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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.

Healthy slow cooker honey garlic boneless skinless chicken thighs served on a plate with rice and broccoli

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.

Easy slow cooker chicken in a crockpot with a wooden spoon

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.

Healthy slow cooker chicken thighs served in a crock pot with a wooden spoon

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.

Shredded chicken in a sauce served on a plate with rice and broccoli

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.
shredded chicken thighs in a brown asian sauce served on a plate with rice and broccoli

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.
  • 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.
  • 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 with Broccoli and Rice on a Plate
Save Recipe ReviewPrint

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

4.67 From 1862 reviews . Help us out! Review HERE.Help out & review HERE
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Total: 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Save Recipe ReviewPrint
Healthy Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken. Easy recipe with 8 simple ingredients! Juicy chicken thighs or breasts in a sticky honey garlic sauce.

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken:

For Serving:

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!

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Comments

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  1. I made 2lbs so adjusted accordingly but left out corn starch and tomato paste after reading comments. Also did a whole head of garlic and and probably 8 tablespoons of sambal as I like tons of garlic and spice. May just make this sauce for chicken wings. It’s delicious and I’ve been eating it with rice or broccoli and thinking about making a sammie with it too.4 stars

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  2. My wife and I consider ourselves pretty good cooks and love to cook.Quite frankly we just don’t get these positive reviews, this dish is just plain MEH! Pretty awful.1 star

    Reply

    1. I’m sorry to hear the recipe wasn’t to your taste, Sam. 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!

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    2. I unfortunately agree with you! For anyone that ends up feeling this way, I ended up adding a bunch of BBQ sauce at the end and serving it as BBQ chicken sandwiches. We actually really enjoyed it this way and Im doing it again tonight.

      Reply

  3. I agree that using 2 Tbsp of cornstarch is too much. I would have liked more sauce. So probably would dbl in the future. Also, seemed to lack something in flavor, just not sure what is missing. How would it be to add ginger to this recipe?3 stars

    Reply

    1. I’m sorry to hear the recipe wasn’t to your taste, Joyce. 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!

      Reply

  4. I love this recipe! I made it exactly as the recipe states and it is remarkably good! Tastes like a restaurant quality meal. I served it with Jasmine rice. So delicious!5 stars

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  8. We absolutely loved it!this was so good and so easy. When the sauce is thickened it’s just beautiful!! Yum!!5 stars

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  9. I made this recipe and honestly was just not a fan. The sauce was too salty and the chicken texture just didn’t fit well with rice. I did try this sauce on chicken drumsticks in the oven and it was nice but I would personally not try this recipe again. I’m sorry to say but it was like overly salty pulled pork.3 stars

    Reply

    1. I’m sorry to hear the recipe wasn’t to your taste, Angela. 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!

      Reply

  10. My husband is picky but after trying this he immediately said it was a winner and to put it in the list to make again!4 stars

    Reply

  14. This was an easy and good weeknight meal! I used frozen chicken thighs and everything was perfectly cooked!4 stars

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    1. I’m sorry to hear the recipe wasn’t to your taste. 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!

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  2. I was looking to add a few new recipes into my dinner rotation that were easy, required minimal prepping time, but were still nutritious and taste delicious. This fit the bill and was such a hit with my family!! The flavor was 10/10 – definitely will be adding into our regular recipe rotation! Thanks so much!5 stars

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  3. Hi Erin! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and we cannot wait to try it!! :) Question, Whole Foods gave me a jar of Gochujang Fermented Chili Paste Concentrate instead of the sambal oelek that I ordered. Will that Gochujang paste work or do I need to hunt down the other? :) Thank you!

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    1. Hi Jennifer, in a pinch you could use it but because it is fermented it could alter the flavor slightly. If you decide to experiment, let us know how it goes!

