5 minutes prep for dinner? Yes please! Especially if it’s this juicy pile of shredded chicken coated with a sticky Asian sauce! Make this Shredded Sweet Soy Sauce Chicken Breast in your slow cooker, pressure cooker or on the stove – instructions provided for all three.
Like Slow Cooker Crispy Chinese Shredded Chicken, this Asian shredded chicken is ideal to toss through noodles, use in salads or serve over rice!
Shredded Sweet Soy Sauce Chicken Breast
This is a bit of a unique recipe in my books for a couple of reasons. Firstly, there are very few recipes where I’ll say it really does not matter if you brown the meat first before cooking it. This really is a “chuck it all in, set and forget” recipe.
And secondly, I don’t cook with chicken breast much. I know it’s healthier and I do know a foolproof way of poaching it so it’s guaranteed to come out juicy (I’ve got the direction in this Foolproof Poached Chicken Chinese Noodle Soup recipe).
But chicken breast is more expensive and has less flavour than every single other part of the chicken! (Eerm, well, I must say, I stick to the ordinary cuts – wings, thighs etc. I’m told that chicken feet, liver, heart etc is very tasty, but I don’t have any immediate plans to find out for myself!)
I find it very amusing when I go to Asian butchers and find that “western” cuts of meat are so cheap because Asians don’t value lean cuts of meat like chicken breast, lamb back strap and pork tenderloin. Asians love “dark meat” – chicken wings, and red meat cuts that need to be slow cooked. More flavour!
However, when it comes to shredded chicken, breast is best (try saying that after 5 wines). You can make this with any cut of chicken, but chicken breast shreds the easiest. Plus, because the sauce it’s tossed in is so jammy, you don’t need a fatty cut of chicken.
I make this in my slow cooker, on the stove and even the pressure cooker. Just depends on my schedule on the day. 🙂 No marinating is required, no browning, nothing. This really is a super shortcut recipe that doesn’t compromise on flavor or quality at all. You know how there are some recipes which are turned into shortcut recipes? This is not one of those. This is how it is meant to be made.
It’s a handy “back pocket” recipe to have because you probably always have the ingredients to make this in your pantry. And the sauce flavour is quite neutral so it’s a great base for adding your own touch. I like to add ginger, sriracha or red pepper flakes, a dash of hoisin or oyster sauce, or sesame oil.
Typically I just serve it on rice, though I LOVE it in Chinese buns too. And I often make a double batch because the sauce and chicken are fantastic for making fried rice! I’ve provided directions in the notes to the recipe.
Oh, and it freezes well too! The sauce does thin slightly, but the flavour is all there. When I defrost it, I like to pan fry it as the caramelisation sort of revitalises it and the excess liquid evaporates.
Hope you’re having a wonderful week! – Nagi
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Shredded Sweet Soy Chicken Breast
Ingredients
Shredded Chicken
- 1 lb / 500g chicken breast (skinless, boneless pieces)
- 2 cloves of garlic , minced
- 1/2 onion , finely diced
- 1 tbsp oil (vegetable, canola, olive oil or grapeseed oil)
- 1/3 cup soy sauce (ordinary soy sauce)
- 1/3 cup white vinegar (or substitute with other vinegar except balsamic)
- 3 tbsp jam (Note 1)
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns or 1/2 tbsp ground black pepper (Note 2)
- 3/4 cups water
Sauce Thickening
- 2 tsp cornstarch / cornflour
- 3 tsp water
Instructions
- Slow Cooker: Place all the Shredded Chicken ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low for 5 hours (or 2 1/2 hours on high).
- Pressure Cooker: Place all the Shredded Chicken ingredients in the pressure cooker. Cook for 35 minutes on high.
- Stove: Place all the Shredded Chicken ingredients in a saucepan large enough for the chicken to fit snugly in one layer. Add 1/2 cup extra water so the chicken is mostly, but not completely submerged. Cover and simmer for about 50 to 60 minutes, turning once or twice.
- The chicken is ready when it can be easily shredded with two forks. Remove the chicken from the liquid and shred it while it is warm. Set aside and cover to keep warm.
- Transfer the liquid from the slow cooker / pressure cooker to a saucepan and bring to simmer. (Note 3) Reduce to around1 1/4 cups - it should only take a few minutes.
