Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken (2024)

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Save the white styrofoam container for a more desperate time—today we’re making easy Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken. Its sweet, sticky sauce has all the allure of your favorite takeout but is made of healthy, natural ingredients. The recipe is only eight ingredients (nine if you are a stickler and count the rice), and if you cook Asian food regularly (meaning you own soy sauce), you have all of them in your pantry right now.

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken (1)

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I regularly hear that you are constantly on the lookout for healthy, easy crockpot chicken recipes.

As a fellow appreciator of keeping dinner simple (but delicious!) and healthy (but by no means “diet”), recipes like this slow cooker honey garlic chicken thighs are some of my absolute favorites to create.

The recipe index also suggests that when it comes to picking a slow cooker chicken recipe theme, I have a serious penchant for this entire “takeout/fake out” approach. (Although, I do have an extensive list of other Healthy Crock Pot Chicken Recipes.)

Current delivery-goes-healthy menu options include (though are not limited to): Pineapple Chicken, Crock Pot Cashew Chicken, Asian Lettuce Wraps, and Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken, with a side of Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli.

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken (2)

Does reading that recipe list make anyone else want to borrow a few extra slow cookers and create one of those restaurant-style combo plates? (I’ll have the #2 with slow cooker honey garlic chicken, the cashew chicken, and a side of Homemade Fried Rice please!)

For today, however, this tasty slow cooker honey garlic chicken is exactly what I want at the center of my plate.

The breezy ingredient list only takes a few minutes to stir together, the honey sauce merits nothing short of universal praise, and the leftovers easily pack for lunch and reheat like a dream.

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken (3)

About This Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Recipe

The Ingredients

  • Chicken. I opted to make this a juicy and flavorful boneless skinless chicken thighs slow cooker recipe, but you certainly can make this a honey garlic chicken chicken breast slow cooker recipe. Either will be tasty!
  • Honey and Garlic. This is a seriously under appreciated ingredient combination. The honey gives the sauce its signature sweetness and stickiness, without the need for any additional sugar.
  • Soy Sauce. The salty ying to balance the honey’s sweet yang.
  • Tomato Paste. Wait, don’t go. I know that tomato paste sounds odd in a takeout-type recipe, but it gives the sauce richness and a touch of acidity. Don’t skip it.
  • Chili Paste. (Also known as sambal oelek.) You can find it in the Asian or international food aisle of most major grocery stores (and even Target). If you don’t have it, swap red pepper flakes. This dish isn’t spicy, but you can always add more if you like a good kick.
  • Rice Vinegar. To make the sauce punchy and addictive.

The Directions

  1. Add your chicken to the slow cooker. In a mixing bowl, whisk your sauce ingredients together, and pour over the chicken. Cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is done. The chicken will bathe the yummy sauce!
  2. Remove the chicken to a plate to cool. Whisk the cornstarch directly into the slow cooker and cook until your sauce thickens.
  3. Shred the chicken, and return it to the slow cooker. Stir and coat your chicken in the sauce. Serve as desired (I like to serve it over rice topped with green onions and sesame seeds), and ENJOY!

As noted above, after the chicken has cooked, I add cornstarch directly to the slow cooker to thicken the sauce further because we like our sauce nice and thick.

If you are in a hurry, you can 1) skip the cornstarch step entirely and live with a thin (but still flavorful) sauce or 2) speed things along by transferring the sauce to a small saucepan, adding the cornstarch, then it on the stove instead. See recipe instructions below for tips.

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Recipe Adaptations

  • To Make Gluten Free. Use gluten-free tamari in place of the soy sauce, and swap the rice vinegar for apple cider vinegar.
  • To Make Paleo. Use arrowroot starch in place of the cornstarch.

Tips for Cooking Chicken in the Slow Cooker

Choosing Between Breasts and Thighs, Bone-In or Bone-Out

  • As far as which type of chicken to use for this crock pot chicken recipe, you have options. Boneless skinless chicken thighs are what I used in this recipe. Dark meat is more forgiving, so it won’t dry out as easily. If you like, you can certainly make this a slow cooker chicken breast recipe instead. Be sure to check the chicken early to ensure it doesn’t overcook. (For more tips on cooking chicken in the slow cooker, see my Crockpot Shredded Chicken.)
  • To make slow cooker chicken thighs bone in, I suggest removing the skin first so that the sauce doesn’t become greasy. You will also need to extend the cook time. I’d estimate 4 to 6 hours on low, depending upon the size of your chicken. The same is true of slow cooker bone-in chicken breasts.

