Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken (Print)
Tender slow-cooked chicken thighs glazed in a sweet and savory honey garlic sauce, garnished with parsley and sesame.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
→ Sauce
04 - 1/3 cup honey
05 - 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 tablespoons ketchup
08 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
09 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
→ Slurry (for thickening, optional)
11 - 2 teaspoons cornstarch
12 - 2 tablespoons water
→ Garnish
13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
14 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
# How To Make:
01 - Season the chicken thighs evenly with salt and pepper, then place them in a single layer at the bottom of the slow cooker.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, ketchup, olive oil, dried thyme, and crushed red pepper flakes until well combined.
03 - Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the seasoned chicken thighs in the slow cooker. Cover with the lid and cook on the low setting for 4 to 5 hours, or until the chicken is tender and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
04 - If a thicker sauce is desired, whisk the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl to form a slurry. Carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker and stir the slurry into the remaining sauce. Set the slow cooker to high and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened. Return the chicken to the sauce and coat evenly.
05 - Transfer the chicken to a serving platter, spoon the sauce over the top, and finish with a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley and sesame seeds. Serve immediately with steamed rice and vegetables.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce balances sweet and savory in a way that makes you want to drizzle it over everything, including plain rice you would normally find boring.
- It requires almost zero active cooking time, which means you can set it up before a busy day and come home to something that smells like you worked hard.
02 -
- Resist the temptation to lift the lid during cooking because every peek adds roughly 15 minutes to the total time and lets precious moisture escape.
- The sauce will look thin when you first open the pot but the cornstarch slurry transforms it completely, so trust the process before you panic.
03 -
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel before seasoning so the salt and pepper actually stick instead of sliding off on a wet surface.
- Double the sauce ingredients and save half in a jar in the fridge for a marinade you can use on pork or salmon later in the week.