Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe
Sep 06, 2015, 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!
- Mix the Sauce Ingredients. In a bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients: honey, ketchup, garlic, soy sauce, and dried herbs.
- 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.
- Cook. Cover the Crockpot and cook on HIGH for about three hours, or on LOW for 4 to 5 hours.
- 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. 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 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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Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 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.
Video
Notes
- 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
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.
More Satisfying Crockpot Recipes
Iโve been cooking this recipe for years!! I always recommend it when I see posts about crockpot dinner ideas. I follow the recipe as is and add some crushed red pepper for heat!! Thank you for sharing!
That’s great! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! ๐
This crock pot honey garlic chicken recipe is a winner! The chicken is so tender and juicy, and the sauce is absolutely delicious. I highly recommend giving it a try.
I tasted no honey, I tasted no garlic, it was all tomato/ ketchup based! Yuck awful
How long would the cook time be if you used chicken breasts?
Hi!
About 2.5 to 3 hours on HIGH. If you can, use an instant read meat thermometer, and once the internal temp of the chicken registers at 165หF, it’s done.
This recipe is delicious! I changed the soy sauce to coconut aminos to accommodate a friend who canโt have soy. Iโve made it a few times like this with all of the other ingredients and adding nothing extra. We love it!
That’s great! I’m very happy you loved it! Thank you for chiming in! ๐
Could you cook veggies in with it? Iโm thinking of trying carrot, onion and potatoes, and would you just put them on top of the chicken in the pot? Do you think youโd need to add more liquid?
Yes, that definitely works, but don’t use any quick cooking veggies, like say broccoli. It’s great with onions, baby potatoes and carrots… I’ve done it myself and I keep the liquid about the same.
Can you double this recipe?
I was wondering the same thing. I did last time I made it because I wanted extra to put on rice. That is what I am doing today.
Hello, trying this recipe for the first time. I am a crock pot fanatic! The ingredients smell delish together.
Although, I noticed you didn’t have a time to cook on instapots that do not have a “chicken” button. I think this will be very helpful for those of us that haven’t upgraded.
Thank you and look forward to more low cholesterol recipes!
Thank you for sharing your honey garlic chicken blog. I read your blog and find the best idea garlic chicken. I like and enjoy it. I thank I will cook it in my kitchen
Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy it! ๐
Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken looks and sounds delicious! Just wondering if you used bone-in skin-on Thighs? It looks like it, from the pictures. Looking forward to fixing itโฆthanks for the recipe
I don’t have cornstarch. Can I use flour instead?
Yep! That also works.
I love this recipe as-is, but I also sometimes add some gochujang to it to spice things up–literally! ^-^
Thank YOU! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! ๐
I followed the recipe as directed and it is cooking but Iโm worried cause my soy sauce wasnโt low sodium ๐ฅบ hoping it doesnโt ruin it because my coworker had said this is a great meal
That shouldn’t be a problem at all. Just add salt if it’s not salty enough. I use low-sodium soy sauce because I want to have more control over the amount of sodium in my food. ๐
So good. I added 1 tbsp brown suger & 1 tbsp maple syrup to a doubled sauce recipe. Used boneless/ skinless frozen chicken thighs for 6 1/2 hours on low. Added carrots the last 2 hours. Made slurry transfered sauce to pan on stove. Let cook on medium high for 4 minutes. Return to crockpot for 20 minutes. Served over Thai rice noodles. Thank you. It was delicious
That’s wonderful! I’m very happy you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! ๐
Can you cook it longer and not over cook the chicken I work 8 hours so it would be cooking for 9 on low?
Hi!
I would suggest to use bone-in thighs if you are going to cook them for that long. . Bone-in chicken is less likely to dry out than boneless, so you have flexibility to cook the chicken on low for longer.
I just put this in the crockpot and my sauce looks more red than the pictures. Maybe I didnโt use enough soy sauce but I didnโt want it to be too salty. I also added a little bit of red pepper flakes based on the comments I read. Hopefully it will turn out ok.
I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! ๐
This was soooo goood!!!!! The chicken was so tender and had so much flavor! I did the recipe exactly except I didnโt add any thickener.
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! ๐
Trying this recipe for first time tonight could you serve it with rice like a Chinese dinner with the veggies
Yep, that’s exactly how I serve it.