Recipe: Slow-cooker Sesame & Honey Shredded Chicken

On the first day of Autumn I needed no encouragement to get the slow-cooker out. One-pot meals are my favourite as they often need minimum effort and taste great. 

I've inherited my Mum's old slow-cooker and intend to make just about anything and everything in it this year. Plenty of batch cooking to fill the freezer for work lunches and quick,  home cooked dinners. 

This first recipe is perfect for this limbo weather; for salads, sandwiches or for dinner served however you fancy!

Slow-cooked sesame honey shredded chicken

(Recipe adapted from Comfort of Cooking, serves 4-5)

6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or 4 chicken breasts

1 small onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 tbsp honey

1 1/2 tbsp ketchup

1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp vegetable oil/olive oil

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

4 tsp cornflour

80ml water

To serve:

Your choice of rice

Handful of chopped spring onions

Sesame seeds

Season the chicken and add to the slow cooker. In a bowl, combine the onion, garlic, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, oil and chilli flakes before pouring over the chicken. Cover with the slow cooker lid and cook for 3-4 hours on low; or 2 hours on high.

Remove the chicken from the slow cooker onto a plate and shred into bite sized pieces. In a small bowl or jug, dissolve the cornflour in the water and add to the chicken sauce in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 10 minutes until it starts to thicken.

Cook the rice to packet instructions and serve with the chicken. Scatter over chopped spring onions and a generous helping of sesame seeds.