44 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Sweet Chili Chicken is slow-cooked until tender and coated in a creamy, tangy sauce with just the right amount of heat. Tastes great over rice for an Asian inpired dinner.
Featured Comment
"I made this tonight and it was delicious! I added minced garlic and 2 tbsp of soy sauce and served over lo mein noodles!"
- Stephanie
We love sweet chili sauce in our house; the kind you dip crab rangoons in, not the super spicy Thai version. Paired with the other ingredients in this recipe, it’s the perfect combo.
A pizza from a local shop in my town inspired this sweet chili chicken. It has a cream cheese base, tender chicken, and a drizzle of sweet chili sauce with green onions on top—this recipe brings those same flavors to the crockpot. I hope you enjoy my latest creation.
Key Ingredients
Boneless skinless chicken breasts: Absorbs the creamy sweet sauce and shreds well.
Sweet chili sauce: This is the sweeter version, like the kinds used for asian dipping sauces. I use the Panda Express brand.
Ranch seasoning: Adds all the seasonings this meal needs, doesn't seem like an asian seasoning, but it gives lots of onion and garlic flavor.
Cream cheese: Makes the sauce rich and smooth. Cream cheese is a magic ingredient to add flavor and creaminess to many slow cooker recipes. You can also find cream cheese in Slow Cooker Crack Chicken, Crockpot Fiesta Chicken, and Artichoke Mushroom Chicken.
Green onions: Add a little crunch and flavor to each bite, don't skip this.
How to Make Sweet Chili Chicken
This super-easy meal comes together in the crockpot in minutes and only takes a few hours to perfection.
- Put the raw chicken into the slow cooker.
- Add the ranch mix over the chicken.
- Drizzle over the sweet chili sauce.
- Place the cream cheese on top and cook until the chicken is ultra tender and shred.
Cook's Notes and Variations
Added Vegetables: One of the most popular variations is to add onion, red bell pepper, shredded carrots, and pineapple chunks.
Chicken Thighs: A meat variation idea is to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
Make into a freezer meal: Add all ingredients into a freezer-proof Ziploc bag and try to remove as much air as possible. Freeze it flat for up to 3 months. When you're ready to cook it, allow it to defrost, add it to your crockpot and cook according to the directions
How to Serve Sweet Chili Chicken
Toppings: Besides sliced green onion, try cilantro and/or toasted sesame seeds. Adding toppings like this to slow cooker meals makes all the difference in flavor and texture.
Sides: This sweet chili chicken recipe pairs perfectly with steamed white rice or chow mein noodles. Add a stir-fry vegetable to round out the meal.
Is Sweet Chili Sauce Hot?
The sweet chili sauce we use is sweeter than spicy. There is a slight hint of heat, but if paired with other ingredients, it usually is tamed down very well.
More slow cooker Asian chicken recipes
Try bold and flavorful meals like Korean BBQ Chicken or Slow Cooker Mongolian Chicken, both packed with sweet and savory depth.
For something rich and nutty, Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken is a creamy favorite. Craving takeout at home?
Slow Cooker Orange Chicken and Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken hit the spot. Or go with Slow Cooker Chicken Adobo for a tangy, slow-simmered classic.
If you tried this Sweet Chili Chicken recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Happy Slow Cooking!
How to Video
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 oz. packet ranch dressing mix
- 20.75 oz. sweet chili sauce, (about 2.5 cups, I use Panda Express Brand)
- 8 oz. cream cheese, Philidelphia brand melts best
- sliced green onions for serving
Instructions
- Add the chicken breasts to the slow cooker.
- Sprinkle over the ranch dressing mix.
- Pour over the sweet chili sauce.
- Place the block of cream cheese on top of the chicken.
- Cook on LOW for 4.5 hours or HIGH for 3.5 hours.
- Shred the chicken with two forks and stir the cooked cream cheese into the sauce and chicken. Serve with rice topped with green onions with a green veggie if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Is the sweet chili spicy hot? How hot is it. I can’t do hot, however, this looks so good. Do you think Sweet and Sour sauce would work?.
It’s just slightly hot, more sweet than hot. Sweet and sour sauce would work.
Do you think reduced fat cream cheese would work?
It should work fine!
I made this for the guys today. I added half of a large sliced white onion and 2 sliced red peppers. It was a hit! I added the veg at about 2 1/2 hours and then cooked it another 2, all on low. We had it over rice. Great flavor! This recipe is a definite keeper!
looking forward to making this (going to use chicken thighs and adding in red bell pepper, pineapple chunks and bamboo strips); wondering how you would recommend changing the cooking time/process with using cooked chicken (e.g. rotisserie chicken). Also, for adding the veggies as you recommended, where in the process would you add them?
Hi! This is too hard to say since there are so many changes – the moisture will be off in the recipe if you use cooked chicken. And for vegetables and pineapple, those can be added the last 1.5 hours.
amazing make it all the time !
this time i accidently used sweet and sour panada sauce lets hope it comes out okay!
Sounds great, actually.
This was DELICIOUS. Served it over rice. Also, I cooked up a green pepper and pineapple chunks in a frying pan and served them on top along with some crushed Ritz crackers for some texture. My tween kids ate it up and it wasn’t spicy for them. Great meal on a busy night with sports.
I love this recipe! It has become a staple at my house. Have you had any luck freezing it after it’s cooked?
10/10 would recommend! Easy & so delicious served over jasmine rice & broccoli.