Slow cooker hoisin chicken and slaw sandwiches
A few weeks of recuperation after a recent health issue left me with the urge to cook, but without the energy to spend hours at the stove. My slow cookers came to the rescue. A few minutes of prep, a few hours in the slow cooker, and minimal exertion on my part resulted in some wonderful meals using ingredients straight from the pantry.
This hoisin chicken couldn't be easier: three ingredients, including the chicken thighs, and three hours in a small slow cooker. The recipe came from a Kikkoman brochure, with a slight tweak here and there. Hoisin made a thick, sweet glaze on the chicken, and the slightly acidic broccoli slaw -- for which you can substitute your own favorite cole slaw -- provided a tart counterpoint with some welcome crunch. You can make the chicken and slaw a couple of days ahead. How perfect these sandwiches would be for a picnic!
Slow cooker hoisin chicken and slaw sandwiches
From the pantry, you'll need: hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, agave nectar, mayonnaise, fresh black pepper.
Recipe adapted from a Kikkoman brochure. Serves 4-5.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
For the sandwiches and broccoli slaw:
2 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt (I use nonfat)
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp agave nectar
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp fresh black pepper
8 oz store-bought or homemade broccoli slaw (or your favorite cole slaw)
4 ciabatta rolls or brioche buns
Directions
In a 3-quart slow cooker, combine the chicken, hoisin sauce and 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar. Stir to coat the chicken. Cook on HIGH for 3 hours.
When the chicken is cooked, pour the contents of the slow cooker into a bowl, and use two forks to shred the chicken. Set aside to cool for a few minutes (or refrigerate).
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, agave, 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, mustard and black pepper. Add the broccoli slaw, and mix well. Set aside for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to combine, or make ahead and refrigerate.
To assemble the sandwiches, slice each roll in half. Place some of the shredded chicken, and sauce, on the bottom half, and top that with lots of broccoli slaw. (If you prefer, substitute your favorite cole slaw for the broccoli slaw.)
Serve at room temperature, or pack for a picnic.
More slow cooker chicken:
Filipino adobo chicken, from The Perfect Pantry
Slow cooker green chile chicken, from The Perfect Pantry
Slow cooker chicken tikka masala, from Budget Bytes
Crock pot sesame honey chicken, from Skinnytaste
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This looks amazing! It reminds me a little of some sammies I made a while back, and of the honey-hoisin chicken my kids love. Our slow cooker just arrived a few days ago, so I'll have to give this a go!
Jerry, I'm sure your kids will love this. The hoisin has plenty of sweetness with the long cooking.
Oh, this sounds wonderful!! Too often all I make in the slow cooker is soup. (though there is nothing wrong with that!!!) Hope you are feeling better!
Oh boy! THIS LOOKS SO GOOD! 3 ingredients in 3 hours!!! I think this is Friday night dinner! and I could be lazy and just use coleslaw from the deli and these really good ciabatta rolls that I get from a local bakery (secretly addicted to them)
Hope you are feeling better and glad the slow-cooker came to the rescue!
Pam, you can also do this on low for 6 hours, or make a bigger batch, in a larger cooker, and cook it for 8 hours. Actually, once you taste it, you'll wish you'd made more. (And if you have any slow cooker soup recipes to share, I'd love some new ones.)
Carol, easy, easy, easy, and I'm guessing that even your red-meat loving husband might go for these. At least, I hope so!
3 ingredients and 3 hours sounds amazing! I hope you're feeling better :)
I hope you are feeling better now. Btw, this hoisin chicken and slaw sandwich recipe looks so delicious!
CJ, Jeff: Thanks, I'm feeling fine. It was fun to have limitations for a few weeks, and to realize (a) how much I have in my pantry, and (b) how much fun it is to use the slow cooker for simple dishes like this hoisin chicken.
These sandwiches look and sound good!
Those are inspired!!!
Lydia, I can't believe how easy this is to make - and it sounds fantastic. I know my kids would love this. Pinned!
Kevin, EB: Thanks! You will both love this, and it couldn't be easier.
Jeanette, thanks so much for pinning. Now, a question for you: does someone make gluten-free hoisin?
I dont like dark meat..can you use breast ?
Audria, you can. It will cook more quickly, so check after 2-1/2 hours on high. Breast meat will also be more dry, but it will still be delicious.
After hitting this recipe for the eleventeenth time, I have to post that this recipe is one of my go-tos! Especially since TJ's started carrying broccoli and carrot slaw. You can use leftover rotisserie chicken, breasts or pork and it's still great. You can swap out the rice vin for plain or ACV or leave out the yogurt or the mayo. You can even use flour tortillas instead of buns. Sometimes I mix a little ground ginger with the hoisin. It's really flexible!!