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Home Dietary Gluten Free Recipes

Slow Cooker Crispy Chinese Shredded Chicken

By:Nagi
Published:2 Nov '14Updated:24 Mar '19
114 Comments
Recipe v

This chicken takes slow cooked deliciousness to a whole new level. Packed full of proper Chinese flavours, super juicy with the added bonus of glorious brown crunchy bits, it takes just 5 minutes to prepare this Chinese Shredded Chicken.

Like Shredded Sweet Soy Sauce Chicken Breast, this Asian shredded chicken is ideal to toss through noodles, in a stir fry, pile into buns, use in salads or serve over rice! Instructions included for making this in a slow cooker or on the stove.

Crispy Chinese Shredded Chicken on a tray, fresh out from under the broiler.

Slow Cooker Crispy Chinese Shredded Chicken

“Slow cooked juicy shreds of chicken soaked with Chinese flavours with brown crunchy bits? Yes please!”

I think this is a great example of a dish that uses just a few ingredients and can transform into something sensational and quite unique. This chicken is braised in classic Chinese flavours, the base of which is Chinese cooking wine. Chinese cooking wine is available in large supermarkets in Australia but I really recommend you go to an Asian grocery store because it is far cheaper. I bought a 750ml/25oz bottle for just $0.99!

If you don’t have Chinese cooking wine, you can substitute with sherry. Be sure to use a dry one, not a sweet one, otherwise it will be far too sweet!

Braising liquid being poured over crispy Slow Cooker Chinese Shredded Chicken

In addition to the Chinese cooking wine, the braising liquid has other classic Chinese flavours, including garlic, ginger and sugar. It also has vinegar in it, to balance out the sweetness. I used black vinegar, which is a Chinese vinegar (you can also get it at supermarkets but is much cheaper at Asian grocery stores!) but you can substitute with any other vinegar other than balsamic vinegar. Preferably a brown vinegar but white will also work.

Pile of crispy Slow Cooker Chinese Shredded Chicken on a white plate

The braising liquid is fantastic as it is infused with the flavour of the slow cooked chicken so is essential an incredible stock. Serve it on the side with the chicken or use it as a stir fry sauce which is what I did for a Crispy Shredded Chicken Noodle Stir Fry. If you add a splash of vinegar, it is also brilliant used as a salad dressing.

“One chicken will serve 10 to 12 people. Shredded meat always goes so much further than I expect.”

Crispy Shredded Chicken Noodle Stir Fry
Noodle Stir Fry made in 10 minutes with this Slow Cooked Crispy Chinese Shredded Chicken

This recipe makes ALOT. Any recipe where the meat is shredded seems to make more than you expect. Ordinarily, I would say a 4 lb / 2 kg roast chicken would serve 6 people. But when you shred it, it will easily serve 8 to 10 people, or up to 12 if you use it for things like stir fries and salads.

My favourite way of serving this is simply piled high on a plate, scattered with shallots / scallions, with plain rice and some steamed vegetables on the side.

This Slow Cooker Crispy Chinese Shredded Chicken freezes extremely well and is very versatile so it’s really handy to have on hand for quick meals. Here are some other ideas for things you can make and ways to serve it:

  • Stir fried noodles – stir fry the chicken with noodles and vegetables using the braising liquid as the sauce. Like this Crispy Shredded Chicken Noodle Stir Fry;

  • Serve with rice and a side of vegetables, like this Restaurant Style Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce;

  • Fried rice;

  • Salad – toss with leafy greens and/or vermicelli noodles. Add a splash of rice vinegar (or any other vinegar) to the braising liquid and use it as the dressing;

  • Pile onto steamed buns, drizzle with braising liquid; and

  • Roll up spring roll wrappers, spray with oil and bake until golden.

Love to hear what you think! If you have any questions, just leave them in the comments section below and I’ll be sure to answer them.

Happy cooking! – Nagi

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Slow Cooker Crispy Chinese Shredded Chicken

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 8 hrs
Total: 8 hrs 5 mins
Slow Cooker
Asian, Chinese
5 from 21 votes
Servings10 -12
Tap or hover to scale
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This is one of those Chinese dishes that tastes great even if you have to substitute one or two of the ingredients or get the quantities a bit wrong. I really encourage you to go to an Asian Grocery store to get Chinese cooking wine because it is so cheap! I bought a large bottle for A$0.99 (less than US$1.00). This shredded chicken is great served on rice, with noodles (like this Crispy Shredded Chicken Noodle stir fry), in fried rice, stir fries or even on salads.

