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Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken is always a hit at my house! It’s chicken thighs cooked in a honey garlic sauce that is infused with soy and hoisin sauce with fresh garlic and ginger covering the boneless chicken thighs for one amazing family dinner. Throw it all together and let the slow cooker do all the work!
Since honey garlic chicken is a fan favorite, I have made a few different versions that are always delicious. You’ve got to try this Honey Garlic Chicken Stir Fry, this simple and fun to cook Foil Pack Honey Garlic Chicken, and this delicious Glazed Lemon Honey Garlic Chicken.
Slow Cook Honey Garlic Chicken
This has to be up there with my most favorite slow cooker recipes! The flavor of this sauce is amazing. And the smell of it cooking in my house all day is the best! It is so easy to throw together. The whole family loves this recipe, even the picky eater. Honey garlic chicken is the perfect dump and go dinner. I am in love with slow cooker dinners because you just throw everything in the pot in the morning, and by dinner time you have a tender and flavorful meal!
I make chicken dinners a lot, but if you don’t get creative with the sauces and sides it can get a little repetitive! That’s why I love slow cooker chicken meals, like this honey garlic chicken. I also love this Crockpot Tuscan Chicken recipe, but that’s another story! Serve this chicken up with some Instapot rice for the perfect hands-off meal.
Ingredients
Boneless skinless chicken thighs work best in a slow cooker since dark meat can be more forgiving when cooking for a long period of time. Thighs also don’t dry out as easily. If you prefer chicken breasts make sure to check it towards the end to make sure it is not overcooked and dried out. That’s my biggest tip when cooking this slow cooker honey garlic chicken! You can find the ingredients below in the recipe card.
- Boneless Chicken Thighs: I prefer chicken thighs over breasts but chicken breasts can be used in this recipe. Chicken thighs are a soft and tender meat with a little more fat on them making them juicy too.
- Honey: Choose the honey that you prefer but this will help sweeten chicken while it is slow cooking.
- Soy Sauce: Light soy sauce is just what you need to make this slow cooker chicken infused with.
- Hoisin Sauce: Thick and strong flavoring, this hoisin sauce will be the perfect amount of sauce to cover the chicken and marinate while it is slowly being cooked.
- Garlic: Crushed the best that you can or purchase the garlic crushed in a bag.
- Ginger Root: Fresh is best with the ginger.
- Sesame Oil: This has a nutty oil that adds just the right touch to combined the flavorings together.
- Cornstarch: Make a roux or thick sauce with the cornstarch and water mixture.
- Water: Luke warm water is perfect for creating a roux and adding it back into the sauce to cover the chicken at the end.
Slow Cooker Chicken Garlic Honey Recipe
It doesn’t get easier than this slow cooker honey garlic chicken recipe! You just put your chicken in the crock pot and pour over your sauce, and let that goodness sit and cook for about 5 hours. If you want to add onion or sesame seeds, that would be delicious. Once the chicken is cooked, I like to shred the chicken with two forks. It’s so tender it comes right apart. If you are using frozen chicken, make sure to thaw it out before cooking it, and that goes for all slow cooker chicken recipes.
- Prepare the slow cooker: In a 5 quart slow cooker add the chicken thighs. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. Cook on low for 4-6 hours and high for 3-4 hours.
- Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred.
- Make a thick sauce like a roux: Whisk together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Whisk it into the sauce in the slow cooker. Return the shredded chicken back to the slow cooker and let cook for another 15 minutes to let the sauce thicken. Serve over rice and enjoy!
Tips for Serving Honey Garlic Chicken
Make this slow cooker honey garlic chicken a complete meal by adding in side dishes that work perfectly for this dinner. Your family will be craving it and loving all the variations that can accommodate this slow cooker chicken.
- Vegetables: Try stir-frying vegetables, asparagus or mashing potatoes for a side dish. Even make it simple by using microwave vegetables or frozen vegetables to help complete the meal quicker.
- Rice: I love rice and the ease of using my rice cooker when preparing a meal. Fried rice, cauliflower rice or white rice is always a favorite in our family. The honey garlic sauce drizzled overtop the rice and chicken adds so much flavor and deliciousness to this meal.
