Slow Cooker Chicken Stir-Fry – Easy, Hands-Off Weeknight Dinner

If you love the flavors of a classic stir-fry but don’t want to stand at the stove, this slow cooker version is the next best thing. It’s cozy, saucy, and full of tender chicken and colorful veggies. You get the comfort of a set-it-and-forget-it meal, with the bright, savory taste you expect from a fast stir-fry.

It’s perfect for busy days, meal prep, or when you just want dinner to make itself. Serve it over rice, noodles, or cauliflower rice and you’re set.

Slow Cooker Chicken Stir-Fry - Easy, Hands-Off Weeknight Dinner

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

• Chicken: 1.5–2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Bell peppers: 2 medium (any colors), sliced into strips
• Broccoli florets: 3 cups, bite-sized
• Snow peas or snap peas: 1 cup
• Carrots: 2 medium, thinly sliced
• Onion: 1 small, sliced
• Garlic: 4 cloves, minced
• Fresh ginger: 1 tablespoon, grated (or 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
• Soy sauce or tamari: 1/3 cup (use low-sodium if preferred)
• Chicken broth: 1/2 cup
• Rice vinegar: 1 tablespoon
• Sesame oil: 1–2 teaspoons
• Brown sugar or honey: 1–2 tablespoons (adjust to taste)
• Red pepper flakes or sriracha: optional, to taste
• Cornstarch: 2 tablespoons
• Water: 2–3 tablespoons (to mix with cornstarch)
• Optional finishing touches: Sesame seeds, sliced green onions, lime wedges
• To serve: Steamed rice, brown rice, noodles, or cauliflower rice

Instructions

 

• Prep the chicken: Trim and cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Pat dry with paper towels so it sears a bit in the slow cooker’s heat and doesn’t water down the sauce.
• Make the sauce: In a bowl, whisk soy sauce, chicken broth, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar (or honey), garlic, ginger, and a pinch of red pepper flakes or sriracha if you like heat.
• Load the slow cooker: Add the chicken and onion to the slow cooker. Pour the sauce over and stir to coat evenly.
• Cook the chicken: Cover and cook on Low for 3–4 hours or High for 1.5–2 hours, until the chicken is just cooked through and tender. Avoid overcooking; chicken dries out if left too long.
• Add the veggies: Stir in bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, and peas. Cover and cook on High for 30–45 minutes, until the vegetables are crisp-tender.
• Thicken the sauce: In a small cup, stir cornstarch with 2–3 tablespoons water to make a slurry. Pour into the slow cooker and stir well. Cook on High for 10–15 minutes more, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken and vegetables.
• Taste and adjust: Add a splash more soy for salt, a drizzle of honey for sweetness, or a squeeze of lime for brightness. Stir in sesame seeds and sliced green onions if using.
• Serve: Spoon over hot rice or noodles. Finish with extra chili sauce if you like it spicy.

Why This Recipe Works

This recipe borrows the bold flavors of stir-fry and adapts them to the slow cooker’s gentle heat. The sauce includes soy, ginger, and garlic, which seep into the chicken as it cooks, keeping it juicy and full of flavor.

Veggies are added later so they stay crisp-tender instead of turning mushy. A quick cornstarch slurry thickens the sauce at the end so it clings to every bite. The result is a simple, reliable meal that tastes like takeout but feels homemade.

What You’ll Need

• Chicken: 1.5–2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Bell peppers: 2 medium (any colors), sliced into strips
• Broccoli florets: 3 cups, bite-sized
• Snow peas or snap peas: 1 cup
• Carrots: 2 medium, thinly sliced
• Onion: 1 small, sliced
• Garlic: 4 cloves, minced
• Fresh ginger: 1 tablespoon, grated (or 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
• Soy sauce or tamari: 1/3 cup (use low-sodium if preferred)
• Chicken broth: 1/2 cup
• Rice vinegar: 1 tablespoon
• Sesame oil: 1–2 teaspoons
• Brown sugar or honey: 1–2 tablespoons (adjust to taste)
• Red pepper flakes or sriracha: optional, to taste
• Cornstarch: 2 tablespoons
• Water: 2–3 tablespoons (to mix with cornstarch)
• Optional finishing touches: Sesame seeds, sliced green onions, lime wedges
• To serve: Steamed rice, brown rice, noodles, or cauliflower rice

Instructions

1. Prep the chicken: Trim and cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

   Pat dry with paper towels so it sears a bit in the slow cooker’s heat and doesn’t water down the sauce.

2. Make the sauce: In a bowl, whisk soy sauce, chicken broth, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar (or honey), garlic, ginger, and a pinch of red pepper flakes or sriracha if you like heat.
3. Load the slow cooker: Add the chicken and onion to the slow cooker. Pour the sauce over and stir to coat evenly.
4. Cook the chicken: Cover and cook on Low for 3–4 hours or High for 1.5–2 hours, until the chicken is just cooked through and tender. Avoid overcooking; chicken dries out if left too long.
5. Add the veggies: Stir in bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, and peas.

