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Slow cooker honey garlic chicken

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Slow cooker honey garlic chicken is just 5 ingredients and minutes to prep and smells amazing as it cooks! You’ll want to drizzle this delicious sauce over your whole plate!Slow cooker honey garlic chicken is just 5 ingredients and minutes to prep and smells amazing as it cooks! You’ll want to drizzle this delicious sauce over your whole plate! #slowcookerrecipes #chickendinner #slowcookerchicken #crockpotchicken #easychickenrecipes

Welcome to a new week, my friends!

We’ve got an extra busy one this week and I’m going to be happy about all the meal prepping I did over the weekend and all the easy dinners I have planned.

Including this one.

Today, I’m finally bringing you a slow cooker version of one of my most popular recipes!

This slow cooker honey garlic chicken has the same amazing sauce as the original 15-minute honey garlic chicken, which gets rave reviews. And as honey garlic chicken stir fry, which has a ton of veggies added in.

But this version is made in the slow cooker, so it’s waiting for you when you get home. 🙌

Slow cooker honey garlic chicken is just 5 ingredients and minutes to prep and smells amazing as it cooks! You’ll want to drizzle this delicious sauce over your whole plate! #slowcookerrecipes #chickendinner #slowcookerchicken #crockpotchicken #easychickenrecipes

It takes just a few minutes to prep and it’s only 5 ingredients, so this delicious dinner is perfect for crazy days.

And oh, you are going to swoon and drool when you start to smell this cooking away in your crock pot and perfuming the whole house.

It smells amazing!

It’ll have everyone banging their forks on the table, demanding the meal to be served immediately!

(If you’re looking for a pressure cooker version, check out this Instant Pot honey garlic chicken.)

Slow cooker honey garlic chicken in a crock pot with lots of sauce

Notes on slow cooker honey garlic chicken:

  • I use and recommend boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but you can substitute boneless, skinless chicken breasts as well. I’ve made it that way and while it’s a tad less flavorful, it’s still really good.
  • You can adjust the heat of this dish by adjusting how much red pepper flakes you use. As is, it’s a low-medium level of spicy. I use a bit less than what the recipe calls for when I’m making it for my kids and they’re fine with it.
  • Want to make this gluten-free? Just sub some gluten-free tamari for the soy sauce.
  • You know me, I’m all about the toppings. Read on below for my favorites!

Slow cooker honey garlic chicken is just 5 ingredients and minutes to prep and smells amazing as it cooks! You’ll want to drizzle this delicious sauce over your whole plate! #slowcookerrecipes #chickendinner #slowcookerchicken #crockpotchicken #easychickenrecipes

We love having this with steamed brown rice with a veggie side – broccoli, peas and snow peas are all great here.

(Stay tuned; I have my favorite “bowl” option with this chicken coming up soon! Update: Check out these honey garlic chicken rice bowls. So yummy!)

You could also keep it low-carb and serve it with some of my easy cauliflower rice.

I bet it’d also be delicious over quinoa or some rice noodles or a long, thin noodle like angel hair. Anything to sop up more of that sauce!

And of course, there are toppings. You know I’m always going to give you topping options!

Slow cooker honey garlic chicken is just 5 ingredients and minutes to prep and smells amazing as it cooks! You’ll want to drizzle this delicious sauce over your whole plate! #slowcookerrecipes #chickendinner #slowcookerchicken #crockpotchicken #easychickenrecipes

Toppings for slow cooker honey garlic chicken:

– Sliced green onions

– Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

– Chopped peanuts

– An extra sprinkle of red pepper flakes or

– Drizzle of sriracha for a spicy kick 🌶

Whatever you do, make sure you drizzle some extra of that scrumptious honey garlic sauce over everything on your plate! You won’t regret it.

I hope you give this recipe a try when you need a super easy, super yummy dinner!

