There are many more ways to enjoy pure maple syrup than the classic pancake topping. This sweet-and-spicy Slow Cooker Chicken Thigh Hot Pot brings bright, balanced flavors from dark maple syrup, crushed red pepper flakes, and five-spice powder — a comforting choice for a family dinner.
New England is famous for many things: brilliant fall foliage, passionate sports fans, and naturally sweet pure maple syrup. That syrup is versatile in both sweet and savory applications, and Katie Webster’s cookbook showcases how to use it beyond breakfast.
Katie Webster’s Maple: 100 Sweet and Savory Recipes Featuring Pure Maple Syrup (Quirk Books, 2015) offers practical tips for cooking with maple, explains how maple sap is collected, and includes a simple formula for substituting maple syrup for granulated sugar. Based in Vermont, Katie develops new recipes for her blog, drawing on seasonal produce and maple’s rich flavor profile.
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I tried Katie’s Slow Cooker Chicken Thigh Hot Pot as the cooler weather set in. While I had intended to make her Maple Carrot Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting and Maple Ginger Roasted Salmon, the slow cooker recipe felt perfect for a chilly evening. The dish combines browned chicken, savory aromatics, and a broth sweetened and deepened with dark maple syrup.
Katie and her daughters collecting sap from maple trees — an image that captures the seasonal charm of maple country and the hands-on tradition behind the ingredient.
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil or organic canola oil
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, fat trimmed
- 1 large Spanish onion, diced
- 1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon five-spice powder
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground dried ginger
- 1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1⁄2 cup dry sherry
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1⁄4 cup dark maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium, wheat-free tamari or reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 cup large-diced carrots
- 1 cup large-diced peeled celeriac
- 1 cup large chunks peeled yellow potato
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1⁄4 cup thinly sliced scallions
- Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat. Add the chicken thighs and cook 7 to 8 minutes, until browned on the first side. Flip and brown the other side. Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the chicken to a large slow cooker.
- Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, and garlic and cook, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion softens. Stir in the five-spice powder, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes and cook 30 to 90 seconds, until fragrant. Add the sherry and cook, scraping up browned bits, until the sherry reduces by about half.
- Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker. Add the chicken broth, maple syrup, tamari, and vinegar and stir to combine. Arrange the carrots, celeriac, and potatoes on top without stirring. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions before serving.
This hot pot is an approachable way to introduce maple syrup into savory cooking: the syrup adds a rounded sweetness that complements the spices and umami elements from tamari and mushrooms. Serve with a simple green salad or steamed rice for a complete, warming meal.