Ingredients

  • 3 - 4 lb / 1.5 - 2 kg whole chicken , skin on
  • 2 1/2 cups Chinese cooking wine (or sherry) (see notes)
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar (or substitute with white sugar)
  • 1/4 cup black vinegar (or substitute with malt vinegar, or white vinegar. Don't use balsamic)
  • 1 1/4 cups light soy sauce (or substitute with 3/4 cup ordinary soy sauce + 1/2 cup water + 1 tsp salt)
  • 3 tbsp coarsely chopped ginger (no need to peel)
  • 4 garlic cloves , crushed (not minced - see notes)
  • 3 tbsp cooking oil (vegetable, peanut or canola)

Instructions

Slow Cooker

  • Place all ingredients except the oil in slow cooker.
  • Slow cook on low for 8 hours.

Stove Top

  • Place all ingredients except the oil in a pot in which the chicken fits quite snugly but not tightly (you don't want the sides of the chicken pressed up tightly against the wall of the pot).
  • Put lid on and bring to boil over high heat. Turn heat down to low and let it simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the meat is very tender and falling off the bone.

Shredding and Crisping

  • Remove chicken from braising liquid.
  • Shred with your hands or two forks, including the skin. The meat should fall off very easily.
  • Heat 1 tbsp of oil over high heat in a large heavy based fry pan.
  • Add chicken (enough to cover the pan without crowding it) and drizzle over braising liquid.
  • Cook until the underside is browned and crispy (about 1 1/2 minutes), then remove from the pan. Don't flip the chicken (see notes).
  • Repeat with remaining chicken (it takes me 3 batches).
  • Serve with rice, on rice stick noodles or on a salad with the remaining braising liquid on the side. It is also great in fried rice.

To Store

  • This freezes really well, before or after browning the chicken. Just divide into freezer bags, label then freeze. If you froze it before browning the chicken, then brown it after thawing.

Recipe Notes:

1. Chinese cooking wine is available in large supermarkets but I really recommend going to an Asian grocery store where you can pick up a 750 ml / 25 oz bottle for as little as $0.99! It's also known as Shaoxing wine (Shaohing, Shaoshing).
2. To crush garlic cloves, just bang down on the clove (skin on) with the side of a knife or meat mallet so it bursts open but is still largely one piece. The skin should slip straight off.
3. By only browning one side of the chicken, you get both the crunchy brown bits as well as retaining the incredible juiciness of the shredded chicken.
4. The nutrition analysis assumes this 10 servings. It is higher than it should be because a lot of the fat renders out into the braising liquid and you do not use all the braising liquid. However, I can't estimate the effect of this so this is the nutrition analysis including all the fat on the chicken.Slow Cooker Crispy Shredded Chinese Chicken Nutrition

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 286gCalories: 440cal (22%)Carbohydrates: 15g (5%)Protein: 60.2g (120%)Fat: 10.3g (16%)Saturated Fat: 2.5g (16%)Cholesterol: 154mg (51%)Sodium: 1927mg (84%)Potassium: 489mg (14%)Sugar: 11.2g (12%)Vitamin A: 50IU (1%)Vitamin C: 0.8mg (1%)Calcium: 50mg (5%)Iron: 2.7mg (15%)
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

 

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114 Comments

  1. Mark Forde says

    September 6, 2022 at 6:23 pm

    Hi Nagi. Can I ask is chinkiang vinegar the black vinegar or similar you use in recipe? Regards. M Forde

    Reply
  2. Rose says

    November 13, 2021 at 9:35 am

    Hi Nagi,
    If I want to cook this in my instant pot, how long would you recommend cooking? Do you think 30 mins on high will be ok? I can see your lemon garlic roast is 24 mins on high for 6 hours on low.

    p.s. I’ve been cooking up a storm with all your recipes in lockdown here in NZ. They’ve all been winners and everyone now thinks I’m a great cook thanks to you! Thank you Nagi for sharing all your fantastic recipes 🙂

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      November 15, 2021 at 4:13 pm

      Hi Rose – I haven’t tested that yet but yes, based on the other roast chicken that should work. Let me know how it goes! N x

      Reply
      • Rose says

        November 16, 2021 at 6:06 pm

        5 stars
        Hi Nagi – I ended up doing 35 mins on high pressure and it was perfect! So yummy and economical – I’m currently making chicken stock with the carcass. Can’t wait to try your noodle recipe with the leftovers tomorrow 🙂

        Reply
  3. qu says

    November 2, 2021 at 6:13 pm

    Just found this on the website and was going to the asian store anyway so put black vinegar on the list but my asian store is really asian and i had to guess that i got it right. Chucked in anyway how wrong could it go. Well if 6 grandkids and 7 of the adults belonging to said grandkids were hanging around saying that smells amazing is that for dinner. I
    i am sorry i didnt get it wrong and totally ruin the dish because i dont have a wooden spoon big enough to run them all out so i can actually finish it. can guess just by the smell that it will be gone much sooner than i expected so much for dad and i having some nice steamed buns for lunch tomorrow. Thanks i think nagi.

