Chinese Chicken and Broccoli Rice
This Slow Cooker Chicken Broccoli Rice is a deliciously easy and healthy, low-carb version of your favorite sesame chicken Chinese takeout! With a perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors, plus a blissfully short 15-minute prep, this saucy chicken broccoli recipe recipe will quickly become a family favorite dinner recipe! Recipe can be scaled up or down by using the slider if you hover your mouse over the number of Servings.
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker or Crock Pot (for cooking sesame chicken)
- 1 Small Bowl (for making slurry to thicken sauce
- 1 Food Processor (for making broccoli rice)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts – cut into 1’’ cubes (SEE NOTES)
- 2 Cloves Garlic – minced
- 1 ½ tsp Grated Ginger Root gently packed
- ½ Cup Honey
- 1/3 Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- 1 ½ TBS Sesame Oil
- 1 TBS Rice Wine Vinegar
- 1 TBS Light Brown Sugar
- 4 tsp Cornstarch
- Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper to taste
- 2 large Heads Broccoli – roughly chopped into large florets (about 28 ounces)
- Optional for Serving: Sesame Seeds, Thinly Sliced Green Onion, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, Diced Red Bell Pepper, Sliced Avocado, Micro Greens
Instructions
- Make the Chinese Sesame Sauce: In a medium bowl whisk together the garlic, ginger, honey, soy sauce, oil, vinegar, and brown sugar.
- Cook the chicken: Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and place them in the slow cooker. Pour the honey mixture over the top of the chicken. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 3-3 ½ hours or HIGH for 1 ½ - 2 hours*, stirring halfway through. (Chicken will continue cooking in next step)
- Thicken the sauce: In a small bowl whisk the cornstarch with 1 ½ tablespoons of water to combine. Carefully add the cornstarch mixture to the slow cooker and stir well to combine.Cover and cook on HIGH for an additional 20-30 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened.
- Meanwhile, make the broccoli rice: Place the broccoli in the food processor and pulse until it resembles the texture of rice. (SEE NOTES)
- Cook the broccoli rice:You can cook broccoli rice a few different ways, but for this recipe I prefer to pan-fry it. (SEE NOTES)Pan Frying: Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add in the broccoli rice and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5-10 minutes, or until the “rice” is golden brown and slightly crispy.
- Serve Chicken with Broccoli Rice: Divide the broccoli rice between bowls and top with honey sesame chicken and ladle with sauce from the slow cooker. Sprinkle generously with sesame seeds and serve with desired additional toppings. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Chicken Breasts: While I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the recipe below, you can substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer dark meat.
- If you want to take the lazy prep route, you can skip cutting the chicken into 1’’ cubes and instead place the entire chicken breast (or thigh) in the slow cooker. Just increase the cooking time by 30 minutes – 1 hour in step #2 before adding the cornstarch and water mixture (step 3), use two forks to shred the chicken (you can do this right in the slow cooker, or you can remove the chicken to a cutting board and add the chicken back to the slow cooker). Then, add the cornstarch mixture and proceed with the recipe as instructed.
- Sauce: You can easily double the sauce in the recipe if you like your chicken super saucy. (Tip: If you hoover your mouse above the number of servings you can slide the scale.)
- Slow Cooking: All slow cookers vary. If your slow cooker runs on the hot side, be sure to check your chicken earlier, as it may cook faster than the times suggested in the recipe. The opposite goes for your slow cooker if it runs on the cool side, as your chicken may take longer to cook. If you aren’t sure of your slow cookers abilities, be sure to use an instant read thermometer. Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Cooking Broccoli Rice: If you're looking for an in depth tutorial on the ricing, check out this tutorial on the preparation of broccoli rice. You can cook the broccoli rice however your heart desires - Cooking on the stove-top gives the most flavor; microwaving is the quickest.
- Microwave: Transfer the broccoli rice to a microwave-safe bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Cover with a damp paper towel and microwave for 1-2 minutes. Stir, taste and microwave for an additional minute or so, if broccoli is not yet tender.
- Oven Roasting: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss the broccoli rice with a tablespoon of olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Transfer the broccoli to a baking sheet and spread it out in a single layer. Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Broccoli rice is done it is slightly golden and tender.
Nutrition
Calories: 269kcal Carbohydrates: 28g Protein: 26g Fat: 6g Saturated Fat: 1g Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g Monounsaturated Fat: 2g Trans Fat: 0.01g Cholesterol: 73mg Sodium: 644mg Potassium: 494mg Fiber: 0.2g Sugar: 25g Vitamin A: 36IU Vitamin C: 2mg Calcium: 16mg Iron: 1mg