Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken. Slow cooked chicken breasts tossed in a sweet and tangy Asian inspired sauce. An easy weeknight meal the whole family will love!
Love Slow Cooker Dishes? Then try my Slow Cooker General Tso’s Chicken or my Slow Cooker Mongolian Chicken!
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Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
This Honey Garlic Chicken takes only 10 minutes of prep time to throw everything together and is so delicious! Plus its way healthier than takeout! I love making Asian inspired recipes at home in order to control the saltiness. All you have to do is mix up the sauce ingredients, chop up your garlic, ginger and green onions and throw it all in the slow cooker along with the chicken.
The chicken turns out incredibly juicy and tender by cooking it on low for 2-3 hours.
I made lots of sauce to go over the chicken with extra to serve over rice. It is sweet from the honey and tangy from the soy sauce. It also is loaded with tons of garlic and has a little kick from some Sriracha. The sauce is made up of equal parts soy sauce and honey. I also add in sesame oil, hoisin sauce and rice wine vinegar. (These can all be found in the Asian or International section in your grocery store.)
After everything gets tossed into the slow cooker cook on low for 2-3 hours. I suggest checking it at 2 hours. (Mine took exactly 2 1/2 hours). It also depends on the size of chicken breast you are using. (Mine were pretty small)
Looking for more chicken recipes? Then give my Chicken Shawarma Recipe a try!
ingredients
- Chicken breasts: You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs in place of the chicken breasts. Both work great and produce tender and juicy chicken.
- Soy Sauce: I like to use low sodium soy sauce. You can also substitute coconut aminos or gluten free tamari to make this recipe gluten free.
- Honey: Adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the sauce. Adjust honey to taste. You can also substitute brown sugar if you do not have honey on hand.
- Hoisin Sauce: Is a thick savory sauce that can be found in the international or asian section of your grocery store. If you don’t have any hoisin sauce you can make your own at home.
- Rice Wine Vinegar: Can be found in the International or Asian section in the grocery store. I don’t like to substitute other vinegars in place of this one. I find that rice wine vinegar works the best. However if you are gluten free you can substitute apple cider vinegar.
- Sesame Oil: Adds a nice nuttiness to the sauce. A little goes a long way!
- Ginger & Garlic: I love adding fresh ginger and garlic to the sauce. It makes all the difference! If you are short on time or out of fresh ginger and garlic powdered ginger and garlic can be substituted.
- Sriracha: Is used for a little kick. You can omit if you don’t care for too much spice. I typically double the amount or add to taste.
How to make Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
- Slow Cook: Place chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker along with the sauce ingredients. Cook for 2-3 hours on low. (Cooking time depends on the thickness of your chicken. My chicken breasts were pretty small and took 2 1/2 hours.)
- Shred chicken: Remove the chicken from the liquid and place on a plate or cutting board. Allow the chicken to rest for a couple of minutes and then shred with two forks or slice it up with a knife.
- Thicken up sauce: Transfer the liquid from the slow cooker to a small saucepan. Whisk 2 tablespoons of water with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce. Cook on high until bubbly and thickened, whisking constantly. Pour the sauce back in the slow cooker along with the shredded chicken and toss to coat.
- Serve: Warm with sesame seeds and green onions for garnish if desired!
- Store: Leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: To reheat the chicken simply place in a small saucepan with a splash of water or broth if needed. You can also reheat in the microwave until warm.
frequently asked questions
Can this be frozen?
Yes! This shredded honey garlic chicken makes a great freezer meal. Simply cook as directed and freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Alternatively you can place all of the sauce ingredients along with the chicken in a ziplock bag and freeze uncooked for up to 3 months as well. The chicken can go in the slow cooker frozen just make sure to add an extra hour or two! If you are short on time the chicken can also be cooked straight from the freezer in the Instant pot!
Can this be made in the Instant Pot?
Yes! Simply add the chicken and all of the sauce ingredients except for the cornstarch and water to the Instant Pot. Cook on HIGH pressure for 15 minutes and allow the steam to naturally release. Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and shred. Meanwhile whisk 2 tablespoons of water with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce. Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE and cook until bubbly and thickened, whisking constantly (about 4-5 minutes). Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and toss to coat.
What to serve with this Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken
- White or brown rice. For a low carb option try cauliflower rice or quinoa.
- Steamed vegetables
- Chow mein noodles
- Lo mein
- Vegetable Fried Rice
- Asian Chicken Dumplings
Can I use frozen chicken?
For food safety reasons I never recommend cooking raw chicken in the slow cooker. It will stay at unsafe temperatures for too long in the slow cook and is not worth the risk. If you want to use frozen chicken I recommend making this in the Instant Pot instead where frozen chicken can be used.
