This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Enjoy our single serving mini slow cooker sesame chicken recipe, perfectly portioned for one and brimming with rich, tangy-sweet flavors. This delightful, healthier alternative to takeout is breading-free and brings all your favorite Chinese flavors right to your kitchen, making it a perfect and personalized meal for one.
Looking for more mini slow cooker recipes ? We’ve got plenty! Try our Ropa Vieja, Pot Roast, Chickpeas and Sausage, and Ribs!
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Recipe For One
- What Is Sesame Chicken?
- Ingredients
- How To Make Mini Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken
- Expert Tips
- What To Serve With Sesame Chicken
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More 1.5-Quart Mini Slow Cooker Recipes You’ll Love
- Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
- Mini Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Recipe For One
- Ease of Preparation: This mini crockpot 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
RELATED: How To Cook Small Meals In A Large Slow Cooker
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.
- Chicken: Opt for either one or two boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the juiciest result. If you prefer a leaner option, a chicken breast will work just as well. If you’ve got extra chicken thighs, consider using them in Chicken Cacciatore or a Chicken Burrito Bowl.
- Seasonings: A simple trio of salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes is all you’ll need to enhance the chicken’s natural flavors. Adjust the level of red pepper flakes to suit your heat preference.
- Sauce Ingredients: The sauce is where the magic happens! Combine honey, soy sauce, ketchup, olive oil, garlic, and dried onions to create a luscious, sticky coating. If you’re following a gluten-free diet, swap out the soy sauce for Tamari or coconut aminos. For those on a vegan journey, agave or maple syrup can be used in place of honey.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch is the key to a sauce that clings to your chicken, making every bite irresistibly flavorful. Just a little bit will do the trick in thickening your sauce to perfection.
- Sesame seeds (optional): While optional, a sprinkle of sesame seeds adds a delightful crunch and a burst of nutty flavor to the finished dish. Highly recommended for that extra layer of texture.
How To Make Mini Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken
See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Place the chicken 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, 4 hours.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place it on the 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 at 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.
You might like to use our single serving recipes for baked white rice or baked brown rice.
Single Serving Rice Cooking Tip: Freeze & Reheat
Make meal prep a breeze by cooking a large batch of either brown or white rice. Once cooked, distribute the rice into individual portions using a muffin pan. After freezing, remove the rice “discs” and store them in a zip-top freezer bag. Now, whenever you need a single serving of rice, you can easily reheat one of these pre-portioned discs. This method is perfect for those who love convenience without sacrificing quality.
Expert Tips
- Spice to Taste: Don’t hesitate to adjust the quantity of spices like red pepper flakes to match your flavor preferences.
- Sauce Consistency: If the sauce thickens more than you’d like, simply dilute it with a dash of water or chicken broth.
- Choice of Chicken: While chicken thighs are great for maintaining moisture and tenderness, a boneless, skinless chicken breast is a suitable alternative.
- Storing Leftovers: Keep any remaining Sesame Chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
- Scaling the Recipe: Want more servings? This recipe can be doubled, but you’ll need a slow cooker larger than 1.5 quarts. A 3-quart size is ideal for a doubled recipe.
What To Serve With Sesame Chicken
Elevate your single serving Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken meal with these carefully curated serving suggestions, ideal for complementing this delicious main course.
- Rice or Quinoa: Perfect for capturing every drop of that sumptuous sauce.
- Cauliflower Rice: A low-carb option that complements the flavors without weighing you down.
- A Side of Veggies: Think roasted brussels sprouts or sautéed green beans for a pop of color and extra nutrients.
Frequently Asked Questions
For optimal results in making small crock pot meals, a small 1.5-quart slow cooker is highly recommended.
If you only have a larger slow cooker but still wish to try out single serving recipes, here’s how to modify your appliance for smaller portions:
* Insert an oven-safe bowl into the base of the slow cooker.
* Add your ingredients to the bowl, and then cover the slow cooker with its lid.
* Proceed with cooking as per the recipe instructions.
* Remember, slow cookers operate best when they’re about 75% full.
* Choose an oven-safe bowl that will be two-thirds to three-quarters full when ingredients are added; otherwise, the food might cook too quickly and potentially burn.
Store any leftover Sesame Chicken in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to three days.
More 1.5-Quart Mini Slow Cooker Recipes You’ll Love
If you’re a fan of this single serving Sesame Chicken dish, explore these other single serving slow cooker and crockpot recipes that are sure to tantalize your taste buds:
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small crock pot recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch 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!
Mini Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (6 to 7 ounce) boneless skinless chicken thigh
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ 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
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 cup cooked rice (optional)
Instructions
- Place the chicken thigh 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
- Spice to Taste: Don’t hesitate to adjust the quantity of spices like red pepper flakes to match your flavor preferences.
- Sauce Consistency: If the sauce thickens more than you’d like, simply dilute it with a dash of water or chicken broth.
- Choice of Chicken: While chicken thighs are great for maintaining moisture and tenderness, a boneless, skinless chicken breast is a suitable alternative.
- Storing Leftovers: Keep any remaining Sesame Chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
- Scaling the Recipe: Want more servings? This recipe can be doubled, but you’ll need a slow cooker larger than 1.5 quarts. A 3-quart size is ideal for a doubled recipe.
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup white rice
Nutrition
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.
Susan,
At this time, Amazon does sell the Elite Gourmet that I link to in the recipe. It is a 1.5 quart slow cooker. The blue Hamilton Beach shown in the photos may not be available.
Here is a link describing how to cook small meals in a large slow cooker if you would like to modify the size you already own.
https://onedishkitchen.com/cook-small-meals-in-slow-cooker/
Since Amazon no longer has the tiny slow cooker like your blue one, I’m curious to know who makes it. The ones they carry now don’t suit me and cost over $20 more than yours did. Perhaps it can be found elsewhere. I’m hoping so anyway. Still enjoying your recipes and handy info. in the newsletter, on Pinterest and with the group on Facebook.
Hi Tess,
The blue slow cooker is a Hamilton Beach Party Crock and you’re right, it doesn’t seem to be carried on Amazon at the moment. I also have and use a 1.5 quart Elite Gourmet slow cooker and on Amazon the price ranges from $12 – $15. I’ve used it for a while and it hasn’t given me any trouble. Here is a link to the slow cooker I use – https://amzn.to/2VM4IDF
I’m so happy you are enjoying the recipes. Thank you so much for letting me know and have a wonderful weekend!
Joanie
This looks great and that little slow-cooker is too cute!
Yum! What a cute little mini slow cooker!
Even though it’s BBQ season, I still like to use my slow cooker now and then too. This chicken dish looks delicious, so I’ll definitely be giving it a try.
This is the first time I on your blog and I am loving it! I often am cooking by myself and it’s hard for me to make meals. I need to look into your recipes!
I’m so glad you found us and I hope you find many recipes here that you love!
How cute is that mini slow cooker?! I’m definitely passing this along the singles in my life — looks delicious!
Thanks so much, Dee!
How cute is that slow cooker! Love this scaled down version.
it’s impossible to find recipes for one – especially great ones like this- Im seeing your blog for the first time today & Im loving it!
Thank you so much!!
This is some delicious looking sesame chicken! I would much prefer it to the breaded kind!