Go Back
Crockpot honey garlic chicken thighs with green onions in a white bowl

Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken

Sticky, garlicky chicken thighs in a sweet-savory honey glaze. Cooked on LOW so the honey caramelizes gently instead of scorching.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 5 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 390
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (900g)
  • 0.5 cup honey (170g) divided: half at the start, half later
  • 0.5 cup low sodium soy sauce (120ml)
  • 0.25 cup low sodium chicken broth (60ml)
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced up to 8 for garlic lovers
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 0.25 cup cold water (60ml) for the slurry
  • 2 green onions, sliced for garnish
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds for garnish

Equipment

  • 6-quart slow cooker

Method
 

  1. Whisk together half the honey, the soy sauce, chicken broth, garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and black pepper.
  2. Place the chicken thighs in the slow cooker and pour the sauce over them.
  3. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours. Do not use HIGH: honey scorches at high heat in the slow cooker.
  4. During the last hour, stir in the remaining honey.
  5. Remove the chicken to a plate. Whisk the cornstarch into the cold water until smooth, stir into the pot, and cook on HIGH 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce thickens to a glaze.
  6. Return the chicken to the sauce and toss to coat. For caramelized edges, broil 3 minutes on a sheet pan. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds and serve over rice.

Notes

Tips: Always cook on LOW so the honey does not burn. Adding garlic in two stages (half early, half late) gives both mellow and punchy garlic flavor. Six to eight cloves is the sweet spot.
Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days in the sauce. Freezes up to 3 months. Loosen with a tablespoon of water when reheating.
Nutrition is estimated: about 390 calories per serving.