Honey lime shredded chicken sandwiches are cooked up in the slow cooker and topped with an easy slaw for a simple and easy weeknight dinner. Slightly sweet, savory, tangy and delicious.
When it comes to weeknight dinners, my slow cooker is a real hero. Our go to recipes include these 7 No Sautee Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes (there’s one for every day of the week!). These honey lime shredded chicken sandwiches are another great recipe to keep in your back pocket for weeknights.
Made with a simple slow cooker honey lime chicken recipe and topped with a simple slaw, this recipe works so great for meal prep and tastes amazing, even 4 days after cooking it!
This might sound weird but I actually like this shredded chicken sandwich served cold…but it’s great either way.
Reasons you’ll ♡ this honey lime shredded chicken sandwich
- it’s a little bit sweet, savory, tangy, crunchy and delicious
- it works really well for meal prep
- once meal prepped, assembly takes 10 minutes or less!
Recipe Video
Wondering how these crockpot shredded chicken sandwiches come together? Watch the 1-minute video below! Find more of my videos on my YouTube channel.
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Which ingredients do we need?
For this shredded chicken sandwich recipe, you will need:
- shredded chicken– we are using slow cooker honey lime chicken. I advise cooking it up ahead of time but you can serve it fresh if you’d like
- slaw– we are using cabbage, shredded carrots, zucchini and cilantro. Save yourself some time by using a bag of slaw
- vinaigrette– a quick sesame vinaigrette gives the slaw some tanginess
- buns– go for the big, fresh, fluffy buns. I ♡ Ace brand buns
Tips for the perfect sandwich
- meal prep– you can prep the chicken, chop the veggies and shake up the vinaigrette up to 4 days ahead. The slaw can be dressed for up to 24 hours ahead. Do not assemble sandwiches until just before serving.
- meal plan– find a meal prep plan + shopping list for this recipe here!
- chicken- this sandwich is all about the honey lime sauce. Make sure you toss it up in that saucy goodness before assembling sandwiches.
- hot or cold- you can serve these sandwiches with hot or cold chicken. I really loved them cold (a surprising amount!)
- shortcut- use bagged slaw for an easy shortcut
- buns– get nice soft buns, and level them up by toasting in a fry pan with some butter!
Find my favorite slow cooker and other kitchen tools in my shop
Can I cook this chicken in the Instant Pot? Oven?
Yes and yes!
- Instant Pot- cook for 8 minutes with a quick pressure release. If you have large chicken breasts (10 oz), add 1-2 minutes onto the cook time. Shred and toss in the sauce.
- Oven- bake at 425 in a covered baking dish for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Shred and toss in the sauce.
Can I freeze this recipe?
The chicken can be frozen before or after cooking.
- if you wish to assemble the chicken ahead and freeze, make sure you thaw completely before cooking
- either way you do it, chicken can be frozen for 3-6 months
Can I leave out the honey?
No, do not leave out the honey, it adds a ton of flavor to the chicken. If you are looking for low carb chicken breast slow cooker recipes, please check out these 7 Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes.
More slow cooker chicken recipes
- Crockpot BBQ Chicken
- Sticky Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
- Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken
- Crockpot Salsa Chicken
- Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken
Note: This recipe was originally posted in 2015. It has been republished with fresh photos, tips and a new video in 2020.
Honey Lime Shredded Chicken Sandwiches
Ingredients
Slaw
- 1 cup shredded cabbage
- 1/2 cup shredded zucchini
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1/4 cup torn cilantro leaves
Vinaigrette:
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon dijon
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
Sandwiches:
- 4 buns
- 2 cups slow cooker honey lime chicken
Instructions
Slaw
- In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, zucchini, carrots and cilantro.
- Shake together all vinaigrette ingredients, and toss slaw to coat.
Assembly:
- Top each bun with around ½ cup of pulled chicken and cabbage slaw.
- Serve immediately.
Meal Prep
- Chicken can be cooked up to 4 days ahead or frozen for 3 months.Cabbage, carrots and zucchini can be prepped ahead, and vinaigrette can be shaken together and stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Mary Lorrain
How much honey and lime do I put in with the chicken? I don’t see that listed on the recipe!
BJ Kopishke
In the assembly it says, “Top each bun with around ½ cup of pulled chicken and corn and cabbage slaw.”. I don’t see corn anywhere in the recipe. Did I miss something?
Denise Bustard
Hi BJ, thank you for catching that! The old version of this recipe had corn but I missed that on the recipe card.
Laurel
Do have the nutritional info for just the slaw?
Denise
Unfortunately I do not, but you could plug it into a nutritional calculator like on My Fitness Pal?
Eric
Just curious if I missed something… I don’t see lime anywhere in the recipe, just in the title. Should this have lime juice?
Denise
Hi Eric, sorry for the confusion, the honey lime chicken recipe contains the juice of two limes, it is linked in the recipe card and you can see it in that post.
Colleen
Instead of boiling your corn, please try microwaving individual ears of corn – husk and all – wrapped in a damp paper towel for 3-4 minutes (3 for just-picked or smaller pieces). Peel after it’s cooked and the silk just slides off! Corn will be very hot so microwave well before you will serve/use to cool down a bit.
Denise
Great tip, Colleen! That would cut down the cook time even more! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Rachel Pattison (Little Chef Big Appetite)
YUM! These look absolutely delish!
Denise
Thanks so much, Rachel!
Thalia @ butter and brioche
The flavours of this sandwich sound incredible. And so perfect for summer too – which is great because the season is just arriving for us here in Australia!
Denise
Oh I’m jealous! Except I know how HOT summer is in Australia (I lived there for 2 years)! I don’t want winter to come 🙁
marcie
I don’t want summer to go away yet — I don’t know what I’ll do without fresh corn and berries! This sandwich is right up my alley and would be perfect for our Game Day meal — I think I’m putting it on the menu this weekend!
Denise
I know! I’m not ready for cold weather, but it is here already! I need to move farther south, ha ha! Thanks, Marcie!
Catherine
Dear Denise, judging by the weather we have been having, I would have to say we still have some time until fall. I too plan on enjoying all the freshness of the summer…this sandwich sounds absolutely wonderful and mouthwatering. xo, Catherine
Denise
I want some of your weather, Catherine! We have had cooler weather here (in Canada), and I’ve even seen some yellow leaves. I’m not ready for summer to end 🙁
Izzy
I am loving all these recipes and I don’t even really eat chicken that much, haha! You are making me want to though! They seriously all sound so good and look so pretty! I especially want those soba noodles 🙂
Denise
Thanks, Izzy! I love soba noodles!