Slow Cooker Soy Jalapeno Chicken
Slow Cooker Soy Jalapeno Chicken combines tender chicken, jalapenos, and onions in a flavorful soy garlic ginger sauce that’s sweet, spicy, and savory.
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A little spicy with a touch of sweetness, Slow Cooker Soy Jalapeno Chicken is a delicious, Asian-inspired chicken dish that’s loaded with bold flavors.
Soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, brown sugar, and toasted sesame oil create an addicting braising liquid the chicken cooks in. It’s delicious spooned over rice when serving!
The brown sugar balances the salty richness from soy sauce and Chinese black vinegar, and combined with the heat from jalapenos, creates a delicious flavor!
If you like jalapenos like I do, you’ll love Slow Cooker Jalapeno Popper Chicken!
I accidentally added the wrong ingredient to the photo above and forgot the toasted sesame oil. Disregard the square container at the bottom.
Ingredients needed (scroll down to recipe card for complete recipe):
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Yellow onion
- Fresh jalapenos
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Soy Sauce
- Chinese black vinegar (see below)*
- Brown sugar
- Toasted sesame oil
- Seasonings – black pepper, white pepper
- Cornstarch + water (cornstarch slurry)
- Garnishes – scallions, toasted sesame seeds
📍The full recipe with exact ingredient amounts and instructions is on the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
*Chinese black vinegar is an aged vinegar made from fermented sticky rice. It has a deep, dark color and complex flavor with acidic tang, malt/coffee undertones, and a rich umami depth.
How to serve Soy jalapeno chicken
This spicy chicken is a great main course to your favorite sides. Some of our favorites are:
- Garlic Sesame Green Beans
- Noodles
- White, brown, Savory Chicken Rice or Habanero Garlic Rice
- Oven-roasted vegetables
- Kimchi Cucumber Salad
💡Tips & Tricks
- Onions: For softer onions, put them at the bottom of the slow cooker under the chicken. I like mine to have a little texture, so I put them on top.
- Chinese black vinegar: This intense vinegar adds a complexity to the sauce. If you need to, you can replace it with balsamic vinegar. It’s not a perfect replica, but the closest thing to it.
- Spice level: The spiciness of this recipe comes from jalapenos, so you can reduce them if you want a milder chicken dish. As-is, it’s pretty spicy.
Looking for more slow cooker chicken recipes? Here are some favorites:
- Slow Cooker Chicken Provencal
- Slow Cooker Chicken Fajita Tacos
- Slow Cooker Spicy Italian Chicken Sandwiches
- Slow Cooker Japanese Chicken Curry
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Slow Cooker Soy Jalapeno Chicken
Equipment
- 5 quart slow cooker or larger
- Mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup
Ingredients
- 1/2 small yellow onion thinly sliced
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (10-12 thighs)
- 1 cup sliced jalapeno rings approx. 2 large jalapenos
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste or freshly minced ginger
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- toasted sesame seeds garnish
- sliced scallions garnish
Instructions
- If desired, spray the inside of your slow cooker with cooking oil. For softer onions, place them at the bottom of the slow cooker, then put the chicken on top of the onions, followed by the jalapenos, garlic and ginger. *If you like more texture to your onions, add them on top of the chicken with everything else.
- In a small mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, toasted sesame oil, black pepper and white pepper. Give it a stir until the brown sugar has dissolved, then pour it over everything in the slow cooker. Place lid on slow cooker and cook 3-4 hours on low or until the chicken has reached 165℉.
- With a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the chicken from the slow cooker to a plate while we make a cornstarch slurry. Turn the slow cooker to high. Leave the sauce in the slow cooker.
- In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the cornstarch and cold water and stir until fully incorporated. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the slow cooker with the sauce and stir to combine. Add the chicken back to the slow cooker and let thicken for 10-15 minutes with the lid ajar. The sauce isn't going to be "thick", as it is a light sauce, but it will slightly thicken. We love spicy, so we serve the jalapeno and onion from the slow cooker with the chicken. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions when serving and drizzle the sauce in the slow cooker over the chicken. Enjoy!
Notes
- The 4-6 servings are dependent on how many chicken thighs each person has. I get about 10-12 boneless, skinless thighs in 3 pounds, so that averages 5-6 servings when served 2 each or 3-4 servings when served 3 each.
- If you can’t find Chinese black vinegar, you could try balsamic vinegar. It’s not 100% the same, but similar.
- Chicken breasts can be used instead of thighs, but I think thighs work really well with this recipe.
- Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge and use within 3-4 days. Can also be frozen in freezer-safe containers. For the best quality, use within 3 months.
We have been enjoying this spicy recipe almost once a month. It’s incredibly flavorful and delicious over rice!