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

Yield: 6-8 servings

Slow cooker honey garlic chicken

Crock pot honey garlic chicken served in a bowl with green onions sprinkled on top

Slow cooker honey garlic chicken is just 5 ingredients and minutes to prep and smells amazing as it cooks! You’ll want to drizzle this delicious sauce over your whole plate!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, adjust for heat)

Optional toppings:

  • Sliced green onions, chopped peanuts, chopped parsley or cilantro, extra sprinkle of red pepper flakes or a drizzle of sriracha for a spicy kick

Instructions

  1. Season chicken thighs lightly with salt and black pepper and add to the insert of your slow cooker.
  2. Mix remaining ingredients together in a small bowl and pour the sauce over the chicken thighs in the slow cooker.
  3. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2 1/2-3 hours.
  4. Remove the chicken thighs and either cut it into chunks or shred it with two forks. Mix the chicken back into the sauce in the slow cooker and let sit for at least 5-10 minutes, to help absorb the juices.
  5. Serve hot with any desired toppings and enjoy!

Notes

I use and recommend boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but you can substitute boneless, skinless chicken breasts as well.

You can adjust the heat of this dish by adjusting how much red pepper flakes you use. As is, it’s a low-medium level of spicy. I use a bit less than what the recipe calls for when I’m making it for my kids and they’re fine with it.

Want to make this gluten-free? Just sub some gluten-free tamari for the soy sauce. 

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 385Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 231mgSodium: 962mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 1gSugar: 16gProtein: 48g
© Kathryn
Cuisine: Asian / Category: Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes
Slow cooker honey garlic chicken is just 5 ingredients and minutes to prep and smells amazing as it cooks! You’ll want to drizzle this delicious sauce over your whole plate! #slowcookerrecipes #chickendinner #slowcookerchicken #crockpotchicken #easychickenrecipes

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Comments

  1. Holly says

    This looks like an easy and delicious chicken dinner! I love the combination of honey and soy with a little heat from the red pepper flakes. I usually swap out tamari for soy since it’s gluten free – love that you mentioned that.

    Reply

  5. linen says

    i’m making this tonite, but it’s alot for just me….how do you recommend i store the leftovers? and for how long before i need to ditch it?…i’m new to cooking so i don’t really have much common sense when it comes to cooking….

    thanks
    linen

    Reply

    • Kathryn Doherty says

      Hi there! The leftovers will keep in a covered container in the fridge for 4-5 days. You can reheat it in the microwave and use it for stir fries, grain bowls, wraps, or with rice and veggies. You can also freeze the extras in a freezer safe container or ziplock bag for 5-6 months. (Make sure to label the bag and date it.) Defrost in the fridge overnight then reheat in the microwave and it’s ready to use. I hope that helps and hope you enjoy it!

      Reply

  6. Anna-Catherine says

    This recipe looks so tasty. What are your thoughts on substituting the honey for agave nectar? I’ve used it before in a glaze with soy sauce, and it turned out good. Also, how would you recommend making the sauce if you already had some shredded chicken you wanted to use?

    Reply

  7. Taylor says

    I made this recipe last night and one bite had my mouth watering! I decided to double the recipe so I could bring some to work and spread the yumminess!

    Reply

  8. MJ says

    Soy sauce is not good due to overdose of estrogen hormones in a drop of that stuff and adverse effects it has to body ( both men and boys ie feminizing them and women /girls throwing normal hormone balance off) check out http://www.healthmasters.com and use word “soy” in search engine box for better detail . My question is does this recipient work to be as delicious without soy? The comment above is also to encourage you to acquire knowledge of adverse health effects of soy and thus avoid inclusion in meals preparation as sure you care about all folks who use your receipts to cook food for their family and spouses.

    Reply

  9. Angel says

    Hello! This recipe looks amazing. If I wanted to double the serving size, should I double everything in the recipe? How will affect the cook time?

    Thank you in advance,
    Angel

    Reply

    • Kathryn Doherty says

      Hi, yes, you should double all of the ingredients when doubling the recipe. The cooking time likely won’t need much adjustment if your slow cooker is large enough. I’d maybe add an extra half-hour and check then to make sure the chicken is cooked through. I hope that helps and hope you enjoy it!

