Oh, the joy of biting into something so deliciously messy—you know, when the sauce drips down your fingers and you just don’t care? That’s what these Honey Garlic Chicken Sliders are all about! Imagine a sweet and garlicky concoction atop tender chicken, all nestled within a soft, pillowy bun—it’s like a hug for your taste buds.
Steps
- Begin by placing the chicken thighs or breasts into the bottom of the slow cooker. In a separate bowl, mix together soy sauce, hoisin or oyster sauce, chili sauce, balsamic glaze, honey, minced garlic, and diced onion. Pour this mixture evenly over the chicken in the slow cooker.
- Cook the chicken on a low setting for 4 to 5 hours until tender. Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred it into thin pieces using two forks. Mix some of the cooking sauce with the shredded chicken to maintain moisture.
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare the slaw by combining Napa cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, and red bell pepper in a large bowl. Add rice vinegar and sugar to the vegetable mix, cover the bowl, and store it in the refrigerator until needed.
- When ready to serve, place a portion of the shredded chicken onto each slider bun. Top the chicken with a layer of the prepared slaw and garnish with fresh cilantro. Optionally, drizzle with Sriracha and sprinkle with sesame seeds for added flavor and presentation.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds (683 g) skinless, bone-in chicken thighs or chicken breasts
- ¼ cup (59 ml) soy sauce (regular or low sodium)
- 3 tablespoons (48 g) oyster sauce or hoisin sauce
- 3 tablespoons (48 g) Thai sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) balsamic glaze
- 2 tablespoons (42 g) honey
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- ½ cup (50 g) shredded Napa cabbage
- ½ cup (50 g) shredded red cabbage
- ¼ cup (15 g) finely shredded carrots
- ¼ cup (15 g) thinly sliced red bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 12 slider buns
- Fresh cilantro, for garnish
- Sriracha (optional)
- Sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)
Nutritional Values
Calories: 2388 | Total Fat: 66g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 0g | Unsaturated Fat: 48g | Cholesterol: 360mg | Sodium: 4254mg | Carbohydrates: 312g | Fiber: 30g | Sugar: 132g | Protein: 138g
FAQ
- Can I use a different type of chicken for the Honey Garlic Chicken Sliders?
- Yes, you can substitute chicken breasts for chicken thighs or vice versa. Both options work well in this recipe, so you can choose according to your preference or what you have on hand.
- What can I use instead of hoisin sauce in the recipe?
- If you prefer a different flavor profile, you can replace hoisin sauce with oyster sauce. It offers a less smoky taste and can be a great alternative depending on your palate.
- How can I adjust the spice level in the sliders?
- To alter the spice level, consider adding or reducing the amount of Thai sweet chili sauce and Sriracha. Adjusting these ingredients allows you to make the dish as mild or spicy as you like.
- Can I prepare the slaw in advance?
- Absolutely! You can prepare the slaw ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble the sliders. This can save time when you’re ready to serve the dish.
- Is it possible to make these sliders without a slow cooker?
- Yes, if you don’t have a slow cooker, you can cook the chicken with the sauce ingredients in a covered pot over low heat on the stove until it is tender enough to shred. The cooking time might vary, so keep an eye on it to ensure it doesn’t dry out.
Tips
- If you don’t enjoy the smoky taste of hoisin sauce, consider swapping it with oyster sauce, which offers a different flavor profile that may be more to your liking.
- To maintain moisture in the shredded chicken, mix some of the cooking sauce back into the chicken after shredding it.
- For added crunch and color, feel free to incorporate thinly sliced red bell pepper into the cabbage slaw mix.
- Customize the spice level by adding Sriracha or leaving it out entirely, depending on your preference for heat.
Equipment
- Slow Cooker or Crock-Pot
- Cutting Board
- Knife Set (for mincing garlic and dicing onion)
- Mixing Bowls (for preparing the slaw)
- Forks (for shredding the chicken)