What can I substitute for hoisin?
If you don’t have hoisin at home or can’t find it in your grocery store you can either make it yourself with this recipe or substitute hoisin sauce. Here are 10 other substitution ideas for hoisin sauce that are clever!
more Slow Cooker dinner ideas for tonight!
- Easy Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken
- Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
- Easy Slow Cooker General Tso’s Chicken
- Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken
- Super Easy Slow Cooker Orange Chicken
products i used
Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 2 pounds
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-2 teaspoons sriracha, depending on how spicy you would like this
- 2 scallions, sliced thin, divided (white parts for cooking, green for serving)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- sesame seeds for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- Place chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- In a medium bowl whisk together soy sauce, honey, hoisin, vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, sriracha and the white parts only of the scallions.
- Pour the sauce mixture ontop of the chicken and cook for 2-3 hours on low. (Cooking time depends on the thickness of your chicken. My chicken breasts were pretty small and took 2 1/2 hours.)
- Remove the chicken from the liquid and place on a plate or cutting board. Allow the chicken to rest for a couple of minutes and then shred with two forks or slice it up with a knife.
- Transfer the liquid from the slow cooker to a small saucepan.Whisk 2 tablespoons of water with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce.Cook on high until bubbly and thickened, whisking constantly. Pour the sauce back in the slow cooker along with the shredded chicken and toss to coat.
- Serve immediately with sesame seeds and green onions for garnish.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Did you make this?
I’d love to hear your feedback! Leave a review and make sure to share your pictures on social media! Don’t forget to follow @thechefsavvy.
Michelle
What if you don’t have hoisin sauce? Any substitutions for this? Thank you!
Kelley
Hi Michelle,
If I am out of hoisin sauce I usually just make it at home. It’s mostly pantry staples. I like this recipe: http://www.food.com/recipe/homemade-hoisin-sauce-312992
Thanks!
Kelley
Mary
What type/brand of sesame seed oil did you use? I’ve seen light and dark so I’m confused
Thanks!
Kelley
Hi Mary,
I use the Roland brand sesame oil. The one I have at home does not say light or dark on the bottle. I would go with light sesame oil if that is all they have at your grocer.
Thanks!
Kelley
Portia
Bought some beautiful bok choy at the local farmers market. Now build a dinner around bok choy apart from s stir fry. Husband loved it. He thought he was in a Chinese restaurant. A very easy dinner. I used thighs fillets as that is what I had. A very easy tasty dinner with some rice.
Rachel
I’m finding rice vinegar and red or white wine vinegar but not rice wine vinegar? Which is better to use?
Kelley
Hi Rachel,
The rice wine vinegar will be in the international foods section of the grocery store. So look buy the soy sauce. If you are in a pinch I would just use regular white vinegar.
Thanks!
Kelley
Deryk
Rice vinegar is the same thing as “Rice Wine Vinegar”, it’s just different wording.
Carolyn Baeta
Made this tonight and it was a big hit with the hubby and I. I had to use a lot more cornstarch then the recipe called for but it did thicken and was delicious. Thanks for a great recipe which will be a regular in our home!
Ann
Is there nutritional information on this recipe. It sound so good, but would like that information.
Kelley
Hi Ann,
I do not have the nutritional info for this recipe however this site works great for getting the nutritional facts on the whole recipe: https://www.verywell.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4129594
Thanks!
Kelley
Ann
Thank you very much for taking the trouble to look up or get a site that can help with the nutritional information. The recipe sounds so good.
Almost afraid to continue looking as I see so many that say fix me. 😉 Ann
Alyssa
Is it possible to leave this in the crockpot all day? Or will the chicken go too tough and dry? I am working all day tomorrow so wont have time to put it on in time in the evening.
Thanks
Kelley
Hi Alyssa,
I would worry that this would be too dry if cooked all day. Do you have a crockpot that you can set the time for? You can cook for 2-3 hours on low then keep on warm for the rest of the day.
Hope that helps! Thanks!
Kelley
Julie Kirby
I tried that and came hinge to what looked like s cooked sweet potato. The smell was so bad I smelled it when I pulled into our garage.
Sharon Clark
Seems like everyone had the problem of the sauce not thickening. I had the exact opposite problem,to thick. What can I add to juice it up? More hoisin?
Kelley
Hi Sharon,
I would try adding a bit of water plus a bit more soy sauce.
Thanks!
Kelley
Taylor
I made this tonight as well but I added broccoli into the crock pot. Worked like a dream! to thicken the sauce quickly, I added the cornstarch and microwaved small portions of the sauce for about 25 seconds. Thickened instantly. Love this!
STEPHEN LEIGHTON
DINNER TONIGHT