- Salad: Since this is an asian meal I like to add in asian inspired salads such as broccoli ramen salad, asian edamame ramen salad or asian kale ginger peanut salad.
Storing Leftovers
This slow cooker honey garlic chicken makes the BEST leftovers! Seriously, I always make a lot because I know everyone is going to love it for lunch the next day. Here is how to store your leftovers.
- In the Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
I absolutely love my slow cooker for so many reasons. As a busy mom, it really saves the day! Here are a few of my favorite slow cooker recipes that we eat all the time and never get tired of.
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Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 6-7 Boneless Chicken Thighs
- 3/4 cup Honey
- 3/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp hoisen sauce
- 2 cloves garlic crushed I used 1 1/2 T minced garlic
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger root I used 1 T dry ginger
- 1 tsp seseame oil
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- In a 5 quart slow cooker add the chicken thighs. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, hoisen sauce, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred. Whisk togther the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Whisk it into the sauce in the slow cooker. Return the shredded chicken back to the slow cooker and let cook for another 15 minutes to let the sauce thicken. Serve over rice ane enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Does the honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame oil mixture go in the crock pot with the chicken?
Yes it does.
The recipe doesn’t actually say to put the sauce in with the chicken so you may want to edit. Had to find a comment about it to make sure!
I love it! I’m going to try this recipe. Thank you!
Could i use this recipie in a instapot?
Yes, I have not tried it yet but adding it to my instant pot recipes to try.
I came here to ask the same question!
This looks delish and if there’s an instant pot version, I’m making it this week! ❤
I did it in the instant pot. I cooked my chicken for 15 mintues on high pressure because I had a few LARGE pieces. I let the pressure release naturally for 5 mintues. I took the chicken out and added the cornstarch slurry to the instant pot on saute. Its delish! I might use smaller chicken pieces next time because the outsides have really good flavor.
I have Everything except Chicken,Honey. I’m making this tonight. Will leave a review afterwards
Hi Alyssa,
What a wonderful pics of Honey Garlic Chicken you have here.
Perhaps you’re interested to submit your food photos on a food photography site that has tagline “Food Photography that will make you hungry” :) http://www.foodporn.net
It’s free to submit, free to join, and a lot of members can enjoy your creation!
Hi there. How about linking this in to Food on Friday: Slow Cooker? Cheers
rookie cook quesiton: are the chicken breasts uncooked when you put them in the crock pot? Sorry, I’m new. 🙂
You can do both! I usually throw them in frozen with all of my chicken crockpot recipes. Obviously takes a little longer to cook. When I cooked these this time, I used fresh and cut them into cubes. It cooked really fast… like in 3 hours! Whatever you choose, I would just check it after 3 hours! 🙂
Its best to start with raw chicken, yes. Nothing wrong with asking, you’re learning!
ok shut up- YOU are gorgeous! thanks for stopping by my blog and joining! i’m thrilled to have found you and your recipes. and thanks for this delicious recipe- tomorrow nights dinner!
yep, that is definitely pin-worthy. i wish i had all the ingredients at home right now to make it immediately. thanks very much!
Thank you for following and for the invite. This looks so yummy. It reminds me of a slow cooker recipe that I have for sweet and sour chicken.
I will definitely be trying this really soon. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for stopping by my blog! You have some awesome looking recipes here! Can’t wait to try some.
~Jess @ makingoverthemartins.blogspot.com
This looks delightful!! I found your recipe via Blessed With Grace Tasty Tuesdays. Looking forward to visiting again.
These look so yummy! I’m so happy you invited me over to check out your blog! I love finding new recipes, and cooking! My fam loves it too!
~Thyme
Oh My! I’m so excited that you left a comment so I could find your amazing blog. I can’t wait to try your recipes! You take wonderful pictures as well!! Have a great week!!!
I am trying to put your badge on my site, but it isnt working, any suggestions? http://www.mommyssweetconfessions.blogspot.com
This sounds great! Going to “Pin” it for sure!