Slow Cooker Hoisin Garlic Chicken

By Sarah DiGregorio

Published July 1, 2025

Slow Cooker Hoisin Garlic Chicken
Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
Total Time
2½ hours
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
2 hours 20 minutes
Rating
5(2,076)
Comments
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Best friends of cooks who are short on time but unwilling to sacrifice flavor, boneless, skinless chicken thighs are slow-cooked to tenderness with hoisin, garlic and tomato paste for an incredibly easy, saucy braised chicken that is subtly sweet and just a little spicy. Make a big pot on the weekend and use it all week for topping rice or noodles, or stuffing in tortillas. You could even shred the chicken more finely and tuck it into a bun with hot sauce, like pulled pork. The ingredients go straight into the slow cooker with hardly any prep at all, making it doable in the morning before work or school. The finishing step of reducing the sauce is necessary to create an appealingly glazed, sticky texture.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 2½pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • ¼cup hoisin sauce
  • 6large garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
  • 1tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2teaspoons balsamic vinegar, plus more as needed
  • 1teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more as needed
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
  • Sliced scallions (optional), for topping
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

408 calories; 12 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 58 grams protein; 805 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine the chicken, hoisin sauce, chopped garlic, tomato paste, vinegar, garlic powder, crushed red pepper and 2 teaspoons salt in a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker. Cook on high for about 2 hours. (The dish holds well on warm for several hours for flexibility in timing.)

  2. Step 2

    Using tongs, remove the chicken to a large, rimmed serving plate or bowl.

  3. Step 3

    Pour the sauce into a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and cook at a vigorous simmer until reduced and syrupy, 10 to 15 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Meanwhile, using two forks, coarsely pull apart and shred the chicken. Pour the reduced sauce over the chicken and toss to coat. Taste and add more salt, red pepper or vinegar if necessary. Top with scallions, if desired.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
2,076 user ratings
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Comments

Rebecca

If you have a lot of chicken to shred, put it in your stand mixer bowl and use the paddle attachment on a low speed and it will shred nicely. Easy. For small amounts of chicken I find using my hands the easiest.

CFXK

I don't know anyone who finds shredding with two forks very easy. I've come to believe that recipes prescribe this with a wink, knowing that most of us are going to use our fingers.

Doug W

@Hi from Durham NC Will probably be more watery since the IP want let much steam escape. Be ready to take the chicken out and simmer the sauce down to the right consistency.

Nikita

to make this recipe more authentic to Asian cuisine, I subbed 2 Thai chili peppers rather than red peppers, added oyster sauce, 1 tsp of sugar, and msg to a slow cooker. Much more well rounded.

Margaret J

This really didn’t turn out like I thought it would. I added oyster sauce and dialed back the hoisin. I used soy sauce instead of salt. I even used a little black bean sauce too. It was pretty water at the end and not nearly salty enough. I added cornstarch to thicken and threw in more soy and a green pepper. It’s now kinda like a stir fry. Two stars because it’s edible and I wouldn’t throw it away. But def wouldn’t recommend to anyone.

Amanda

Based on other comments I used half hoisin and half oyster sauce for balance. I did double the sauce and splash a little chicken broth into the crockpot, and I had a lot of extra sauce. Next time, I will slice not shred the chicken, make less sauce and add vegetables, maybe bean sprouts, celery and shredded carrots a few minutes before serving.

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