From Mila's kitchen
Crockpot Kung Pao chicken slow-cooks diced chicken, bell peppers, garlic, and ginger in a soy-hoisin sauce with honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and chili flakes. The cornstarch slurry goes in for the final 15 to 20 minutes to turn the cooking liquid into a sauce.
Recipe
Crockpot Kung Pao Chicken
Ingredients
- 700 g boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
- For the sauce:
- 1/3 cup soy sauce or tamari
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp honey or brown sugar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp chili flakes (adjust to taste)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water
- For serving (optional):
- Roasted peanuts
- Cooked rice
- Green onions
Instructions
- Add chicken, bell peppers, garlic, and ginger to the crockpot.
- In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, and chili flakes.
- Pour sauce over chicken and stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4–5 hours or HIGH for 2–3 hours.
- Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook an additional 15–20 minutes until thickened.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve hot over rice and garnish with peanuts and green onions.
Recipe Notes
- • Add zucchini or broccoli for extra veggies.
- • Use low-sodium soy sauce to control saltiness.
- • Leftovers reheat well and are great for meal prep.
Nutrition
- Serving Size
- 1 bowl
- Calories
- 460
- Sugar
- 9g
- Sodium
- 820mg
- Fat
- 18g
- Saturated Fat
- 3g
- Unsaturated Fat
- 13g
- Trans Fat
- 0g
- Carbohydrates
- 28g
- Fiber
- 3g
- Protein
- 42g
- Cholesterol
- 115mg
Method at a glance
Why this recipe works
- Whisking the sauce before it enters the crockpot distributes the miso-free sweet, salty, acidic, and spicy ingredients evenly.
- The late slurry step thickens the accumulated cooking liquid without coating the raw chicken in starch at the start.
Recipe-specific success guide
- Use thawed chicken, keep the lid closed, and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or high for 2 to 3 hours as written.
- Check that the chicken reaches 165°F before the slurry step is considered finished.
- Add peanuts only for serving so they retain their crunch.
Troubleshooting
The sauce is still thin after the slurry
Make sure the cornstarch was mixed with cold water before adding it, then allow the full covered 15 to 20 minutes for thickening.
The peppers are softer than desired
That is a consequence of adding them at the start of a slow-cooker recipe. Cut them into larger pieces to help them hold more shape without changing the listed ingredients.
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate promptly and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat to 165°F outside the slow cooker; keep peanuts and green onions separate until serving.
What to serve with it
Serve over cooked rice and add the optional peanuts and green onions at the table.
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