Pioneer Woman Slow Cooker Chicken and Broccoli

Pioneer Woman Slow Cooker Chicken and Broccoli is made with tender chicken breasts, fresh broccoli florets, and a savory sauce featuring soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and honey. This recipe creates a healthier, homemade version of a Chinese takeout favorite, where the meat is melt-in-the-mouth tender and the sauce is perfectly glossy and thick. It is the ultimate fuss-free dinner for busy weeknights when you are craving sticky, savory comfort food.

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• Pioneer Woman Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
• Pioneer Woman Stuffed Pepper Casserole
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🧡 Why You Will Love This Slow Cooker Chicken and Broccoli Recipe:

• Takeout Fakeout: It delivers all the savory, sweet, and nutty flavors of your favorite restaurant dish but with much less oil and no MSG.
• Tender Meat: Slow cooking chicken breasts in liquid ensures they stay incredibly moist and shred effortlessly, unlike stir-frying which can sometimes dry them out.
• One-Pot Wonder: Aside from a small bowl to whisk the sauce, everything happens in the slow cooker, making cleanup a breeze.
• Budget Friendly: It stretches expensive chicken with plenty of broccoli and sauce, making it economical for feeding a family.
• Sauce Control: You control the sweetness and saltiness, which is perfect for those watching their sodium intake.

🥦 Slow Cooker Chicken and Broccoli Ingredients

• 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
• 3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken broth (or water)
• 1/3 cup honey (or brown sugar)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar (optional)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated (or 1/4 tsp dried ginger)
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
• 2 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp cold water (for the slurry)
• Sesame seeds and sliced green onions (for garnish)

🍲 How To Make Slow Cooker Chicken and Broccoli

1. Place Chicken in Pot: Place the 1 ½ lbs of chicken breasts at the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. Make the Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, chicken broth, honey, sesame oil, rice vinegar, minced garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Pour this sauce over the chicken.
3. Slow Cook: Cover with the lid and cook on Low heat for 3 to 4 hours. (Avoid cooking longer or the chicken may dry out).
4. Shred/Slice: Remove the chicken from the pot. Shred it with two forks or slice it into bite-sized chunks. Set aside.
5. Thicken the Sauce: In a small bowl, mix the 2 tbsp of cornstarch with the 2 tbsp of cold water until smooth. Pour this slurry into the liquid in the slow cooker and whisk well. Cover and cook on High heat for 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
6. Add Veggies & Meat: Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Add the broccoli florets. Stir to coat everything in the thickened sauce.
7. Final Cook: Cover and cook on High for an additional 20 to 30 minutes. This cooks the broccoli until tender-crisp without turning it into mush.
8. Serve: Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve immediately over rice.

💭 Recipe Tips

• Don’t Mush the Broccoli: The most important rule is do not add the broccoli at the start. Broccoli cooks very fast. If you add it at the beginning, it will turn into an unappealing brown paste after 4 hours.
• Low Sodium is Key: Soy sauce is very salty. Always use low-sodium soy sauce so you can control the flavor. If you only have regular, reduce the amount to 1/2 cup and dilute with more water.
• Chicken Thighs: For even more flavor and moisture, you can substitute the breasts for boneless skinless chicken thighs. Cook them for 4 to 5 hours on Low.
• Crispy Broccoli Option: If you prefer your broccoli very crisp, steam it separately on the stove for 3 minutes and stir it into the slow cooker right before serving, rather than cooking it inside the pot.

🍚 What To Serve With Slow Cooker Chicken and Broccoli?

This dish is saucy, so it needs a base to soak up the flavor. Steamed white Jasmine rice or nutty brown rice are the classic pairings. For a low-carb option, serve it over cauliflower rice or even zucchini noodles. A side of crispy egg rolls or potstickers completes the “takeout at home” experience.

🧊 How To Store Leftovers Slow Cooker Chicken and Broccoli?

• Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
• Freeze: You can freeze the chicken and sauce for up to 3 months. However, broccoli tends to become soft and watery when frozen and thawed. It is better to freeze the chicken base and add fresh broccoli when reheating.

🥵 How To Reheat Leftovers Slow Cooker Chicken and Broccoli?

Important Rule: Do not overheat or the broccoli will become soggy.

• Microwave (Fastest): Place a portion in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover loosely and heat on high for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring halfway through.
• Stovetop: Pour the leftovers into a skillet. Heat over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the chicken is hot. Add a splash of water if the sauce has become too thick.

❓FAQs

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📊 Slow Cooker Chicken and Broccoli Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 bowl (serves 4)

• Calories: 340 kcal
• Total Fat: 8g
• Saturated Fat: 1.5g
• Cholesterol: 75mg
• Sodium: 950mg (using low-sodium sauce)
• Total Carbohydrate: 28g
• Dietary Fiber: 3g
• Sugars: 18g
• Protein: 38g

Pioneer Woman Slow Cooker Chicken and Broccoli

Recipe by Imen DridiCourse: Main, Dinner, LunchCuisine: Asian-AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

4

hours 

Calories

340

kcal

🥗A healthy “takeout fakeout” meal. Tender chicken breasts and fresh broccoli florets slow-cooked in a savory soy, garlic, and ginger sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets

• 3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

• 1/2 cup chicken broth (or water)

• 1/3 cup honey (or brown sugar)

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• 1 tbsp rice vinegar (optional)

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated (or 1/4 tsp dried ginger)

• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)

• 2 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp cold water (for the slurry)

• Sesame seeds and sliced green onions (for garnish)

Directions

• Place Chicken in Pot: Place the 1 ½ lbs of chicken breasts at the bottom of the slow cooker.
• Make the Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, chicken broth, honey, sesame oil, rice vinegar, minced garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Pour this sauce over the chicken.
• Slow Cook: Cover with the lid and cook on Low heat for 3 to 4 hours. (Avoid cooking longer or the chicken may dry out).
• Shred/Slice: Remove the chicken from the pot. Shred it with two forks or slice it into bite-sized chunks. Set aside.
• Thicken the Sauce: In a small bowl, mix the 2 tbsp of cornstarch with the 2 tbsp of cold water until smooth. Pour this slurry into the liquid in the slow cooker and whisk well. Cover and cook on High heat for 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
• Add Veggies & Meat: Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Add the broccoli florets. Stir to coat everything in the thickened sauce.
• Final Cook: Cover and cook on High for an additional 20 to 30 minutes. This cooks the broccoli until tender-crisp without turning it into mush.
• Serve: Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve immediately over rice.

Notes

• Don’t Mush the Broccoli: The most important rule is do not add the broccoli at the start. Broccoli cooks very fast. If you add it at the beginning, it will turn into an unappealing brown paste after 4 hours.
  Low Sodium is Key: Soy sauce is very salty. Always use low-sodium soy sauce so you can control the flavor. If you only have regular, reduce the amount to 1/2 cup and dilute with more water.
  Chicken Thighs: For even more flavor and moisture, you can substitute the breasts for boneless skinless chicken thighs. Cook them for 4 to 5 hours on Low.
  Crispy Broccoli Option: If you prefer your broccoli very crisp, steam it separately on the stove for 3 minutes and stir it into the slow cooker right before serving, rather than cooking it inside the pot.