Slow Cooker Korean BBQ Chicken
Slow cooked chicken thighs in a homemade Korean BBQ sauce served with low calorie rice, creamy blended kimchi sauce, and pickled vegetables.
Servings: 14 Servings
Calories: 180kcal
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- 1/3 cup 80g Soy Sauce
- 1/3 cup 80g Maple Syrup
- 1/4 cup 60g Mirin
- 3/4 cup 180g Apple Sauce (or pureed kiwi fruit or Asian pear)
- 1 Tablespoon 16g Toasted Sesame Oil
- 2-3 Scallions thinly sliced, green and white separated (white for slow cooking - reserve green for serving)
- 8 cloves Garlic crushed or minced
- 1 Tablespoon Ginger crushed or minced
- 1 Tablespoon Korean Chile Flakes gochugaru
For the Banchan (see notes for instructions)
- Pickled Cucumbers
- Pickled Carrots
- Creamy Kimchi Sauce
- Low Calorie Rice Blend
- Toasted Sesame Seeds
Instructions
- Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a slow cooker before adding the chicken thighs and tossing everything together.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 hours until the chicken shreds easily with a fork.
- Transfer the chicken to a separate bowl to pull apart, being careful to avoid over-shredding the chicken.
- Place the shredded chicken back in the slow cooker with the remaining sauce and let everything hang out together for 20-30 minutes using your slow cooker's keep warm function before serving.
- Serve over rice with pickled veggies, toasted sesame seeds or sesame garlic crunch, and creamy kimchi sauce.
Notes
See the post above for ingredient substitution ideas and tips on alternative cooking methods like pressure cooking, simmering on the stovetop, or baking in a Dutch oven.
Pickled Cucumbers
Slice 8 mini seedless cucumbers into coins (or 3-4 Persian cucumbers into half moons) and toss together with 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, 1-2 teaspoons of toasted sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon of gochugaru (or gochujang). You can also add thinly green onion if you like. You can make this while the chicken is cooking and refrigerate or make right before serving. I like the extra crunchiness when it's fresh. Thinly sliced radishes add extra crunch and color, in case you're interested.Picked Carrots
Place 12-16 oz of peeled carrot sticks in a jar or resealable container. Bring one cup each of rice vinegar and water to a simmer before stirring in 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 1-2 teaspoons of Korean chile flakes. Once the sugar dissolves, carefully pour the mixture over the carrot sticks. Let the jar cool to room temperature before sealing and placing in the refrigerator. You will want to make this one ahead of time or at least when you're starting the chicken. (You can also find pickled carrots on many grocery store shelves if you're a fan of shortcut ingredients.)Creamy Kimchi Sauce
Place 4 oz of kimchi, 1/4 cup of light mayo, 1 tablespoon of gochujang, 1 tablespoon of honey, and 2 tablespoons of water in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add water to reach your desired consistency. This stores well in the refrigerator, so you may want to double or triple the batch. Source: Bulgogi Bowls with Ground BeefLower Calorie Rice
Add 4 cups of rinsed jasmine rice to a pressure cooker with 4 cups of chicken bone broth. Seal and cook with high pressure for 5 minutes and 10 minutes of natural release pressure. Microwave a 24 oz bag of frozen riced cauliflower while the pressure releases before folding the two together. Season with salt, furikake, or your choice of seasoning. Source: High Volume RiceNutrition
Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 8g