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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.
Can this be frozen after cooking and reheated later?
Yes, this can be frozen then warmed up within 30 to 45 days.
OMG! Fabulous! Thanks Alyssa. My wife must have commented 50 times about how she loved it. The only change: used a cup of Honey and a half cup of Soy sauce. Result was perfect.
John
Can this be cooked in a wok?
Yes, totally!
Very good, but way too much soy sauce. I think next time I’ll cut back on it and put in more honey and maybe some water or a stock.
There is something green in the picture that I don’t see in the recipe. Green onion tops?
I made this ofr tonnight’s dinner. I didn’t have hosin sauce, so instead I used Sweet Baby Ray’s barbeque sauce. It turned out delicious! The sauce was a good consistency and very saucy, just like I like it. Thank you for a great recipe. Will be making this again & again!
I don’t own a slow cooker. So I wonder if you can change the recipe to be able to be made in a conventional topped pan and either put it in water on top of the stove or convert it to the oven. By the way, I may be wrong but I think a “slow cooker” as an appliance you use on top of your counter and plug it in. Maybe I am wrong?
Yes, you are correct. A slow cooker is an appliance you would add all the ingredients in and cook. If you do not have one you can put it on the stovetop and cook in a large pot or dutch oven. Cook on low for about 1 to 2 hours long.
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Made this for dinner today. Total hit. I used chicken breast instead of thighs. Going to be a new regular. Thanks for sharing.
Wow!! wonderful recipe
Can I use bone in chicken thighs and how long would I cook it
Yes, just add an additional 15 minutest to cooking time. It is always best to use a meat thermometer for best results.
Love the sound of this.
I liked the idea of carrots but last 15 minutes will add pineapple. Yum!
It was delicious however next time I think I make it I might use more honey and less soy sauce. It was kinda over powered by it. But still delicious!!
Hi there what can I substitute hoisin sauce with as I don’t have ??
I’d like to give this recipe a try tonight
Soy sauce or teriyaki sauce will always work instead.
Could you use leftover chicken that has already been cooked? I know it would take less time.
Yes, that is a great time saver. Cut back the time about 1 to 2 hours.
I cook this on low in my dutch oven on the the stove for 3 hrs. I don’t use hoisen sauce so I don’t have it. I researched hoisen to find a substitute and decided to use 1 tablespoon of peanut butter in place of it. I also used freeze dried ginger flake as well. This is fabulous! I am making it for the second time as I type this. I also add fresh cut up carrots. This is great over rice and I am sure it would be great over mashed potatoes as well! Yum!
How about at potatoes?
Can we make this in an instant pot or stir fry it? TY
Yes to both! I have not tried that but I will and let you know how it turns out.