Slow Cooker Sweet Chili Chicken (2024)

Fall apart tender, juicy, and loaded with flavor, this slow cooker sweet chili chicken requires just 6 ingredients! Perfect to use in quesadillas, rice bowls, tacos and more.

One of my favorite ways to get a head start on dinner is to cook a big batch of protein in the slow cooker, then use it up in multiple meals through the week! Like my slow cooker honey lime chicken recipe, this slow cooker sweet chili chicken makes a great base recipe to use up in different meals.

Slightly sweet, savory, and full of delicious flavor, this recipe is loved by kids and grown ups alike!

Recipe video

Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped this recipe. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.

Don't forget to pin this post to save it for later!

Ingredient notes

• chicken breasts- I've used boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe; you can swap for an equal weight of boneless skinless chicken thighs, increasing the cook time to 4-5 hours on low
• sweet chili sauce- found in the Asian food aisles of most grocery stores, sweet chili sauce is sweet and slightly tangy, but not very spicy. If you can't find it, you can try making your own.
• soy sauce- I prefer using reduced sodium soy sauce, as I find regular to be too salty. Swap for tamari, coconut aminos, or liquid soy seasoning for a gluten-free version of this recipe.
• cornstarch- helps thicken the sauce at the end of the cook time; swap for arrowroot starch if desired.

Cooking this recipe

Scroll to the recipe card for ingredient measurements.

1. Getting it started

In the insert of a 5 or 6 quart slow cooker, stir together the sweet chili sauce, chicken stock, salt and soy sauce. Stir together until smooth, then add the chicken breasts and turn to coat in the sauce.

Cook on low for 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours*, and make sure not to lift the lid during the cook time.

*If you know your slow cooker cooks lower or slower, consider increasing the cook time as needed.

2. Thickening the sauce

30 minutes before serving, stir together the cornstarch and water until no lumps remain. Working quickly, remove the lid from the slow cooker, stir in the cornstarch slurry, and put the lid back on the slow cooker.

Set to high and cook for another 20-30 minutes, keeping an eye on the slow cooker so the sauce does not burn. At this point, the sauce should be bubbly and thickened.

3. Shred the chicken

Once the sauce has thickened to your liking, remove the chicken from the slow cooker and transfer to a clean bowl. Using two forks, shred the chicken. You can also use an electric hand mixer (this shreds the chicken in seconds!).

If you'd prefer, you can slice or cube the chicken. Allow it to rest on a cutting board for ten minutes before slicing.

4. Toss with cooking liquid

Once chicken is shredded, you can return it to the slow cooker, or pour the cooking liquid over the chicken. I used half the sauce for the photos in this post.

Garnish the chicken with cilantro leaves and/or sesame seeds, and enjoy!

Meal prep + storage

This chicken recipe works great for meal prep! Here are two ways you can meal prep it:

1. Crock pot freezer meal

A crock pot freezer meal is assembled ahead and frozen before cooking. This way, when it's time to cook, you simply dump the ingredients into the slow cooker and skip any measuring. This is a great recipe to prepare for someone who is expecting a baby.

Here’s how you can turn this recipe into a freezer meal:

1. Assemble the boneless skinless chicken breasts plus all remaining ingredients (except for the cornstarch and water) in a gallon-sized freezer bag, reusable silicone bag, or meal prep container.
2. Squeeze out as much air as possible.
3. Freeze flat for up to 3 months.
4. Thaw completely, then cook as directed in the recipe card.

Findmy favorite freezer containers here!

2. Cook ahead and reheat

You can cook your chicken through, cool, and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Use it as a base for three meals (see below).

Reheat in the microwave until steaming hot, and enjoy!

Find myfavorite meal prep containershere!

More slow cooker chicken recipes

• Crock Pot Salsa Chicken
• Crock Pot Whole Chicken
• Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas
• Sticky Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
• Tuscan Slow Cooker Chicken Stew
• 7 No Sautee Slow Cooker Recipes