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Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken

Crockpot honey garlic chicken with glossy sticky sauce and green onion garnish.

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This sweet and savory chicken becomes impossibly tender in the slow cooker, coated in a sticky, glossy honey garlic sauce. It’s the ultimate easy, hands-off dinner that feels like a cozy weekend meal any day of the week. Serve it over rice to soak up every drop of the incredible sauce.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3-4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks (or 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs)
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 6-8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water (for thickening, optional)
  • For garnish: sliced green onions, sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel. In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, ketchup, minced garlic, vinegar, sesame oil, and black pepper until smooth.
  2. Place the chicken in the bottom of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Pour the honey garlic sauce evenly over the top.
  3. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 2.5 hours, until the chicken is tender and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. If using boneless, skinless breasts, check at the 1.5-2 hour mark on HIGH.
  4. Carefully transfer the cooked chicken to a serving platter and tent with foil. For a thicker sauce, skim excess fat from the liquid in the crockpot, turn it to HIGH, and whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Cover and cook for 15-20 more minutes until thickened. Pour the sauce over the chicken.
  5. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds before serving.

Notes

For a leaner option, use boneless, skinless chicken breasts but reduce cook time to prevent drying out. Coconut aminos can replace soy sauce for a soy-free or lower-sodium version. The cornstarch slurry is optional but highly recommended for a glossy, restaurant-quality glaze.

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