    PS just crack on with cookbook. Tell any trolls that want new recipes to hit the search button cause i guarantee that they will find something they overlooked

    Reply
  4. Didina Gnagnide Angorinie says

    March 26, 2021 at 3:41 am

    Hi, this looks really simple and tasty but I can’t have anything from the allium family (onion garlic chives etc), would it still be good without the garlic? Or is there something else I can add to make up for it?

    Reply
    • Ash says

      August 21, 2022 at 3:23 pm

      I think it’ll taste OK without the garlic because I forgot to add mine in intially and it was still pretty flavourful. If you really want to try it you could try using the Indian spice called “Asafoetida” or “Hing”, which is pretty close to tasting like onion and garlic.

      Reply
  5. Vicky says

    March 23, 2021 at 2:08 am

    Hi! I have all the ingredients ready to go – can you pls tell me when I freeze it should I freeze the left overs with the brasing liquid?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 23, 2021 at 1:18 pm

      Hi Vicky, I like to freeze a little of the left over liquid separate from the meat 🙂 N x

      Reply
  6. Ellen says

    November 11, 2020 at 5:41 pm

    5 stars
    This was so easy, tasty, versatile and economical! It made tonnes and app far I’ve had it with plain rice and veggies, through fried rice, in a Thai style salad and in a home made banh mi! Definitely a winner!

    Reply
  7. Isabella says

    October 13, 2020 at 12:15 pm

    Hi! Can you use skinless and boneless chicken thighs?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 13, 2020 at 12:16 pm

      Yes definitely Isabella! N x

      Reply
  8. meg says

    June 3, 2020 at 9:42 am

    Can this be done with chicken breasts

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 3, 2020 at 7:38 pm

      Sure can Meg – they’ll cook quicker too 🙂 N x

      Reply
      • Kenza Long says

        March 16, 2021 at 1:47 am

        how long would you recommend cooking 3 breasts in the liquid on the stove?

        Reply
  9. Laura says

    May 15, 2020 at 2:22 am

    5 stars
    Just had to jump on here and say that this recipe is AMAZING. I have been making it for at least 3 years, both in my slow cooker and on the stove top. I freeze small portions for easy freezer meals and they are delicious every time. Pair it with a grain and a veggie or avocado as we often do and dinner is on the table in 15 minutes. It’s an absolute life saver!
    I currently have 4 chickens going as I’m doing some pre-baby freezer meal prep. That’s how much we love this recipe!!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 15, 2020 at 8:52 am

      Perfect Laura!! It’s a great freezer option! N x

      Reply
  10. Ana Tennant says

    May 4, 2020 at 7:18 am

    5 stars
    Hi there, is there anything I can do with the broth afterwards? Seems a waste to throw it away 😊

    Reply
    • Johannes says

      August 26, 2020 at 9:21 pm

      You might make some Chinese noodle soup with it, add Chinese noodles, fresh vegetables like bell pepper, spring onions, some hot sauce, soy sauce, some more vinegar and sugar.

      Reply
  11. Diane Grierson says

    March 27, 2020 at 7:22 pm

    5 stars
    This chicken is so delicious, my family love it. To describe it in one word, mouthwatering.
    Nagi can you please confirm that to store the leftover braising liquid It’s ok to freeze. Also how long will it last in the fridge.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 28, 2020 at 6:27 pm

      Hi Diane, It’s perfectly fine to freeze, in the fridge it will last about 3 days. N x

      Reply
      • Diane Grierson says

        March 28, 2020 at 6:57 pm

        Thanks Nagi.

        Reply
  12. Sumara says

    March 8, 2020 at 2:16 pm

    Nagi, would low sodium chicken brown be a good substitute for Chinese wine as I can’t have alcohol? I almost added sherry vinegar but I realized your instructions said dry sherry which I can’t have. Any help would be appreciated.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 9, 2020 at 9:38 am

      Hi Sumara, it’s not quite the same unfortunately but if you can’t use alcohol that’s the best substitute – N x

      Reply
  13. Karalee Huntley says

    January 30, 2020 at 2:49 am

    This may seem like a really silly question! I feel like I should be flipping my chicken over halfway through the cooking time, so the top half has some time in the cooking liquid. Please advise!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 30, 2020 at 6:36 am

      You really don’t need to Karalee, you drizzle the braising liquid over it at a later stage so don’t worry – it will have plenty of flavour! N x

      Reply
      • Karalee Huntley says

        January 30, 2020 at 10:58 am

        Thank you 🙂

        Reply
      • Karalee Huntley says

        January 30, 2020 at 12:03 pm

        Wow, just wow! I was skeptical the whole time, and now I can’t stop eating it! And I may just throw some noodles in that braising liquid and call it soup! 🙂

        Reply
  14. Uyen says

    November 2, 2019 at 10:54 am

    5 stars
    We just cooked today, it’s so good, also I love all your recipes. 😄

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      November 3, 2019 at 4:13 pm

      Thanks so much Uyen!

      Reply
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