Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken (Printable)
Tender slow-cooked chicken glazed in a honey garlic sauce, perfect over rice or steamed vegetables.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 1.5 lbs
→ Honey Garlic 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)
→ Finishing
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
# Directions:
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 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 in the sauce, cover, and cook on High for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
08 - Serve hot over cooked rice, quinoa, or steamed vegetables, garnished with chopped fresh parsley or green onions.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce practically builds itself while you are busy living your life, and it tastes like you stood over a stove for hours.
- It freezes beautifully, so you can double the batch and thank yourself on a night when cooking feels impossible.
02 -
- Do not skip the cornstarch slurry step, without it the sauce stays thin and watery instead of turning into that gorgeous glaze you are imagining.
- Opening the lid repeatedly during cooking adds about 30 minutes each time because the slow cooker loses its heat, so resist the urge to peek.
03 -
- Use chicken thighs if you are feeding a crowd that loves juicy, fall apart texture, they are more forgiving than breasts if you accidentally cook a little too long.
- For gluten free, swap soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos and double check your hoisin label, the flavor stays virtually identical.