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  4. Really yum! I tossed the chicken in the cornstarch before putting in crockpot. Then poured the sauce over the chicken. I used tenderloins on low for about 2.5 hours.5 stars

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  5. This was a great recipe! I made it exactly as the recipe was written (minus the corn starch at the end). The chicken thighs were nice and tender and the sauce had a great flavor and consistency. Will DEFINITELY be making this again.5 stars

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  6. I keep coming back to this recipe. All of my kids love this and enjoy shaking the sesame seeds on their chicken before they eat. Thanks for a delicious recipe the whole family can enjoy.5 stars

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  7. For those who used the corn starch in the beginning… I did that and it was fine. We like our sauce a little thicker so corn starch went in again at the end. I also used citrus soy sauce, added peanuts with the onions and included a cucumber salad. The dish was scraped clean so no left overs. This is a keeper for us.5 stars

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  8. My oven is on the fritz so I needed to lean on my Crock pot for a few home cooked meals. In my search I found this recipe. It is was so good – a little sweet, a little tangy and a little spicy. Just perfect with rice an a green veggie. Oh, and very easy to put together. Will definitely put on rotation. Win-win!5 stars

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  9. I made 2lbs so adjusted accordingly but left out corn starch and tomato paste after reading comments. Also did a whole head of garlic and and probably 8 tablespoons of sambal as I like tons of garlic and spice. May just make this sauce for chicken wings. It’s delicious and I’ve been eating it with rice or broccoli and thinking about making a sammie with it too.4 stars

    1
    Reply

  10. Great recipe. Fast and easy to make with minimal ingredients. Will probably use less cornstarch next time to keep the sauce a little thinner.5 stars

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  11. I would make this again. The sauce was delicious and the chicken had a great flavor. I used the suggestions to omit the cornstarch but followed the recipe for the rest. I used bone in chicken thighs and turned off the crockpot about 3 1/2 hrs into the suggested 4 hours on low setting. The chicken was cooked through but a little too dry for us (cooked on low cook setting). Next time, I will check the temp a little earlier. This recipe was worth the effort.

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  12. Love this recipe but would like to make a bigger batch so I can freeze. If I double the quantities, do I need to change cooking time at all?5 stars

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    1. Hi Claire! So glad you enjoyed it. You shouldn’t have to adjust the timing. We’ve had lots of reviewers double it with great success. Hope this helps!

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    1. Hi Amanda, unfortunately it’s not safe to put frozen chicken in a crock pot (it spends too long at an unsafe temp). So for this, starting with thawed chicken is the way to go!

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  15. HI

    This recipe looks amazing-is the only way to reduce the 25 grams of sugar per serving to reduce the honey? Or is the 25 grams total for all 4 servings?

    Thanks

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    1. Hi Catherine, that is per serving. You also get some sugars coming from the tomato paste and the chili paste in addition to the honey. Hope this helps!

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  16. I really wanted to like this recipe. I don’t know if it was the tomato paste in the mix but it left a bad taste in my mouth.1 star

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    1. I’m so sorry to hear this wasn’t to your taste, H. 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!

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  18. I tried this for dinner tonight. Delicious. Thank you to everyone who said omit the cornstarch: I omitted the cornstarch and wish I had doubled the sauce.4 stars

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  20. Made this today. Like the flavor profile but would tweak it next time. Two tablespoons of cornstarch was overkill. Will use less next time. Also will use less tomato paste or perhaps none as masked the honey and garlic flavors. The rice vinegar provides enough acidity. Will use more garlic but that is a personal prefernfe!4 stars

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    1. I agree. We love this in our family but we quit adding any cornstarch. No matter how much I’ve decreased the amount used it always leaves a gritty mouth feel.

