Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken (Printable Version)
Tender chicken slow-cooked in a sweet honey-garlic sauce — minimal prep, great for weeknights and meal prep.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
→ 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)
→ To Finish
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)
# How-To:
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 cooked through to 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, 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. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or green onions.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce does all the heavy lifting, sweet and sticky with a garlicky punch that makes you want to lick the plate.
- You can prep it in under ten minutes and walk away until your house smells incredible.
- It reheats beautifully, making it one of the best meal prep dishes you will ever stumble into.
02 -
- Do not skip the cornstarch slurry step because without it you will end up with a thin broth instead of that irresistible sticky glaze.
- Opening the lid repeatedly during cooking lets heat escape and adds significant time, so trust the process and walk away.
03 -
- Lightly pounding the chicken to an even thickness before cooking ensures every piece finishes at the same time and stays tender throughout.
- Toasting a pinch of sesame seeds in a dry pan and scattering them over the top at serving elevates this from weeknight dinner to something that looks intentionally beautiful.