Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs are tender and juicy in a sweet and sticky sauce.

These flavorful chicken thighs with sauce are perfect for serving over fluffy white rice and garnished with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.

shredded slow cooker honey garlic chicken thighs

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Ingredients

Chicken thighs - Medium-sized with skin and bone in. You can use boneless instead.
Soy sauce - Use low-sodium soy sauce if you want to reduce your sodium intake.
Ketchup - Passata or tomato sauce can be used instead but the sugar from the ketchup will be missing.
Garlic - Minced, grated, or pressed. Use fresh whenever possible. I don't recommend garlic powder, as it will simply lack flavor and produce a quite different end result.
Ginger - Fresh and grated.
Cornstarch slurry - You'll need 3 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water.
Garnish - Sesame seeds and green onion/scallions.

How To Make Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs Step By Step Photos

Spray a 4 quart slow cooker/crock pot (you can use larger too) with olive oil and place all the ingredients except cornstarch + water.
Cook 2-3 hours on HIGH or LOW for 4-5 hours. Check the chicken for doneness, kitchen thermometer inserted into the thickest part of chicken should register 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove the chicken thighs and leave the honey garlic sauce in the slow cooker. At this point, you can either shred the chicken with two forks or leave it as is.
Make cornstarch slurry (3 tablespoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoon water). Slowly pour into the cooker and whisk until incorporated into the sauce. Let cook for 10-15 minutes on HIGH setting until the sauce is thickened nicely.
Carefully return the chicken and baste it with the sauce. Serve with sesame seeds and green onions.
For added smoky flavor and extra heat. sprinkle red pepper flakes when serving.

slow cooker honey garlic chicken thighs ingredients in slow cooker

honey garlic chicken thighs on a plate after cooking

Tips

While it's not a necessary step in this recipe, you can brown the chicken thighs first before cooking them in the slow cooker. This will add a delicious caramelized crust to the chicken skin and lock in flavor.
Be careful not to overdo it with the honey. Too much will make this dish overly sweet. You can also skip the ketchup and use high quality passata (no sugar added) and add only little honey.
I've added a cornstarch slurry to the sauce towards the end of the recipe to thicken it. Another way to thicken the sauce is to remove the lid of the slow cooker and allow the sauce mixture to continue to cook for another 30 minutes.
Serve these chicken thighs with fluffy white rice or a side of vegetables for a complete meal. For time saving, make the rice in rice cooker if you have one.
Flavor: savory (lots of sodium comes from the soy sauce, you can make it less salty by using low sodium soy sauce or mixing low one with water 1:1) + sweetness from honey + pungent ick from garlicky ginger. Sweet and sour but sweeter I'd say.

Julia's Tip

You can sneak in one or two smaller chicken thighs, as there should also be enough sauce for these.

However, the sauce will be quite thick the next day, and I usually like to have extra sauce to pour over chicken and rice when serving.

My Favorite Tools

Wood Ladle Set of 3

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What To Do With Leftover Chicken Thighs

Shred the chicken thighs and use them in sandwiches, wraps, and tacos.
Make a shredded chicken salad with lots of lettuce or cabbage, vegetables, and light dressing.
Use the leftovers in stir-fries, and pasta, and serve with the same style of sauce.
Make a simple vegetable soup or stew and add the chicken.

Freezing And Storing Instructions

To Store. Let the chicken cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the fridge. The sauce will thicken and you may need to add some water or broth to return the initial consistency.
To Freeze. Follow the same steps and freeze for up to 2-3 months.
To Make Ahead. Reheat in the microwave or over the stovetop. Stir constantly until warmed through.

More Chicken Thighs Recipes To Try

Before You Head Out

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Recipe Card

Julia

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

5 from 9 votes

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs are tender and juicy in a sweet and sticky sauce. These flavorful chicken thighs with sauce are perfect for serving over fluffy white rice and garnished with chopped green onions and sesame seeds for a midweek dish alongside your favorite sides for a balanced and satisfying family favorite meal.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 15

Servings: 4 portions

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Asian

Calories: 435

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Video Notes

Ingredients

4 medium-sized chicken thighs with skin and bone in you can use boneless chicken thighs too
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup water
¼ cup ketchup can sub with passata or tomato sauce but will be missing the sugar from ketchup
3 heaping teaspoons of garlic minced or grated, pressed
¼ cup liquid honey
1 heaping teaspoon of ginger grated
3 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoon water to make a slurry
Sesame seeds and green onion/scallions for serving

Equipment

Method

Spray a 4 quart slow cooker/crock pot (you can use larger too) with olive oil and place all the ingredients except cornstarch + water.
Cook 2-3 hours on HIGH or LOW for 4-5 hours. Check the chicken for doneness, kitchen thermometer inserted into the thickest part of chicken should register 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove the chicken thighs and leave the honey garlic sauce in the slow cooker.
Make cornstarch slurry (3 tablespoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoon water). Slowly pour into cooker and whisk until incorporated into the sauce. Let cook for 10-15 minutes on HIGH setting until the sauce is thickened nicely.
Return the chicken and baste with the sauce. Serve with sesame seeds, green onions. For added smoky flavor and extra heat. sprinkle red pepper flakes when serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 435kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 25gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 142mgSodium: 1059mgPotassium: 407mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 244IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 23mgIron: 2mg

Video

Notes

Flavor: savory (lots of sodium comes from the soy sauce, you can make it less salty by using low sodium soy sauce or mixing low one with water 1:1) + sweetness from honey + pungent ick from garlicky ginger. Sweet and sour but sweeter I'd say.
In theory, you can sneak in one or two smaller chicken thighs as there should be enough sauce for these as well however the sauce will be quite thick on the next day and I usually like to have extra sauce to pour over chicken and rice when serving.

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Looking for more slow cooker recipes? Try our Taco Soup, Chicken Chili, or Massaman Beef Curry next time.

Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.

Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.

Honey Garlic Chicken: FAQs

Is chicken breast or thigh better for slow cooker?

Both chicken breast and chicken thigh meat are good choices for cooking in the slow cooker.

Chicken breasts are leaner than chicken thighs which means that they can dry out more quickly. The fattier content in chicken thighs will also provide greater flavor to the cooked meat and the dish as a whole.

Can I put raw chicken in slow cooker?

Absolutely! The slow cooker is ideal for cooking raw chicken, creating an environment that kills bacteria while tenderizing the meat and locking in delicious flavor.

Do you have to brown chicken before putting in slow cooker?

No. I haven't browned my chicken thighs before adding them to the slow cooker with the other ingredients but many people do prefer to brown the chicken first.

Browning the chicken thighs will caramelize the skin and will also lock in the flavors. It's definitely an extra step that's well worth the time.

Is it better to cook chicken on high or low in slow cooker?

These bone-in chicken thighs can be cooked on LOW or HIGH, depending on your preference.

If you only have boneless chicken for this dish then I recommend cooking on LOW as the meat can easily dry out if cooked on HIGH.