a kitchen

RELATED: How To Cook Small Meals In A Large Slow Cooker

Ingredient Notes

This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why I used them. For the full recipe please scroll down to the recipe box at the bottom of the post.

See below for ways to use leftover ingredients.

  • Chicken: Use 1 or 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or use a chicken breast.
  • Seasonings: Use salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
  • For the sauce: I use honey, soy sauce, ketchup, olive oil, garlic, and dried onions. Tamari or coconut aminos can be used for a gluten-free option. Consider agave or maple syrup for a vegan alternative.
  • Cornstarch: This ingredient thickens the sauce.
  • Sesame seeds (optional): For the topping.

How To Make Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken For One

See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.

  1. Place the chicken thighs into the base of a mini slow cooker. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper over the tops of the chicken.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, ketchup, olive oil, dried onions, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
  3. Pour the sauce over the chicken thighs. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low until the chicken is tender, 4 hours.
  4. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place it on the cutting board.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water. Pour the cornstarch mixture into the sauce in the slow cooker. Stir, cover, and cook for an additional 10 minutes at a high temperature.
  6. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and stir into the sauce.
  7. Top with sesame seeds and serve over rice, if desired.

You might like to use our single serving recipes for baked white rice or baked brown rice.

Cooking Rice For One Tip: Cook a large batch of brown or white rice and freeze it in individual portions using a muffin pan. Once frozen, pop the rice discs out of the muffin pan and freeze them in a zip-top bag. Whenever you need a single serving of rice, just heat up one of the frozen discs.

An overhead view of a yellow bowl filled with chicken pieces in a honey sesame sauce over white rice topped with toasted sesame seeds.

Expert Tips

  • Feel free to adjust the amount of spices you use according to taste.
  • If your sauce becomes too thick, thin it with a little water or chicken broth.
  • I love using chicken thighs because they stay moist and tender. You can use a boneless, skinless chicken breast instead if necessary.
  • Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • This recipe can be doubled if you would like to make a little extra. You will need to use a crockpot or slow cooker that is larger than 1.5 quarts. A 3 quart would work well if doubling the recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Size Slow Cooker Is Best To Use?

For my slow cooker single serving meals, I use a small 1.5-quart slow cooker.

How Do You Modify A Large Slow Cooker To Make A Single Serving Meal?

If you already have a large slow cooker but still want to make any of our slow cooker recipes for one, follow these easy steps to modify your slow cooker:

* Place an oven-safe bowl inside the base of a slow cooker.
* Fill the bowl with the ingredients and cover the slow cooker with the lid.
* Cook as directed.
* The photo below shows how I make Red Beans and Rice For One in a large slow cooker. Keep in mind that slow cookers work best when they are about three-quarters of the way full.
* When choosing the right oven-safe bowl to place inside your slow cooker, make sure that when the ingredients are placed inside the bowl, they take up at least two-thirds to three-quarters of the bowl.
If the bowl isn’t full enough, the food inside will cook faster and possibly burn.

adapting recipes to fit slow cooker | one dish kitchen

Can I Store Leftovers?

Yes, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients

If you have any ingredients leftover from this small sesame chicken recipe, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving or small batch recipes:

Serving Suggestions

You might like to consider serving any of these single serving side dish recipes with your sesame chicken:

Chicken Crockpot Recipes

If you like this mini sesame chicken recipe, you might like to try these single serving crockpot and slow cooker chicken recipes:

If you would like more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.

Examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen can be found on our Store page.

RELATED: Easy Comfort Food Recipes

If you’ve tried this small batch slow cooker sesame chicken or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.

If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!


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Recipe

Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken For One

4.95 from 20 votes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Total: 4 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 1 serving
Quick and easy slow cooker sesame chicken for one made with a sweet honey sesame sauce. The perfect amount if you're cooking for one.

Ingredients 
 

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken thigh
  • teaspoon kosher salt
  • teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon dried onions
  • 1 clove garlic , minced
  • teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • ½ tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1 cup cooked rice (optional)

Instructions 

  • Place the chicken thighs into the base of a mini slow cooker.
  • Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper over the tops of the chicken.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, ketchup, olive oil, dried onions, garlic and red pepper flakes.
  • Pour the sauce over the chicken thighs. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low until the chicken is tender, 3-4 hours.
  • Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place on cutting board. 
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water. Pour the cornstarch mixture into the sauce in the slow cooker. Stir, cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes on a high temperature.
  • Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and stir into the sauce.
  • Top with sesame seeds and serve over rice, if desired. (See notes for the ingredients and instructions to make a single serving of rice).

Video

Notes

Expert Tips
  • Feel free to adjust the amount of spices you use according to taste.
  • If you sauce becomes too thick, thin it with a little water or chicken broth.
  • I love using chicken thighs because they stay moist and tender. You can use a boneless, skinless chicken breast instead if necessary.
  • Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • This recipe can be doubled if you would like to make a little extra. You will need to use a crockpot or slow cooker that is larger than 1.5-quarts. A 3-quart would work well if doubling the recipe.
TO MAKE A SINGLE SERVING OF RICE
Ingredients
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup white rice 
 
Directions
1.  Bring the water, salt and butter to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in the rice.
2.  Reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid.
3.  Simmer for 20 minutes or until all water is absorbed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving without rice, Calories: 555kcal, Carbohydrates: 82g, Protein: 46g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 215mg, Sodium: 1366mg, Potassium: 735mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 74g, Vitamin A: 106IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 33mg, Iron: 3mg

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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I’m Joanie and I’m incredibly happy you’re here! Our aim is to inspire individuals with access to single serving recipes, education, and a supportive community that will enable them to enjoy the preparation of a meal that will nourish both body and soul.

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60 Comments

  1. Made this for dinner tonight and my husband and I really liked it. Also made the baked white rice from this site and it turned out perfect. I did two thighs and it made enough for three small servings. I am always telling people about this site because the recipes are easy and really good.

  2. Really like my new small crockpot. Would love to see more recipes other than the four chicken ones. I did find some on the internet but I prefer your recipes

  3. Fantastic I made as per recipe only using half as much honey for dietary reasons and served over cauliflower rice for a low/no carb dinner which I thoroughly enjoyed. Very little time to make and the crock pot/slow cooker did all the work couldn’t ask for better thank you made for What’s On The Menu tag game at FF&F.

  4. Is it possible to make the sauce and pour over the chicken and freeze it. Then place it in the refrigerator the night before to slightly thaw, then throw in the crockpot the next morning?

  5. I too have a 1.5 quart slow cooker. Thank you for having recipes that I can use in it.
    I got mine for a local thrift shop down the street!
    Thank you again!!!
    God Bless you!,

  6. Have been looking for 1.5 qt crock pot recipes. So happy to find your site. The recipe looks so good. If I use chicken breasts instead of thighs would I need to shorten the cooking time?