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Crock Pot Sesame Chicken Lettuce Cups
This time of year, I rely on my crock pot to get an easy and healthy dinner on the table when I’m too busy or don’t feel like slaving over a stove. Crock pot recipes tend to be hit or miss with my family, but this crock pot sesame chicken recipe is one of our favorites and one that my family requests all throughout the year.
The sticky sauce coats the chicken and gives the perfect balance of slightly sweet and slightly spicy. It’s so delicious!
We like to load on the toppings, too. I create a buffet of healthy toppings and let everyone pick what they want to add to their crock pot sesame chicken lettuce cup creations. Our favorite toppings are my mom’s famous kimchi (get that recipe HERE), spicy mayo (recipe below), sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, avocado slices, extra tamari or coconut aminos, and extra sriracha for the spicy lovers.
Oh! You’ll probably want to double the recipe because the leftovers are even better! Enjoy 🙂
Crock Pot Sesame Chicken Recipe:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, fresh OR frozen
- 3 tablespoons coconut aminos (or a gluten free soy sauce like tamari)
- 1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- optional: 1 tablespoon coconut sugar, honey or sweetener of choice (I use THIS)
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot or tapioca starch
- 2 tablespoons water
- Add your chicken to the crock pot.
- Mix together the coconut aminos, balsamic vinegar, sriracha, garlic powder, onion powder, ground ginger, sesame oil and sweetener (if using) in a small bowl. Pour over the chicken.
- Set your crockpot to low, cover and cook for 4-6 hours for fresh chicken and 6-8 for frozen.
- 20 minutes before serving, mix together the arrowroot and water. Turn the crock pot to high and pour the arrowroot mixture over the chicken. Stir. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the sauce has slightly thickened.
- Serve the chicken on lettuce leaves (romaine, iceberg and green leaf lettuce make great cups!) and top with toasted sesame seeds and any other optional ingredients that you wish. Enjoy!
To make spicy mayo:
1 tablespoon sriracha mixed into 3 tablespoons mayonnaise.
*I like to double the recipe because the leftovers are even better! 🙂
Pin Crock Pot Sesame Chicken Recipe HERE:
Is the chicken cut into strips before putting in the crock pot? It is hard to tell from the picture. Thanks.
Hi Donna! No, it’s not cut at all. At the end of the cooking time, I shred the chicken using 2 forks.
I made this using boneless, skinless thighs. So delicious and easy. I had it in the lettuce and my daughter enjoyed it in a bowl with broccoli. Love trying your recipes…thanks! And they smelled amazing while cooking.
I love getting your comments, Elizabeth! Thank you for trying out so many of my recipes! 🙂
Hi kelly,
We cannot use the arrowroot or tapioca flour (not SCD legal). Do you think I could use coconut flour as a thickener, or wouldn’t that work.
Hi Carla! I don’t think coconut flour will work. I’d just omit it. It doesn’t make very much “juice” anyway, so you’ll be fine omitting it.
Would you say your 4 chicken breasts are about equal to 2 pounds? Our chicken breasts run big from our market so 2 breasts equal 2.5 pounds. I just don’t want to end up with too little sauce.
Ooo, Angie. I don’t really know. I get mine from the farmer’s market and there’s no weight or anything on them. They look about the same or maybe a little bigger as regular ones from a grocery store. If I had to guess, I’d say the 4 breasts are equal to just a little over 2 pounds. I’ll have to remember to get the weight of them the next time I get some.