About Using Frozen Chicken for Slow Cooker Recipes

  • While it is safe to cook raw chicken in the slow cooker, the chicken must be thawed. Do not put frozen meat in a slow cooker. It will spend too long at room temperature and may not be safe to eat.
  • If you do have your heart set on cooking with frozen chicken—say dinner is around the corner and you just realized you forgot to pull the chicken thighs out of the freezer (not that this has ever happened to me before!)—I’d suggest my Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken, which can be made safely with frozen chicken thighs or chicken breasts.
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How to Serve Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Make this recipe more filling by adding a side dish, or turn it into slow cooker honey garlic chicken and veggies.

  • Veggies. Simply sauté or steam broccoli or mixed vegetables while the sauce finishes thickening in the slow cooker. I used a frozen stir-fry blend that I sautéed with olive oil, garlic, and a few shakes of soy sauce. Steam-in-the-bag microwavable frozen veggies are an easy option too.
    • Try your honey garlic chicken over the top of Sautéed Cabbage for a low-carb meal.
  • Rice. Pile the veggies over cooked brown rice (Instant Pot Brown Rice is an easy way to make rice) with lots of the juicy chicken. Spoon the tasty honey garlic sauce generously over the top.
    • Or, you could serve this honey garlic chicken with Cauliflower Fried Rice.
  • Salad. Tasty Asian-inspired, crowd-pleasing Ramen Salad, Asian Cabbage Salad, or Asian Cucumber Salad would be delicious.

How to Store, Reheat, and Freeze

  • To Store. Store cooked and cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • To Reheat. Reheat gently in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium-low heat, with a splash of broth or water if needed to keep it from drying out. You can also rewarm this in the microwave until heated through.
  • To Freeze. Place cooked and cooled chicken in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

  • Programmable Slow Cooker. I like ones like this that switch to “keep warm” after the timer is up to help deter overcooking.

^^THAT SAID, every slow cooker model is different. I always recommend checking slow cooker recipes early to test for doneness.

  • Small Whisk. I use a 9-inch whisk 99.5% of the time over my large, standard whisk—so much so that I just ordered a second one, because my first one always seems to be dirty from recent use. It’s perfect for the slurry you’ll need for this sauce.
  • Instant Read Thermometer. The best, most accurate way to know when the chicken is cooked through.

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken (6)

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Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

4.69 from 1674 votes

Healthy Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken. Easy recipe with 8 simple ingredients! Juicy chicken thighs or breasts in a sticky honey garlic sauce.

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 4 hours hrs

Total: 4 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

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Ingredients

For the Chicken:

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
  • 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons chili paste sambal oelek, sriracha, or hot sauce of choice
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

For Serving:

  • Prepared brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice
  • Toasted sesame seeds
  • Chopped green onion

Instructions

  • Place the chicken in the bottom of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. In a medium mixing bowl or very large measuring cup, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, tomato paste, chili paste, garlic, and rice vinegar. Pour over the chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. If you are available, flip the chicken over once halfway through to coat both sides. (If not, don’t stress; it will still be tasty.)

  • Remove the chicken to a plate and let cool slightly. Whisk the cornstarch into the slow cooker cooking liquid. Cover and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally. If you’d like the sauce particularly thick, you can cook it for a full 30 minutes in the slow cooker OR follow the stovetop method below.

  • For quicker sauce thickening, reduce the sauce on the stove: After whisking in the cornstarch, transfer the cooking liquid to a medium saucepan. Cook on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring often until the sauce thickens, 5 to 10 minutes. (If your slow cooker insert is stovetop safe, you can remove it from the slow cooker and place it directly on the burner, but do not do this unless you are POSITIVE your insert is stovetop safe or it may crack.)

  • With two forks (or your fingers if the chicken is cool enough), shred the chicken and place it in the slow cooker. If you reduced the sauce on the stove, add it back to the slow cooker now. Stir to coat the chicken with the sauce. Serve over rice, sprinkled with green onions and sesame seeds.

Video

Notes

  • TO STORE: Store cooked and cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • TO REHEAT: Reheat gently in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium-low heat, with a splash of broth or water if needed to keep it from drying out. You can also rewarm this in the microwave until heated through.
  • TO FREEZE: Place cooked and cooled chicken in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 4, about 1 cupCalories: 329kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 35gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 162mgPotassium: 572mgFiber: 1gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 163IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 2mg

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

Learn more about Erin

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken (2024)

FAQs

Is it OK to put raw chicken in slow cooker? ›

Yes, you can put raw chicken in a slow cooker! Slow cookers and Crock-Pots are designed to cook raw meats. The direct heat from the pot, lengthy cooking time and steam created from the tightly covered container destroys bacteria, making slow cooking safe. You can put frozen chicken in a slow cooker, too!

