Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
If you need a super easy no-chop dinner in your weeknight rotation, you’ll love this slow cooker honey garlic chicken. Made with simple pantry staples and prepped in under 10-minutes, this is a set-it-and-forget-it meal that leaves the whole family satisfied.
Pair with rice, quinoa, or your favorite steamed veggies for a delicious and nutritious dinner that’s just as easy as takeout! You’ll also love my ground beef fried rice or honey garlic salmon bites. Or, explore more easy and healthy dinner recipes.
Recipe Highlights
- No chopping. Toss a few ingredients in your slow cooker and set it! No chopping, no fuss, and minimal clean-up needed.
- Minimal ingredients. You’ll only seven simple ingredients to make this super tasty dinner.
- Prepped in less than 10 minutes. You’ll have this cooking in less than 10-minutes to keep your family fed on the busiest days.
- Flavorful and satisfying. You’ll be shocked at how satisfying such a simple recipe can be.
Key Ingredients And Swaps
- Chicken thighs: I like to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they pack maximum flavor with very little effort. You can swap for chicken breast if preferred, but they may not be quite as moist and satisfying. Whatever you use, make sure the bone and skin has been removed.
- Soy sauce: I prefer the flavor of regular soy sauce, but you can use low sodium if preferred. Use tamari for a gluten-free swap.
- Sriracha: We use a hint of sriracha for balance, but the sauce is not overly spicy. You can leave this out if you’re feeding littles or picky eaters.
- Corn starch: You’ll mix corn starch with water to thicken the sauce near the end. I would not recommend any swaps for this.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and detailed recipe.
How To Make Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
Step 1: Add ingredients to your slow cooker, mix, and cook on high for 3 hours.
Step 2: Remove chicken from the slow cooker and add corn starch slurry.
Step 3: Lightly shred chicken with a fork and return to sauce.
Step 4: Cook for 30 more minutes, or until sauce has thickened. Serve with rice and veggies of choice, and enjoy!
What To Serve With Honey Garlic Chicken
I recommend serving this simple dish with a grain and vegetable. Here are some ideas:
- Grains: Spoon chicken and sauce over cooked rice, quinoa, or noodles.
- Edamame: Add a scoop of steamed edamame (removed from shells) or chickpeas for a boost of fiber.
- Cooked vegetables: Steam, air fry, or roast your favorite vegetables to serve on the side. I like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, or green beans — but any veggie works!
- Raw or pickled vegetables: Add a spoonful of pickled onions or quick pickled cucumbers for some crunch and freshness. Or, serve with my simple cucumber edamame salad.
- Keep it easy: To keep things super low effort, serve over minute-rice with any pre-chopped vegetable you can steam in the microwave.
Common Questions
Yes, you can swap chicken thighs for boneless and skinless chicken breasts if preferred. However, the meal won’t be quite as tender and flavorful, since chicken thighs have more fat.
For an extra thick honey garlic sauce, add an additional tablespoon of each corn starch and water. Make sure to mix them together until completely clump-free before adding to the slow cooker.
More Simple Healthy Dinners
- Philly Cheesesteak Skillet
- Easy Chicken Enchiladas
- Pizza Bean Skillet
- Tuna Rice Bowls
- Sweet Potato Burger Bowls
If you tried this slow cooker honey garlic chicken, leave a rating and review below, and share a pic to Instagram!
Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 2-2 ½ lbs skinless boneless chicken thighs
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup soy sauce, use low sodium if desired
- 1 ½ Tbsp sriracha
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- black pepper, to taste
- 2 Tbsp corn starch
- 2 Tbsp cold water
To Serve (Optional)
- cooked rice
- sesame seeds
- sliced green onion
Equipment
Instructions
- To your slow cooker, add chicken, honey, soy sauce, sriracha, vinegar, garlic, and black pepper. Stir to combine and coat the chicken.
- Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for roughly 3 – 3 ½ hours, or until chicken can easily pull apart with a fork.
- Remove chicken from your slow cooker, and transfer to a large bowl or cutting board. Meanwhile, whisk corn starch and water together in a small bowl until dissolved and completely clump-free. Pour into slow cooker and stir with the sauce.
- Gently break up the chicken with a fork, and stir back into the slow cooker. You’re aiming for bite-sized pieces of chicken with some chunks, not fully shredded chicken. Close the lid and cook for another 30 minutes on high, or until the sauce has thickened.
- Serve over rice with veggies of choice. Top with sesame seeds, sliced green onions, and other condiments as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe makes 6-8 servings.
- Nutrition information calculated for 1/8 of the recipe using 2 lbs chicken thighs.
- Feel free to serve with any vegetables of choice — see blog post for ideas.
The ultimate lazy but super satisfying dinner. Let me know if you try it, and what you serve it with!