Easy Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Easy Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

A hands-off, weeknight-friendly chicken dish that leans on pantry staples and delivers a sweet-savory sauce that works beautifully over rice or veggies

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian-inspired / Asian fusion

Keyword: Easy Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 4

Total Time: 4 5

Servings:

Ingredients

For the Chicken

1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce
⅓ cup honey
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons chili paste (sambal oelek, sriracha, or any preferred hot sauce)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons cornstarch

For Serving

Prepared brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice
Toasted sesame seeds
Chopped green onion

Instructions

Assemble the Base
Lay the chicken in the bottom of a 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker. In a separate bowl, mix together the soy sauce, honey, tomato paste, chili paste, garlic, and rice vinegar until smooth. Pour this mixture over the chicken.
Cook
Cover and cook on LOW for 4–5 hours or HIGH for 2–3 hours, until the chicken reaches 165°F. If you’re nearby, turn the chicken over once during cooking so both sides get coated, but it’s completely fine to skip this step.
Thicken the Sauce
Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate to cool briefly. Whisk the cornstarch into the liquid left in the slow cooker. Put the lid back on and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce gains some body. If you want it extra thick, let it go up to 30 minutes, or use the stovetop option below.
Stovetop Option for Thickening
After adding the cornstarch, pour the slow cooker liquid into a medium saucepan. Set it over medium heat and stir often until thickened, about 5–10 minutes. (Only set the slow cooker insert directly on the burner if you are absolutely certain it’s designed for that.)
Shred and Finish
Shred the chicken using two forks (or your hands once it’s cool enough). Return the meat to the slow cooker. If you thickened the sauce on the stove, pour it back in now. Toss the shredded chicken with the sauce until coated evenly.
Serve
Spoon the chicken over your grain or veggie base of choice, then top with green onions and sesame seeds.

Storage

Refrigerate: Up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low, adding a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce if needed, or microwave until heated through.
Freeze: Store cooled portions in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Cook Time

4 hours (LOW) or 2–3 hours (HIGH)

Nutrition

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