      Reply

  10. BMom says

    I think I did something wrong. M oi ne looks nothing like the picture. I thought it would be more syrupy. Instead, its sitting in a liquidy soup.

    Maybe I should have cooked the chicken and added the mixture at the end after draining the chicken juices? Then cooked for about 30 minutes? Idk?

    I followed the directions to a T.

    Reply

    • Kathryn Doherty says

      I’m sorry this didn’t come out right for you. The soy sauce and honey are the only added liquids so it shouldn’t be too soupy. If you used frozen chicken or had chicken with a lot of extra solution in it, that may be why. You can always use a cornstarch slurry to thicken up the liquids if you’d like to try that. (Add it after you remove the chicken to shred, let it cook for 1-2 minutes to thicken up and then stir the shredded chicken back in.) You can also try my 15-minute honey garlic chicken if you want a stovetop version: https://familyfoodonthetable.com/15-minute-honey-garlic-chicken Hope that helps!

      Reply

      • BMom says

        Thank you. I swear I only added the honey and soy. I guess my chicken was just very juicy. I used fresh chicken breasts. I was thinking I could thicken the liquids, or maybe stir a new bowl of honey and soy minus the garlic to heat separately and re-add to the dish? Or maybe cook the chicken in the crock first and remove, drain any condensation or chicken juices, cut into pieces and then add the sauce and let simmer? IDK, but you are correct. It does smell amazing! 🙂 I will try again.

        Reply

    • Faith M Moore says

      Does this need to be cooked in a large cooker? Or is a small cooker just as effective? Should I half the ingrediants for a small cooker? Thank you!!

      Reply

  11. Justin says

    Hello, I am going to try this today but it is only me and my girlfriend. If I use less chicken, say a pound or a pound and a half, how would I adjust the cooking time? Thank you!

    Reply

    • Kathryn Doherty says

      Hi! You’ll probably still need most of the cooking time to ensure the chicken gets cooked through. I’d suggest checking yours at 4 1/2 to 5 hours on low (or 2 to 2 1/2 hours on high) for a halved recipe. I hope that helps and hope you enjoy it!

      Reply

  12. Heather says

    I made this (without the pepper flakes) for my family while my parents were visiting us and I didn’t get to even eat or taste it. Everyone loved it so much that there wasn’t any left at the end of the night and there were only 4 people that got to eat it. Would’ve been 5 if my mom didn’t eat the rest of it before I could eat haha. I always make sure everyone else is well fed and full before I eat and that’s why I missed out. I’m making it again right now and I’m excited to eat it. This is an incredibly easy recipe and I mixed it with rice after it was cooked. Awesome recipe! Thank you so much!

    Reply

    • Kathryn Doherty says

      Hi! This only takes a few minutes to prep – you just season the chicken and mix up the sauce – so I think it’d be best to make it the day you are going to cook it. (You could put the sauce together ahead of time if you’d like to save a few minutes.) I hope that helps!

      Reply

  15. Denise says

    On my crockpot they have high listed as 4 hrs…is it ok to be on high for 4hrs? I’m 3 hrs into cooking and just turned it down to low because family won’t be here for another 1.5 hrs

    Reply

    • Kathryn Doherty says

      I think 4 hours on high would overcook and dry out the chicken a bit, so I’m glad you turned it down. If you can’t adjust it (my slow cooker starts at 4 hours on high but I can decrease that time with the buttons before I start it), then I’d say switch to warm after 2 1/2 hours next time. Hope that helps and hope you enjoyed it!

      Reply

  16. Annette McClain says

    just made it today. was a hit. i did brown the chicken a bit in sesame oil before putting in the cooker.
    followed everything else but added water chestnuts also.
    was a hit & easy to make. will do it again

    Reply

  17. Anna says

    This recipe turned out disgusting! I personally feel like 1/3 cup of soy sauce is waaaaaayyyyy to much. I couldn’t eat more than a few bites because it was so salty tasting. I think this recipe would be super awesome with less than half of the called amount of soy sauce which I will try next time.

