Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken (Printable version)
Slow-cooked chicken in a sticky honey-garlic glaze, tender and savory, perfect over rice or steamed vegetables.
# What you need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
→ Sauce
02 - 1/2 cup honey
03 - 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
04 - 1/4 cup ketchup
05 - 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce (optional, for extra depth)
06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
08 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
→ To Finish
11 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
12 - 2 tablespoons cold water
13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or green onions (for garnish)
14 - Cooked rice, quinoa, or steamed vegetables (for serving)
# How To:
01 - Place the chicken breasts in an even layer across the bottom of the slow cooker.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, ketchup, hoisin sauce if using, minced garlic, grated ginger, vinegar, black pepper, and red pepper flakes until well combined.
03 - Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the chicken breasts, ensuring they are fully submerged.
04 - Cover and cook on High for 4 hours or on Low for 6 to 7 hours, until the chicken is tender and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
05 - Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and transfer to a cutting board or plate. Shred using two forks, or leave the breasts whole according to preference.
06 - In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and cold water to form a slurry. Pour the slurry into the sauce remaining in the slow cooker and stir to incorporate.
07 - Return the shredded or whole chicken to the slow cooker, stir to coat evenly in the sauce, cover, and cook on High for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
08 - Serve hot over rice, quinoa, or alongside steamed vegetables. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or green onions.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce is sweet, tangy, and garlicky enough that you will want to eat it with a spoon before the chicken even finishes cooking.
- It requires ten minutes of prep and then the slow cooker does every single thing for you while you live your life.
02 -
- Always mix your cornstarch with cold water before adding it to the hot sauce, because warm liquid will create unbreakable lumps every single time.
- Do not skip the final 15 minutes of cooking after adding the slurry, because that brief window is what transforms thin broth into a sauce that actually clings to the chicken.
03 -
- Resist the urge to open the lid and peek during cooking, because every single time you do you lose roughly 30 minutes of heat and extend the total cooking time significantly.
- Chicken thighs are your best friend here if you want foolproof juiciness, since they can handle longer cooking times without ever drying out the way breasts sometimes can.