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  22. I made this and it was sooooo yummy!!! Only thing I did differently was used chicken tenderloins, which ended up cooking a lot faster. I put them in on high and they were done in like an hour 20, give or take. I have a meat thermometer and it read 160. Super tender and the sauce was amazing. Oh and I didn’t have rice wine vinegar so I did a teaspoon of white wine vinegar and it was still good. Only thing is I don’t think I let the cornstarch mix in all the way, cuz I was hungry and only let it sit for like 5 min so I could still taste it a little😂 but that’s on me, definitely let it cook for about 15 min. Otherwise it was super good!!! Will make again:)

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  24. The BEST crockpot recipe I’ve ever tried. We love it. Making it right now 3rd time
    I made it exactly as the recipe states. My son loves over mashed potatoes. I prefer cauliflower rice as I’m watching carbs. It’s got a little kick with sriracha but at the same time the honey compliments it perfectly. Thanks for an easy great recipe5 stars

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  25. FanTAStic!..and a huge hit with my whole gang :-) I went with bone-in chik thighshttps://www.wellplated.com/instant-updates/ almost always the best Call for great chicken flavorhttps://www.wellplated.com/instant-updates/ and added fresh chopped ginger about halfway through the slow-cooking. The only sub I did was using Bragg Liquid Aminos in place of the Soy Sauce. Have used and loved the Bragg L.A.s for years, for its great taste, much higher nutritional value, and Paleo-friendliness (it’s also totally non-GMO and gluten-free, if either of those are “your Thing” ;-)5 stars

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    1. SVV
      I am making mine now. I did NOT have the other paste on hand. So I got creative and added red ancholie (sp) chili powder and red pepper flakes as my men love the heat in any dish. I added a bit more honey and a bit more Ls soy sauce. I am crossing my fingers the recipe comes out okay. Yikes.

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  26. Delicious! Easy to make and lots of flavor. This recipe was perfect to throw in the crockpot on a Sunday afternoon and use for lunches throughout the week. One quick note – don’t try to cook the chicken much longer than the recommended time in the recipe! The second time I made this, I tried leaving the chicken in while I was at work all day and it was definitely on the burned side…still lots of flavor though :D The first time I made it, I cooked the chicken 4.5 hours and it was perfect!5 stars

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  27. I’m sorry to hear you had problems with the recipe, Karen. It has worked well for myself (and others) and I wished it would have been a hit for you too. I think the issue was cooking it for 8 hours. We recommend cooking it for no longer than 5 hours on low.

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  28. Hi Matt! Did you try the recipe? If yes, can you share how long you cooked it and if you were you using breasts or thighs? I’d love to help troubleshoot!

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  29. Oh no! I accidentally mixed the corn starch with the sauce that I put over the chicken, do you think this will turn out okay? :( 

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  30. I used gochuchang in place of the chili paste (not really a replacement, just a different kind of chili paste) to make a Korean fried chicken-style sauce. I added 3 tbsps of gochuchang, a few thai chilies, and used a bit of ketchup to replace the tomato paste. Sounds less appetizing but many American Asian dishes use ketchup and I sadly didn’t have tomato paste on hand. It was so delicious and had a sweet and spicy flavor with a bit of tang from the gochuchang. Loved it! I will totally make this again with bone in thighs to get more juiciness!5 stars

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  31. I made this in the Instant Pot tonight and it was delicious! I added about 3/4 cup of chicken broth to up the liquid content, then I cooked it on the Poultry setting (high pressure for 15 minutes) and did natural release. My thighs were still partially frozen – if they had been fresh, I would have cooked them for about 8-9 minutes or so with natural release. 

    I took the thighs out, added the cornstarch and cooked it using the sautée setting to thicken. Then I returned the chicken to the pot to pull and coat.

    Thanks for the yummy recipe!5 stars

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  32. You could always just add water and then cook down in the skillet before adding cornstarch for the sauce. Idk I’m no chef just an idea.

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  38. I’m sorry to hear the recipe wasn’t to your taste, Sam. 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!

    1
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  39. I’m sorry to hear the recipe wasn’t to your taste, Clay. 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!

    1
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  42. Hi! unfortunately it’s not safe to put frozen chicken in a crock pot (it spends too long at an unsafe temp). So for this, starting with thawed chicken is the way to go!

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  43. Hi Jamie, the nutritional facts do not include any of the optional sides to serve it with, since it can vary from side to side.

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