Easy Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
Healthy slow cooker honey garlic chicken made with just 8 ingredients! Tender chicken thighs or breasts are slow cooked in a sticky, sweet-savory honey garlic sauce for an easy weeknight meal that’s full of flavor.
Equipment
- 6-quart slow cooker
- mixing bowl
- whisk
- instant-read thermometer
- saucepan optional for reducing sauce
- forks for shredding chicken
- measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 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
- prepared brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice, for serving
- toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
- chopped green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- Place the chicken in the bottom of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, tomato paste, chili paste, garlic, and rice vinegar. Pour the mixture over the chicken.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4–5 hours or HIGH for 2–3 hours, until chicken reaches 165°F. Flip the chicken once halfway through if available.
- Remove the chicken to a plate and let cool slightly. Whisk the cornstarch into the slow cooker liquid, cover, and cook on HIGH for 15–30 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Alternatively, transfer the cooking liquid to a saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 5–10 minutes until thickened.
- Shred the chicken using two forks and return it to the slow cooker. Add the thickened sauce back in and stir to coat.
- Serve over rice or quinoa, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds.
Notes
This recipe works beautifully with chicken thighs or breasts. For extra thickness, reduce the sauce longer on the stovetop after adding the cornstarch slurry. Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently with a splash of broth or water to maintain moisture. Serve with brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice for a balanced meal.