Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
Tender Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken made with chicken thighs, soy sauce, honey, and fresh garlic. An easy dump-and-go dinner the whole family loves!
A Flavorful Slow Cooker Chicken Dinner
This Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken is one of those meals that I was super excited about. It checks all my boxes for a perfect dinner- easy and relatively hands-off! This simple dinner with tender shredded chicken coated in a sweet and savory honey garlic sauce is perfect for busy days and works great over rice, noodles or veggies!
Frequently Asked Questions
If you aren’t using it as a main with your rice or noodles and favorite side dishes, I think this would be a fun and different filling for tacos or burritos even some yummy burrito bowls!
Keep in mind that slow cookers can vary significantly in cooking time, even between models of the same brand. I tested this recipe in my crock pot brand slow cooker (purchased in 2023), and the chicken was fully cooked and shreddable in just over 3 hours on low. I also had my mom test it in her older crock pot (early 2000s model), and it took around 4 1/2 hours on low to reach the same doneness. Newer models often run hotter than older ones. If your slow cooker tends to run hot or cooks quickly, check on the chicken a bit earlier the first time you make this.
Nope. This recipe is designed to be a true dump-and-go meal, no searing required. The slow cooker does all the work. However, if you would like to take the time to do that, you certainly could.
Only a very tiny bit, and that comes from the optional crushed red pepper flakes. You can leave them out for a completely mild version.
If you want to make a stove top version, I have a similar recipe that you can try. Give my Honey Garlic Chicken recipe a whirl and see if you like that.
I like it with rice or even some lo mein noodles. It would also go nicely with a steamed vegetable or your favorite roasted veggie sides.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
You can freeze leftovers. Cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through. If frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Ingredients Needed: (See Recipe Card Below For The Full Recipe)
- boneless, skinless chicken thighs– Boneless, skinless chicken breasts can be used.
- soy sauce – Use low-sodium soy sauce to reduce saltiness, or substitute with tamari or coconut aminos.
- honey – Maple syrup or brown sugar can be used in place of honey, though the flavor will be slightly different.
- ketchup – this sounds weird I know but it works here and it don’t taste it as a separate ingredient.
- garlic– For this recipe, fresh garlic is recommended over garlic powder. It adds depth and flavor that garlic powder just doesn’t replicate. Jarred minced garlic will work in this recipe and is a convenient option. That said, fresh crushed garlic adds the best flavor and is what I recommend.
- ginger– The squeeze tube of Ginger Paste (not an affiliate link) is a great alternative to the fresh stuff. Just squirt out how much you need (in this case 1 ½ teaspoons) – it’s such a time saver. Typically, most grocery stores find this in the refrigerated produce area. Sometimes it could be in a refrigerated international food section and occasionally, some stores will have it in the spice aisle.
- sesame oil – if you aren’t a fan of sesame oil, you can use your favorite oil here.
- crushed red pepper flakes– an optional ingredient to bring some heat
- water and cornstarch – this will be used to thicken the sauce.
How To Make Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
Place the chicken thighs in the bottom of a 5-6 quart slow cooker. In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, ketchup, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and crushed red pepper flakes if using.
Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 3-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours, until the chicken is tender and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. NOTE: Do not remove the lid while cooking, this will result in the meat taking longer to cook and it not coming out as tender.
Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks. In a small bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch until smooth. Stir the cornstarch slurry and shredded chicken into the sauce in the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on high for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly. Serve over rice, noodles, or vegetables. Add sesame seeds or sliced green onions if desired. Make sure to spoon some of the sauce over the chicken when serving.
Craving More Recipes?
Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup soy sauce (I prefer light soy sauce)
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 5 cloves garlic, minced (about 5 teaspoons)
- 1 ½ teaspoons fresh minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- ¼ cup water
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
Optional toppings:
Instructions
- Place 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs into a 5-6 quart slow cooker.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup soy sauce, ½ cup honey, ¼ cup ketchup, 5 cloves garlic, minced, 1 ½ teaspoons fresh minced ginger, 1 teaspoon sesame oil and ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (if using.)
- Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 3-5 hours (preferred method) or on high for 2-3 hours, until the chicken is tender and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. NOTE: Do not remove the lid while cooking, this will result in the meat taking longer to cook and it not coming out as tender.
- Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks.
- In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup water and 2 Tablespoons cornstarch.
- Stir the cornstarch slurry and shredded chicken into the sauce in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on high for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Serve over rice, noodles, or vegetables. Top with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, if desired. Make sure to spoon some of the sauce over the chicken when serving.
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- This takes anywhere between 4-6 hours in the Slow Cooker.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
This is a good to recipe on a busy day! This has my whole house smelling so scrumptious! I really enjoy this recipe! This was an easy prep go to recipe for a busy weekday!
Love hearing that Lakeisha! It means a lot that you took the time to come back and comment, thank you!!
Hi Brandie me again .. your thoughts on replacing the chicken with pork tenderloin ..
Thanks
Randy
Hi Brandie.. made this yesterday and it was delicious .. was wondering if I could add cooked noodles directly into the crock pot when completed.. if yes in what quantity would you suggest …
Thanks
Randy
Hey Randy! So glad you enjoyed it! That’s a great question. What kind of noodle were you thinking about? Ramen? Soba? Egg? I really hate to guess unless I have tested it myself. I never want anyone to waste ingredients.
Thanks for getting back to me .. I was thinking of ramen ..
I’m really just rating the sauce. I had leftover roasted pork I needed to use. I stir fried carrots, red onion, red bell pepper & snow peas. I added the cubed pork & sauce. Once the meat was heated through, I added the cornstarch slurry. Served over rice to rave reviews. My son asked if I could make the sauce to have on hand as a condiment! We do eat chicken thighs often, so I do plan to make the whole recipe as directed.
Could you serve the thighs whole instead of shredding?
Amazing! So good! Thrilled to give it it’s first 5 star review.
Thanks so very much Juliana! I love hearing when a recipe is enjoyed so thank you for taking the time to come back and comment!
This was so incredibly tasty! We all loved it so much!
Hi Brandie, This looks very good. I was wondering about adding fresh broccoli. Would I add it in the beginning, halfway through, or steam it first and add it at the very end? Thank you.
You could do it one of two ways, add it halfway through or steam it and add at the end 🙂 hope you love it!!