Do I have to brown chicken before slow cooker? ›

"Browning, or caramelizing, meat before putting it into a slow cooker isn't 100 percent necessary, but it is well worth the effort for the most flavorful and full-bodied end result," he says. "The caramelized surface of the meat will lend rich flavor and color to the finished dish."

Why do chicken breasts dry out in slow cooker? ›

In addition, chicken breast has less fat and can become dry (chewy or rubbery) if cooked for too long. Without moisture, the protein fibers in the chicken become elastic.

Is 3 hours in slow cooker enough for chicken? ›

For a whole chicken – Place it in your slow cooker breast side down. Cover with the lid and cook on High for around 4-5 hours or Low for 6-8 hours. For bone-in pieces - Arrange chicken pieces in a single layer in the slow cooker. Cover with the lid and cook on High for around 3-4 hours or Low for 4-6 hours.

Should chicken be covered in liquid in slow cooker? ›

When cooking meat or poultry, the water or liquid level should cover the ingredients to ensure effective heat transfer throughout the crock. Some manufacturers of slow cookers recommend adding liquid to fill the stoneware 1/2 to 3/4 full. Follow the manufacturer's recipes and directions for best results.

Should chicken be cooked on high or low in a crockpot? ›

We found that the only way to cook chicken (and turkey) in a slow cooker is on the low setting and for a relatively short amount of time.

How long to leave chicken in crockpot on low? ›

Cover your crock pot and cook chicken breasts on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Chicken is done when the internal temp reaches 165 degrees F. Use chicken in your favorite recipes. Perfect for shredding!

Does chicken get more tender the longer you slow cook it? ›

Yes, chicken breast will become softer and more tender the longer it is cooked, provided it is cooked at a low enough temperature. If it is cooked at too high of a temperature, the chicken breast will become dry and tough.

Should you rinse chicken before putting in crockpot? ›

However, washing raw poultry, beef, pork, lamb or veal before cooking it is not recommended. Bacteria in raw meat and poultry juices can be spread to other foods, utensils and surfaces. We call this cross-contamination.

How to keep chicken moist in a crockpot? ›

If the chicken is cooked too long, it will become dry (even if you use broth or water) and tough. That means the best way to keep chicken from drying out in a crockpot is to stop cooking it as soon as it reaches the proper internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

Can you overcook chicken in a slow cooker? ›

The answer is yes, but you might not want to. Overcooked chicken tends to be dry and unappetizing. The slow cooker is a forgiving environment but even so, 8 hours or more is a long time for chicken to cook.

Why does chicken get watery in crockpot? ›

This moist environment allows you to leave food to cook for hours without risking it drying out. But because there is no evaporation, the liquid isn't able to reduce and thicken naturally in a slow cooker, often resulting in watery sauces and loose gravies.

Is 3 hours on high the same as 6 on low crockpot? ›

If a dish usually takes: 15-30 mins, cook it for 1-2 hours on High or 4-6 hours on Low. 30 mins – 1 hour, cook it for 2-3 hours on High or 5-7 hours on Low. 1-2 hours, cook it for 3-4 hours on High or 6-8 hours on Low.

Can I leave food in a slow cooker overnight off? ›

On some occasions, you'll want to leave food in the slow cooker to keep warm, during Thanksgiving or Christmas Dinner, for example, or any other event or holiday. While it's perfectly ok to use your crock pot in this way, try to avoid leaving food on the warming setting for more than four hours.

How long do 3 chicken breasts take in slow cooker? ›

With the exception of larger recipes (like 8+ servings), It only takes 2.5-3.5 hours on LOW for boneless, skinless chicken breast to be fully cooked in the slow cooker.

How long can you leave chicken in a slow cooker? ›

You certainly can, the meat will simply fall to bits, which might be desirable for some recipes like “Chicken and Dumplings” which will take 8–12 hours on “Low” setting. As long as the temperature remains above 140 F you can leave your chicken in the cooker all day but try to avoid more than 12 hours

Does slow cooking chicken make it taste better? ›

The longer cooking time and the low heat complement each other perfectly. As a result, even though the meat is cooked for far longer, it doesn't dry out because the temperature is low. As a result, this is the best way to retain all the natural juices of the meat. It also makes the meat far more flavorful.

How do you keep chicken from getting watery in a slow cooker? ›

okay, secondly, you can put a tea towel under the lid. that will capture some of the moisture, it stops it circulating in the slow cooker. and then thirdly, you can use a corn flour slurry, so into a bowl, a little bit of corn flour, cold water, mix it with your finger, pour it in, stir it. you're done.

When not to cook raw chicken? ›

Raw chicken

Before preparing chicken, it's important to look at its appearance for signs of spoilage. Raw chicken should have a light pink color with white fatty pieces. If the flesh is gray or green or if the fat is yellow in color, this is a sign of spoilage and you should discard the chicken.

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