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.
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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.
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.
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
- 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!
- Remove the chicken to a plate to cool. Whisk the cornstarch directly into the slow cooker and cook until your sauce thickens.
- 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.
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.
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
Video
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Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
- ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ⅓ 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.
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
More Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
When it comes to easy, healthy dinners, these crockpot chicken recipes hit the spot.
I’m 4 hours into slow cooker time and just realised I forgot to add the tomato paste. Can I add now or just leave it out
Sure you can add it!
Suggestions for doing in the instant pot?
Hi Heather! It likely could be made in the instant pot, though it would need adjustment because the liquid level is probably not enough. I’ve only tested it in the slow cooker, so if you decide to experiment, I’d love to hear how it goes.
This recipe tastes great and is so easy to make. I made this meant for a dinner of 3 and instead my middle son (29) ate the ENTIRE thing by himself!!! :-O Served it with rice and broccoli as suggested – I wil be making this again!
So glad to hear, Lynda! Thank you!
This turned out YUMMY! Making it again, but, doubling the recipe. Works great with chicken breast.
So glad to hear! Thank you Laura!
This is wonderful! I didn’t realize until i already began making it that my rice vinegar had gone rancid. So I substituted apple cider vinegar. I didn’t have chili paste but I used hot sauce. I also used chicken breasts because that’s what I had on hand, and I kept a close eye with a meat thermometer. They finished cooking in about an hour and a half on HIGH. It paired great with Erin’s steamed broccoli recipe, the Asian variation with sesame oil. I will definitely make both recipes again! And I will try next time with rice vinegar and hopefully chili paste if I can find some (my small town’s grocery store didn’t have any).
So glad to hear it turned out well, Jessica! Thank you!
Great recipe and easy to make. I used white wine vinegar and ketchup as that’s what I had. And 1 1/2 Tblsps of minced garlics instead of whole cloves.
I had to add water as the sauce thickened too quickly . Maybe less corn starch next time . Definitely will make again ! Thankyou !
Glad it worked out for you, Caroline! Thank you!
Could I make this in the instant pot?
Hi Kimberly, It likely could be made in the instant pot, though it would need adjustment because the liquid level is probably not enough. I’ve only tested it in the slow cooker, so if you decide to experiment, I’d love to hear how it goes.
Could you cut the chicken into bite size pieces before putting in crock pot?
Hi Jane, you probably could but I think it will cook faster that way.
This was bland. I won’t make it again.
I’m sorry to hear the recipe wasn’t to your taste, Elsa. I know it’s disappointing to try a new recipe and not enjoy it. I (and many other readers) have enjoyed it, so I really wish they would’ve been a hit for you too!
This recipe is not only easy, it brings a ton of flavor. A nice thing about it is that you can tweak it depending on the intensity/sweet/savory/saltiness you want.
After cooking I removed the chicken, strained the liquid into a pot on the stove, added some chicken broth and reduced it. After adding the chicken back I put the shredded chicken on a sheet pan under the broiler. The extra flavor and caramelization from that was unreal. Definitely making again
The flavor an
So glad you enjoyed the chicken, Corey! Thank you!
I’m making this today and want to add carrots and broccoli. Should I add these in the beginning or towards the end? (I’m planning to cook in low for 5 hours)
Hi Sammy, carrots should hold up for the entire time, broccoli I wouldn’t cook for more than an hour. Make sure the broccoli goes in on top. Let me know how it goes!
Loved your honey garlic chicken recipe for a slow cooker will definitely be doing it again thankyou
So glad to hear, Christine!
Does anyone know the sodium content here? Thanks!
Hi Mary! I stopped including sodium info because it can vary so much depending upon what products you used, and I found a lot of conflicting info online, so ultimately I didn’t feel comfortable publishing it because sometimes it wasn’t even in the ballpark. If you’d like to calculate it yourself, there are lots of free tools online (myfitnesspal.com is popular). I hope that helps!
I haven’t made this yet, do you have any suggestions for reducing the sodium content (other than the obvious – using low sodium soy sauce)
I, like others, am on a low sodium diet due to kidney issues.
Hi Barbara, the sodium is also coming from the tomato sauce and chili sauce, so I would start there with finding lower sodium ones, reduce the amount used or remove it all together. (Lowering the amount or removing the ingredient will change the flavor outcome of the chicken.) Hope this helps!
I’d like to make this with chicken thighs and breasts together. I’d prefer not to cut them in pieces if I don’t have to. Any advice on how this might go? I feel fairly confident that because it’s a slow cooker, I won’t dry out the breasts if I keep them in the same amount of time as the thighs. how about you? Thank you
I love all the great reviews and look forward to making this.
Hi Leah, if you keep them the same amount of time, your chicken breast are going to be dry. I’d keep an eye on the internal temperature starting to check at 1 1/2 hours. Hope this helps!