   Cover and cook on High for 30–45 minutes, until the vegetables are crisp-tender.

6. Thicken the sauce: In a small cup, stir cornstarch with 2–3 tablespoons water to make a slurry. Pour into the slow cooker and stir well. Cook on High for 10–15 minutes more, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken and vegetables.
7. Taste and adjust: Add a splash more soy for salt, a drizzle of honey for sweetness, or a squeeze of lime for brightness.

   Stir in sesame seeds and sliced green onions if using.

8. Serve: Spoon over hot rice or noodles. Finish with extra chili sauce if you like it spicy.

Storage Instructions

• Fridge: Cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Freeze in portioned containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
• Reheat: Warm gently on the stove over low heat or in the microwave at 50–70% power, stirring occasionally.

  Add a splash of water or broth if the sauce gets too thick.

• Meal prep tip: Keep rice or noodles separate so they don’t soak up the sauce while stored.

Why This is Good for You

This dish balances lean protein, fiber-rich vegetables, and a flavorful sauce without heavy cream or deep frying. Broccoli and peppers bring vitamins C and K, plus antioxidants. Carrots offer beta carotene, while peas add a touch of plant protein and crunch.

Using low-sodium soy sauce and controlling sugar keeps it lighter than takeout. You’re also in charge of the oil, which means less grease and more clean flavors.

What Not to Do

• Don’t add all the vegetables at the start. They’ll overcook and turn limp. Add them toward the end for the best texture.
• Don’t skip the slurry. Thickened sauce is what makes it feel like a true stir-fry.

  Without it, the sauce will be thin and won’t cling to the ingredients.

• Don’t cook chicken too long. Even in a slow cooker, chicken can dry out. Check for doneness early the first time you make it.
• Don’t overcrowd with extra liquid. Vegetables release moisture. Stick to the recipe amounts so the sauce doesn’t get watery.
• Don’t rely only on salt. Taste at the end and balance with acid (lime or vinegar), a touch of sweetness, or heat.

  That’s the key to a standout sauce.

Variations You Can Try

• Teriyaki style: Swap brown sugar for 3 tablespoons of pineapple juice and add an extra tablespoon of soy. Finish with sesame seeds.
• Orange-ginger: Add 1 tablespoon orange zest and 1/3 cup orange juice to the sauce. Skip the vinegar or reduce it.
• Spicy garlic: Add 1–2 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce and extra minced garlic for bold heat.
• Peanut satay: Whisk 2–3 tablespoons peanut butter into the sauce and finish with lime and cilantro.

  Thin with a splash of broth if needed.

• Low-carb/keto: Use tamari or coconut aminos, sweeten lightly with a keto-friendly sweetener, and serve over cauliflower rice. Load up on non-starchy veggies.
• Vegetarian version: Replace chicken with extra-firm tofu (pressed and cubed) or tempeh. Add it for the last 1–1.5 hours so it holds texture.
• Extra veg: Try mushrooms, baby corn, zucchini, or bok choy.

  Add delicate vegetables later so they don’t break down.

FAQ

Can I use frozen vegetables?

Yes, but add them during the last 20–30 minutes so they don’t get soggy. They release more water than fresh, so consider reducing the broth slightly and taste at the end.

Breasts or thighs—what’s better?

Both work well. Thighs are more forgiving and stay juicy if slightly overcooked.

Breasts cook quickly and are lean; just watch the time.

How do I keep the veggies crisp?

Add them near the end and don’t overcook after adding the slurry. Aim for bright color and slight snap. If you like them firmer, drop the cook time by 5–10 minutes.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes, if your slow cooker is large enough.

Don’t fill beyond two-thirds full. You may need an extra 15–30 minutes before adding the vegetables, and always check doneness.

Is gluten-free an option?

Use tamari or certified gluten-free soy sauce and check that your broth and cornstarch are gluten-free. Serve with rice or rice noodles.

What if I don’t have cornstarch?

You can use arrowroot powder or tapioca starch.

Mix with cool water first and add at the end just like cornstarch. Avoid flour—it turns the sauce cloudy and pasty.

Can I prep this the night before?

Yes. Combine the sauce and chicken in a container and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, transfer to the slow cooker and start. Prep veggies separately to add later.

How spicy is it?

It’s mild by default. Add red pepper flakes, sriracha, or chili-garlic sauce to taste.

Keep heat on the side for a family-friendly meal.

Wrapping Up

This Slow Cooker Chicken Stir-Fry brings weeknight ease and takeout flavor together in one pot. You’ll get tender chicken, bright vegetables, and a glossy sauce with hardly any effort. Keep the veggies crisp, thicken the sauce, and taste before serving—that’s the winning formula.

Make it your own with the variations, and enjoy a reliable, tasty dinner any night of the week.