🍗 Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1½–2 lb (700–900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- ½ cup honey
- ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 5–6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
For serving:
- 2 cups cooked white or brown rice
- 1–2 green onions, sliced
- Sesame seeds, optional
- Steamed broccoli, carrots, or green beans, optional
👩🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the chicken
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. If using chicken breasts that are very thick, cut them in half horizontally so they cook more evenly.
Season lightly with black pepper and paprika. Don’t add much salt because the soy sauce already contains plenty.
2. Make the honey-garlic sauce
In a bowl, combine:
- Honey
- Soy sauce
- Minced garlic
- Rice vinegar
- Ketchup
- Fresh ginger
- Black pepper
Whisk everything together until well combined.
3. Add everything to the slow cooker
Place the chicken in the slow cooker in a single layer if possible.
Pour the honey-garlic sauce over the chicken, making sure the pieces are coated.
Cover with the lid.
4. Slow cook the chicken
Cook on:
- LOW: 4–5 hours
- HIGH: 2–3 hours
The chicken should be completely cooked and tender. Cooking time can vary depending on the size and type of chicken, so use a food thermometer if possible—the thickest part should reach 165°F / 74°C.
Try not to repeatedly open the lid while cooking because this lets heat escape.
5. Make the sauce thicker
When the chicken is cooked, carefully remove it from the slow cooker and place it on a plate.
In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water until completely smooth.
Stir this mixture into the sauce in the slow cooker.
Turn the slow cooker to HIGH, cover, and cook for about 10–15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the sauce becomes thicker and glossy.
6. Return the chicken to the sauce
Put the chicken back into the thickened sauce.
Spoon the sauce over the chicken and let it sit for about 5 minutes so the chicken absorbs some of the honey-garlic flavor.
For chicken breasts, you can slice them before returning them to the sauce. Chicken thighs can be served whole or shredded.
7. Prepare the rice
While the chicken is cooking, prepare your rice according to the package directions.
Fluffy white rice, jasmine rice, basmati rice, or brown rice all work well.
8. Serve
Add a generous portion of rice to each plate or bowl.
Place the honey-garlic chicken on top and spoon plenty of the sauce over everything.
Finish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds if desired.
Steamed broccoli or another vegetable makes a great side.
🍯 What it tastes like
The sauce has a sweet, garlicky, slightly salty and tangy flavor. The honey provides sweetness, soy sauce gives it savory depth, garlic adds richness, and ginger and vinegar keep the sauce from tasting overly sweet.
⭐ Helpful Tips
- Chicken thighs are usually the juicier choice for the slow cooker.
- If using chicken breasts, avoid overcooking them because they can become dry.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce if you want better control over the saltiness.
- For a little heat, add ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or a small amount of sriracha.
- Don’t add uncooked rice at the beginning unless you’re specifically using a recipe designed for slow-cooker rice; it can become mushy or absorb too much liquid.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for about 3–4 days and reheated thoroughly.
Easy serving ratio: 🍚 rice + 🍗 honey-garlic chicken + 🥦 steamed vegetables + 🥄 extra sauce on top.