- Mix together the Sauce Thickening ingredients and add to the saucepan. Simmer until it it thickens to a syrup consistency.
- Toss the chicken in the sauce and serve over rice. (Note 4)
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
This sounds so good, I love a good slow cooker recipe and I think I’ll be trying this one out soon (especially since my oven is currently out of commission). Great photos, too!
Thanks so much Sam!! Slow cookers are fabulous, are’t they? So handy!
confession, i don’t cook chicken much either. I love beef pork or seafood. But this sticky sauce with it and the shredded?? YES! I’d eat in a heart beat
Thanks Lindsay!! So glad you like the look of this! 🙂
Wow Nagi, that chicken looks amazing!!! I make something similar, although I’m super intrigued by the use of jam in yours… sounds so delicious 😀
Hi Amanda! Ooh, love to see your version, off to check it out! (Or drop the link here so my readers can see it!!)
Here’s the link to my post… but oh man, this was back when I was just starting out blogging, so don’t look at the pictures too closely LOL.
http://www.thechunkychef.com/slow-cooker-honey-garlic-chicken-with-spicy-string-beans-in-garlic-sauce/
Amanda, I can tell from reading the recipe that this is a winner! 🙂
Nagi, first off – your pictures are fantastic! Now – they usually always are – but this time – they are just killer! I am so intrigued by your use of jam in this recipe – when I first came to Atlanta, a friend convinced me to eat a fried chicken sandwich with strawberry jam – I thought it was so so odd – my brain and stomach told me no! But, curiosity got the better of me and I ended up trying it and the combo simply blew me away – so I need to save this recipe to try soon! Thanks so much!
Fried chicken with jam? Ok….you have me curious!! You can’t really taste the jam in this at all, it’s just the sweetener and thickening agent 🙂
Nagi, this chicken looks very delicious! I love that you used chicken instead of pork! Perfect for person like me who does not eat pork. I’m sure trying this. thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad you like the look of this! You’re right, there is SO much shredded pork out there, chicken is a nice change!
It’s so funny to see tomorrow’s date, today! This looks scrumptuous!!! I can’t wait to make it. I always have chicken breasts, and it’s perfect for when I’m at work all day and don’t want to cook when I get home!
Thanks, Nagi… I have become such a fan of yours!
Time zone differences can really be confusing!
I’m so glad you like the look of this 🙂 And yes it is PERFECT for work days!! Thank you for reading Cheryl! 🙂
I’ve been dreaming of pulled pork sandwiches, but I think I should try this chicken version! I’m using my slow cooker more in the summer than winter (even outdoors), so this is perfect! Pinned!
I had to giggle – I never thought you would dream of pulled pork sandwiches, I thought you would dream of cakes!! 😉 (Or quinoa? he he!)
Now I’m the one giggling! I rarely make these, that’s why I’m dreaming 🙂 🙂 🙂
I can’t say anything after 5 wines! Anyway, this recipe is so easy! And looks so tasty. Love the idea of using jam — really interesting. Thanks!
Ha ha ha!! I doubt I could say anything after even ONE of your amazing cocktails John!
Yummy.
I love easy dinners like this. Looking forward to this with a bowl of rice and some roasted broccoli.
Any leftovers, I want to stuff inside steamed buns.
I very rarely buy chicken breasts as I prefer thigh meat, but occasionally when they are on a great special I will buy in bulk for the freezer.
Sure I can find some hidden away.
I’m with you, breast rarely makes my basket! But when it does, this is the kind of thing I love to make with it! 😉
Hi Nagi! As usual, this looks and sounds perfect! I used my crock pot a lot when I was working and the kids were home, but after I retired so did the crockpot. That is until recently when I brought it back to life. Sometimes it’s nice just to put the stuff in and then when dinnertime rolls around you’re all set! I usually sear beef or pork when using the crockpot, but totally agree it isn’t necessary here! I see a fried rice dish in my future with this in it!
YES!! You will LOVE the fried rice made with this! And I’m glad you approve with the no searing for this 🙂 I think we have very similar standards when it comes to cooking – I love it! So yay, this has the Dorothy stamp of approval! (I feel like I need to design badge I can stamp recipes that you approve of! 😉 )