Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken

This Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken is guaranteed to become a family favorite you will make again and again because it’s SO good and SO easy! It takes less than 10 minutes to prep, is made with pantry friendly ingredients, is healthier than takeout, reheats like a dream and is wonderfully versatile. To make, the chicken cooks in a sticky honey garlic sauce made of honey, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, ketchup, hoisin, cider vinegar, garlic and ginger. It’s sweet, spicy, tangy, savory, garlicky and so intoxicatingly delicious you will be licking the crockpot – or strongly tempted to. This Honey Garlic Chicken recipe will have your taste buds skipping for joy and your family skipping the takeout! This Honey Garlic Chicken also reheats well and freezes beautifully for meal prep or make ahead lunches or dinners.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Asian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 10

Servings servings

Ingredients

Chicken

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts

Honey Garlic Sauce

1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons quality hoisin sauce like Lee Kum Kee or Kikkoman
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Asian sweet chili sauce like Mae Ploy
2-4 teaspoons Asian chili sauce or sriracha or more to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 cloves garlic, minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger or 3/4 teaspoon ginger powder

Instructions

Lightly spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Add chicken to the bottom of your slow cooker.
Whisk together all of the Sauce ingredients and pour over chicken.
Cook on LOW for 4-5 hours for thighs (5-7 hours for breasts) or on HIGH for 2-3 hours for thighs (3-4 hours for breasts), or until chicken is tender enough to shred. If you are available, flip the chicken over once halfway through, if not, don’t stress it.
When chicken is tender, remove to a cutting board and shred.
Meanwhile, add sauce from the crockpot to a large nonstick skillet (NOT a small saucepan). Simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally. Add sauce back to slow cooker along with shredded chicken. Stir to combine. Cook an additional 30 minutes on LOW to absorb sauce.
Taste and season with salt to taste. Add additional Asian Sweet Chili Sauce for more sweet heat, chili sauce for spicier, or sugar for sweeter if desired. Serve with rice and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

Notes

LEFTOVERS

This Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken recipe makes fantastic leftovers as it reheats beautifully and stays tender, juicy and saucy for days!

How to store: store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How to reheat on the stove: heat a skillet over medium heat on the stove. Once hot, add the chicken, reduce to medium low and continue to cook and stir occasionally until warmed through. You may need to add a splash of water for saucier chicken.
Reheating in microwave: transfer chicken to a microwave safe plate. Heated on high for 90 seconds, stir then continue to cook at 30 second intervals as needed until heated through.

How to FREEZE

Let chicken cool completely.
Transfer chicken to either a large freezer size bag or divide into smaller size bags. Alternatively, transfer to airtight container(s).
Press air out of the freezer bag, seal, label and freeze for up to 3 months.
When ready to eat, defrost Honey Garlic Chicken in the refrigerator.
Heat on the stove until warmed through.