Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken – chicken thighs are slow cooked in an easy honey garlic sauce, then served over rice. This proves that dinner doesn’t have to be complicated to be good!
Want this recipe faster? Try my Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken.
I have admitted in the past that I’m not always the biggest fan of slow cooker meals. I love the concept, but the results are usually hit or miss for me.
I think that slow cooking sometimes gives meat a strange texture, everything gets watery, and a lot of times, the flavor comes out pretty muted for me. But this recipe, right here, made me fall in love with the slow cooker all over again!!
I actually took a tip that I learned from Rachael Ray to adapt this Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken just a little bit. The original recipe called for dried basil, and for some reason, I never have dried basil among my spices and herbs. But I remember a few months back, Rachael Ray did a slow cooker week on her talk show.
The biggest tip I came away with after watching those episodes is to add something fresh to a slow cooker meal before serving to brighten things up a bit.
So I scratched the dried basil, and I added on some fresh basil before serving. To me, it totally made a huge difference.
I also reduced down the sauce to thicken it up a bit. This makes it so that the sauce is a little more potent, so remember that a small amount goes a long way.
But really, this recipe is so easy, and so packed with flavor – it is one of the best things that I have made lately. If all of the recipes from this book are this good, bring on the slow cooker!!
Check out these other slow cooker chicken recipes:
Slow Cooker Tex Mex Chicken
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches
LOOKING FOR MORE FREE RECIPES?
Subscribe to my free recipe newsletter to get new family friendly recipes in your inbox each week! Find me sharing more family-friendly inspiration on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.
Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs trimmed
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup honey
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon water
- Fresh basil shredded, for topping
- Cooked rice for serving
Instructions
- Place the chicken in the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker.3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, ketchup, honey and garlic. Pour over the top of the chicken.1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce, 1/2 cup ketchup, 1/2 cup honey, 3 cloves garlic
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or on high for 2-4 hours.
- Remove the chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Transfer the liquid from the slow cooker to a pot and place over medium-high heat.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water. Stir into the liquid in the pot. Cook until the liquid slightly thickens.2 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoon water
- Place the chicken and the sauce back into the slow cooker and stir to coat the chicken. Serve immediately, or leave the slow cooker on warm or low to keep warm.
- Serve on top of rice and top with fresh basil.Fresh basil, Cooked rice
Beverly Spangler says
Should this be made with bone in thighs? How should I change time and temp? Also, what would you think about substituting sesame salad dressing for the catsup? when I make your recipe, I plan to add a little sesame oil. What do you think?
Deborah says
I make it with boneless thighs. I’m sure you could swap in bone in thighs, but you will probably need to cook it a little longer. I’m not sure on the sesame salad dressing as I have never tried the dressing, so I don’t know how it would be.
Sandy says
OMG this rocks!!!! I’ve made it twice now, with a little guy he’s 4 so you know how that goes lol I switched it up and served it on noodles. Next go around I must remember to add more chicken for a quick hot lunch the next day. Side dish I’m gonna try is baked zucchini/squash “fries”.
Deborah says
So glad you love it! I’m thinking this needs to go on my menu again soon!
dearcat says
I am really late but anything for a crock pot interests me. I just found your site and am subscribing. This chicken sounds delish and will make it this week. I will be using salt free products. I may add a small, white, cut-up potato to draw some of the salt.
Allison says
So I know I’m late to this party, but I just made this for dinner, and it is so great. I usually hate crockpot recipes, but this one is fab!
Deborah says
So glad you loved it! I’m the same – I don’t always love crockpot recipes, but this one converted me!!
mom24boys says
Found you through pinterest. I plan my menu weekly or monthly. This is great! Thanks so much for a great recipe. I love when I can print it easily and with the picture!! Following you now!
Deborah says
@mom24boys, thanks so much – I’m glad you found me!
Christine says
Hi Deborah! Thanks for the response. Just wanted to update you: it is not quite as good with salmon. Though I feel that it might have been the quality of my salmon. It did taste good while hot, but the leftovers tasted…fishy (pun intended). I’m going back to chicken! Thanks again 🙂
Deborah says
@Christine, thanks for letting me know!!
Christine says
Hi, I’m not a blogger and I found your site on Pinterest. I just made this recipe. It is so so so good! I was afraid of the outcome, since usually the recipes I try from Pinterest don’t turn out very well, but I figured I’d give it a shot — I’m so glad I did!! Thanks for this! I’ve already started marinating more chicken in it, I’m going to try it with salmon.
Deborah says
@Christine, I’m so glad you tried it and liked it!! This recipes really did convert me over to loving the slow cooker. And I love the idea of trying it with salmon – sounds delicious!!
Michelle Stoll says
I’m in the process of making this now (waiting for the sauce to reduce), and I have to say, the sauce is SALTY! As in, it feels like I just licked a block of salt. Used low-sodium soy sauce and everything. I’ve even added a couple more tablespoons of honey, a handful brown sugar, and some molasses, and it STILL tastes like a salt lick. The chicken, so far, tastes just fine, but something about reducing the sauce made the saltiness of the soy super-concentrated or something. Any ideas how to fix this? Or avoid it in the future?
Deborah says
@Michelle Stoll, the sauce does get more potent as it is reduced down, so I just go pretty light with the sauce when I’m eating it. Hopefully when you put it over the chicken it tamed it down some!
Lacey says
I didn’t have chicken thighs but I really wanted to try this recipe so I used breasts instead. The first time I followed this recipe, and today I tried twisting it myself. I marinated the chicken for six hours and did it on the grill instead of in the slow cooker and the flavor was SO much better. I highly suggest trying it!
Deborah says
@Lacey, I have got to try this – it sounds like a wonderful change up! Thanks so much!
Linda says
I made this last night, and it will definitely be in our regular rotation! So easy, so good, and tender! Thanks!
Suggestions to those making it- make sure the tops of the chicken stay covered, as the tops of mine dried out slightly as they cooked. I didn’t mind that, though, as the meat was delicious and tender.
Tammy says
BTW, I also added a slice of fresh ginger, and a dash of cayenne. Mmmm
Tammy says
Just had this for dinner, used fresh scallions instead of basil. Awesome! served with a little brown rice and some steamed broccoli with a bit of the sauce drizzled over.