    Reply

    • Kathryn Doherty says

      I’m sorry to hear you found it too salty, Anna. I use the full 1/3 cup of soy sauce when I make it and that seems like a good amount for 2 1/2 pounds of chicken and balances well with the rest of the sauce ingredients. I do always use low-sodium soy sauce, as indicated. I’ve never had a problem with the sodium level, but I’m sorry it wasn’t good for you. I know that’s disappointing. I hope it comes out more to your liking next time!

      Reply

  18. Allie says

    Alright, I am going to make this tonight using my pressure cooker converted into a slow cooker. Here is the make and model:
    Go WISE USA
    Model: YBW80-130A
    120V~ 60Hz 1300W 8.0L

    I’m thinking I will cook for 2-3 hours, do you think that will suffice?

    Reply

  19. Pascal says

    Hello,

    Thank you for sharing your recipe.

    I followed the instructions, but I think I did something wrong. I used chicken breasts, when I put them in the cooker, they were only half covered. In the end, they were fairly dried out, and it overall had a funny smell.

    You wouldn’t have any tips for this? Many thanks in advance!

    Reply

    • Kathryn Doherty says

      Hi Pascal! I definitely do prefer using chicken thighs for this recipe. They hold up much better in the slow cooker and lend more flavor; breasts do tend to get dried out. However, it’s fine if your chicken isn’t covered in liquid because you’re going to chop or shred it at the end and mix it back into that yummy sauce to soak into the chicken and help get it nice and juicy and flavorful. (Unless it got really overcooked it shouldn’t dry out since the covered slow cooker keeps moisture trapped in.) I’m not sure what the smell issue might have been for you unless one of the ingredients maybe wasn’t fresh? I hope that helps a little!

      Reply

  20. Matt says

    It doesn’t look like there’s much extra sauce to put over the chicken and rice. Would it be OK to maybe do a half cup honey and tamari and a little more garlic and pepper flakes to get more sauce? Thanks

    Reply

    • Kathryn Doherty says

      Hi Matt! The slow cooker usually generates a lot of extra liquids as the dish cooks, since it’s closed, and that makes more sauce. However, you could certainly increase the sauce ingredients to have more of that to use for serving.

      Reply

  21. Alex B. says

    We fell in love with this recipe and it has become a family favorite. I’ve made it about 6 times now, and love how easy it is to throw in the crock pot. We always serve it over rice and with green onion on top (and a little sriracha for my husband and me) Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

    • Kathryn Doherty says

      Hi Carlie, I wasn’t sure myself, so I Googled it. I found that 1/3 cup — the amount needed for the honey and the soy sauce in this recipe — is equal to 79ml. I hope that helps!

      Reply

  25. Rhonda says

    I made this tonite with thighs and breasts. I added fresh ginger to the sauce since I had it on hand. The sauce was too sweet for my taste so I added a little soy sauce and a little rice wine vinegar at first. Still needing a little something, I added the juice of one lime to calm down the sweetness. Just perfect! Also added some shredded carrots with the cornstarch slurry. Served with roasted broccoli and sugar snap peas and of course rice. Will definitely make this again!!

    Reply

  26. Lauren says

    Will this be ok cooked on low for 8.5 hours or will it spoil? Also can I pre make the sauce about 8hours before and leave it in the fridge?

    Reply

    • Kathryn Doherty says

      Hi Lauren! I think the chicken will be really overcooked if it cooks that long. In most slow cookers, it’s done at about 5 hours, so that’s a lot of extra cook time. Does yours have a warm setting? You could let it switch to that after 5 hours of cook time. It may still be a bit overcooked but hopefully not as dried out. Hope that helps!

      Reply

  28. AKJESS says

    I’ve made this several times and it’s delicious. When a recipe calls to shred chicken I always cut it in quarters so I can just smash it with a spoon or potato masher to shred. Maybe it’s wrong but it works well for me. Anyway it’s delicious and easy; my favorite way to cook!

    Reply

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