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Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe

by Katerina Petrovska

4.70 from 469 votes

Updated Aug 31, 2022

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Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken is an easy slow cooker dinner, featuring a sticky-sweet sauce and juicy, perfectly cooked chicken thighs. Everyone will be fighting for the last piece!

Want more chicken thigh recipes? Try this easy air fryer chicken thighs recipe!

So Good You Might Just Lick Your Plate (I Did!)

Crockpot honey garlic chicken always makes me think of this one time, at a reallllyyy nice restaurant, when I picked up my plate and slurped up all the sauce. No shame.

It just so happened that I had a hot date at one of Chicago’s best Asian restaurants, and because I knew the owner, I felt like, hey anything goes! I felt like a hot shot, if you will, until I completely made a fool of myself because I could not stop slurping up the honey garlic sauce. I didn’t completely pick up the plate – just kind of tilted it a little bit – enough to get every last drop of that sauce! This experience was akin to the first time I tasted bourbon chicken, with its equally irresistible sauce that leaves you wanting more.

As a result, I developed this recurring hangry hunger for honey garlic chicken because it is simply that good. Tender, moist, chicken thighs, coated in the most glorious homemade honey garlic sauce, and in my version, it all comes together in the slow cooker. This recipe will change your life!

What You’ll Need

We’re only dealing with 5 ingredients here plus a seasoning or two. Super easy, I’m telling you. Here’s what you will need to make the perfect crockpot honey garlic chicken:

• Chicken Thighs: Since this recipe is for the slow cooker, I recommend using boneless, skinless thighs. Skin-on chicken would not get crispy.
• Garlic: Mince up some fresh garlic for a pop of savory flavor.
• Honey: For sweetness and stickiness! Pure maple syrup makes a good substitute if needed.
• Ketchup: Low-sodium is my preference, but you can use any ketchup you like.
• Soy Sauce: Again, I like low-sodium soy sauce. However, you can use regular soy sauce, or substitute tamari or coconut aminos.
• Dried Herbs/Seasonings: Dried oregano, fresh parsley, and toasted sesame seeds… yum!

How to Make Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken

Take out the ketchup, soy sauce, honey, garlic, and chicken thighs – things are about to get amazing!

1. Mix the Sauce Ingredients. In a bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients: honey, ketchup, garlic, soy sauce, and dried herbs.
2. Place the Sauce and Chicken in the Slow Cooker. Arrange the boneless, skinless chicken thighs inside the slow cooker, and pour the sauce over them.
3. Cook. Cover the Crockpot and cook on HIGH for about three hours, or on LOW for 4 to 5 hours.
4. Optional: Thicken the Sauce. If you would like to thicken the sauce, you can whisk a cornstarch slurry into the sauce about thirty minutes before the end of the cooking time.

How to Make a Cornstarch Slurry

To make the slurry for thickening, mix a tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with a tablespoon of cold water, to form a paste. Whisk this into your sauce inside the slow cooker, cover and continue to cook. The sauce will thicken up beautifully!

Helpful Tips

This easy recipe is perfect for any dinner, with its ultra-simple ingredients and scrumptious taste. Plus, these tips make it even easier to whip up!

• How Much Chicken Should I Use? Use enough chicken thighs to cover the bottom of your slow cooker. You can also use chicken breasts, or substitute bone-in, skin-on chicken, if you prefer. For seasoning ideas and tips when working with bone-in chicken, check out my roasted chicken leg quarters recipe. Keep in mind that different kinds of concern require different cooking times!
• How Long Should I Cook This? All crock pots cook at different times and temperatures. Some readers suggest to cook the chicken for only 3 hours, while others said it took 4 hours in their crock pot. You can use a meat thermometer to make sure your chicken is done.
• Checking for Doneness. Most importantly, 165 degrees Fahrenheit is the safe internal temperature for both the white meat of the chicken, and the dark meat. Always cook to this temperature for food safety!

Great Side Dish Ideas

To serve this chicken, I like to make jasmine rice or another white rice. Of course, you could also make salad, or serve some simple veggies cooked with salt and maybe a little butter. Still looking for inspiration? Well, some other good side dishes could include…

• Broccoli: Fresh, green, garlicky steamed broccoli is a great contrast for sticky chicken. It adds nutrition, too, of course! I love the fragrant garlic flavor in this recipe.
• Noodles: Instead of rice, add even more yumminess to your meal with a serving of garlic butter noodles or my teriyaki noodles
• Snap Peas: Crispy, crunchy, and sweet, these sesame snap peas are always a huge hit and a breeze to make. Sesame goes perfectly with the sweetness of the honey garlic chicken.

Storing and Reheating the Leftovers

• To store, place the chicken and sauce in airtight containers or bags, and refrigerate for up to four days.
• Reheat on the stove over medium heat until heated through.

Can I Freeze Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken?

Yes, you can! Just place the cooked, cooled chicken and sauce in a freezer bag or container, leaving as little air inside as possible. Mark with the date, freeze, and use within 3 months for best results.

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4.70 from 469 votes

Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken

by Katerina Petrovska

You’ll love this easy crock pot recipe for chicken thighs cooked in honey garlic sauce. Only 5 ingredients + a couple seasonings. Super easy chicken recipe!

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 hours hours

Total Time: 5 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Video

Ingredients 

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• ▢ 6 boneless, , skinless chicken thighs*
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves, , minced
• ▢ 1/3 cup honey
• ▢ 1/2 cup low sodium ketchup
• ▢ 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
• ▢ 1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Instructions 

• Arrange chicken thighs on the bottom of your slow cooker; set aside. (please look at the notes section)
• In a mixing bowl, combine garlic, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, oregano and parsley; whisk until thoroughly combined.
• Pour the sauce over the chicken thighs. Close with a lid and cook for 4 to 5 hours on LOW, or 3 to 4 hours on HIGH.** (please look at the notes section)
• Remove lid and transfer chicken to a serving plate.
• Spoon the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Serve.

Notes

*Use enough chicken thighs (bone-in or boneless, skin-on or without) to cover the bottom of your slow cooker. You can also use chicken breasts.

**All crock pots cook at different times and temperatures. Some readers suggest to only cook the chicken for 3 hours, while others said it took 4 hours in their crock pot. More importantly, 165 degrees Fahrenheit is the safe internal temperature for both the white meat of the chicken and dark meat.

If you would like to thicken the sauce, 30 minutes before the chicken is done, whisk a cornstarch slurry into the sauce; cover and continue to cook.

How to make a Cornstarch Slurry

• Use 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water; mix it together until mixture forms a paste.
• 30 minutes before the chicken is done cooking, whisk the cornstarch slurry into the sauce inside the slow cooker; cover and continue to cook for 30 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 227kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 1022mg | Potassium: 544mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 250IU | Vitamin C: 4.5mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1.3mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

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