Slow Cooker Korean Chicken Sliders Recipe
These Slow Cooker Korean Chicken Sliders are a flavorful and easy-to-make dish featuring tender shredded chicken simmered in a spicy, sweet gochujang sauce. Served on slider buns or Bibb lettuce wraps and topped with kimchi, avocado, pickled bean sprouts, gochujang aioli, scallions, and sesame seeds, these sliders bring bold Korean-inspired flavors to your table with minimal effort.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 sliders 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients
Scale
Main Chicken and Sauce
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs
- 1/4 cup gochujang
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 small red onion, grated
- 4 cloves garlic, grated
- 1” piece of ginger, peeled and grated
- 3 tablespoons mirin
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
Toppings and Assembly
- Slider buns and/or Bibb lettuce
- Kimchi
- Avocado, thinly sliced
- Lightly pickled bean sprouts (see below)
- Gochujang Aioli (see below)
- 1 bunch scallions, chopped
- Sesame seeds
Lightly Pickled Bean Sprouts
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/2 scant tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
Gochujang Aioli
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 tablespoons gochujang
- 1 clove garlic, grated with microzester
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Pinch of garlic powder
- Pinch of onion powder
Instructions
- Prepare the Slow Cooker and Sauce: Spray the inside of your slow cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Stir together gochujang, soy sauce, grated onion, grated garlic, grated ginger, mirin, brown sugar, sesame oil, and pepper directly in the slow cooker bowl until fully combined. Add the chicken breasts and/or thighs, stirring to evenly coat them in the sauce.
- Cook the Chicken: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for about 4 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker into a large bowl and use two forks to shred the meat finely.
- Thicken the Sauce and Combine: In a small bowl, fully combine arrowroot powder or cornstarch with water. Pour this mixture into the sauce left in the slow cooker, stirring well to incorporate. Add the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker and stir to coat in the thickened sauce. Cook uncovered for an additional 10-15 minutes to let the sauce thicken around the chicken.
- Make the Lightly Pickled Bean Sprouts: In a small bowl, combine rice vinegar, warm water, sugar, and kosher salt, stirring until dissolved. Pour this pickling liquid over the bean sprouts and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to lightly pickle.
- Make the Gochujang Aioli: In a small bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, gochujang, grated garlic, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir until fully incorporated. This can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
- Assemble the Sliders: Place a generous amount of the Korean chicken on each slider bun or Bibb lettuce leaf. Top with kimchi, thinly sliced avocado, lightly pickled bean sprouts, a dollop of gochujang aioli, chopped scallions, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve the sliders immediately while warm, devouring the bold, spicy, and tangy flavors in every bite.
Notes
- The recipe works with either chicken breasts, thighs, or a mix. Thighs will be more tender and juicy.
- You can adjust the gochujang quantity to control the heat level.
- For gluten-free, ensure you use gluten-free soy sauce and mirin.
- The aioli and pickled bean sprouts can be made a day in advance to save time.
- Slider buns can be substituted with lettuce wraps for a low-carb option.
- Leftover shredded chicken is great for rice bowls or tacos.
Keywords: Korean chicken sliders, slow cooker recipe, gochujang chicken, Korean sliders, easy chicken recipe, Korean fusion food, slow cooker chicken, spicy chicken sliders
