Slow Cooker Gochujang Chicken and Tomatoes

Slow Cooker Gochujang Chicken and Tomatoes

In this straightforward slow cooker recipe inspired by dakdori tang, you’ll be rewarded with a tomato-braised chicken that’s light enough for summer but hearty enough for winter. The balance comes from the interplay of cherry tomatoes and gochujang: The tomatoes burst into a tart, light broth that’s deepened with warming heat and fermented savoriness from the chile paste. Serve the chicken with plenty of the sauce and tomatoes over rice, rice cakes, udon or ramen noodles, roasted sweet potatoes or grits. Garnish with any combination of toasted sesame seeds, lime wedges, cilantro or thinly sliced scallions or serrano chiles.

Yield: 4 servings

1½ to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry

Salt

1½ pounds cherry tomatoes

1 (3-inch) piece of ginger, halved lengthwise and smashed with a knife

1 to 3 tablespoons gochujang, depending on heat preference

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, plus more as needed

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon honey, plus more as needed

In a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker, lightly sprinkle the chicken all over with salt. Stir in the cherry tomatoes, ginger, gochujang, soy sauce, sesame oil and honey until coated. Cover and cook on low until the chicken is very tender and most of the tomatoes have burst, 5 to 6 hours. Taste the broth and season accordingly with more honey (if too tart, salty or spicy) and soy sauce (if too sweet or muted).