Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken (Printable)
Tender slow-cooked chicken in a honey garlic glaze, served over rice or vegetables for easy weeknight meals.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
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 Make It:
01 - Place the chicken breasts in an even layer across the bottom of the slow cooker.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, ketchup, hoisin sauce (if using), minced garlic, grated ginger, vinegar, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes until well combined.
03 - Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the chicken breasts in the slow cooker, ensuring all pieces are covered.
04 - Cover and cook on High for 4 hours or on Low for 6 to 7 hours, until the chicken is tender and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
05 - Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and transfer to a 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, cover, and cook on High for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
08 - Serve hot over rice, quinoa, or steamed vegetables. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or green onions.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce balances sweet and savory so well that people will assume you spent hours at the stove.
- It practically cooks itself while you do literally anything else with your day.
02 -
- Do not skip the cornstarch slurry step because the cooking liquid will be thin and watery without it and will not cling to the chicken at all.
- Resist the urge to lift the lid and stir during cooking because every peek adds roughly 15 to 30 minutes to your cook time by releasing trapped heat.
03 -
- Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before slow cooking so the thinner ends do not dry out while the thicker centers are still finishing.
- Toasting a pinch of sesame seeds in a dry pan and sprinkling them on top at the end adds a nutty crunch that makes the dish feel restaurant quality.