Few Ingredients Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken
This is one of the few ingredients crockpot recipes that still tastes like it took effort. Chicken thighs cook low in a sticky sauce of honey, soy sauce, garlic and ketchup. You dump everything in, walk away and thicken the sauce at the end.
6
servings10
minutes6
hoursChicken thighs simmer in a sweet and salty garlic sauce that thickens into a glaze. It needs only a handful of pantry staples.
Ingredients
2 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup ketchup
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp cold water
2 green onions, sliced
1 tbsp sesame seeds
4 cups cooked white rice, for serving
Directions
- Pat the chicken thighs dry and season with the salt and pepper.
- Place the thighs in a single layer in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Whisk the honey, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes in a bowl until smooth.
- Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is tender and reads 175°F or higher.
- Move the chicken to a plate and shred it into large pieces with two forks.
- Whisk the cornstarch and cold water until smooth, then stir it into the sauce.
- Cook the sauce on HIGH, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once, until it coats the back of a spoon.
- Return the chicken to the sauce and toss gently to coat.
- Serve over hot rice and top with green onions and sesame seeds.
Notes
- Use chicken breasts if you prefer, but cut the time to 3 to 4 hours on LOW. Swap honey for maple syrup. For a gluten-free dish, use tamari. Leftovers keep 4 days in the fridge and freeze for 3 months. Serve with steamed broccoli or sauteed green beans.
Why so few ingredients is enough
Honey, soy sauce and garlic already carry sweet, salty and hearty flavors, so they do the work of a dozen spices. The slow cooker blends them into a glaze while the chicken cooks. There is nothing to brown, chop or watch.
The sauce also behaves well over a long cook. Honey and soy are both stable at low heat, so they do not scorch, and the chicken gives off just enough juice to keep the sauce loose until you thicken it. Fewer ingredients also means fewer mistakes and a lower grocery bill, which is why a short list works well on busy weeks. Everything here is probably already in your kitchen except the chicken.
Ingredient notes
Chicken thighs: they stay tender over hours of cooking. Trim big pieces of fat before you start.
Honey: any basic honey works. Measure it with a greased cup so it slides out clean.
Soy sauce: choose low-sodium. Regular soy sauce with this much honey becomes too salty once the sauce reduces.
Ketchup: it adds tang, color and body. It is the secret behind the sticky texture.
Cornstarch: it thickens the sauce at the end. Always mix it with cold water first, or it clumps. Ginger: ground ginger is fine, but a teaspoon of fresh grated ginger gives a brighter taste if you have a knob in the fridge.
Tips for a sticky, glossy sauce
Do not skip the thickening step: slow cooker sauces stay thin because the lid traps steam. Ten minutes uncovered on HIGH with cornstarch turns it into a glaze.
Shred the chicken after cooking: pieces break open and take up more sauce, which gives better flavor than whole thighs sitting in a pool.
Mind the time: the most common mistake is cooking thighs for 9 or 10 hours. They fall apart into threads and the sauce can turn bitter. Stop at 6 hours on LOW. Taste the sauce before you serve. If it is too sweet, add a splash of rice vinegar or lime juice. If it is too salty, stir in a spoonful of honey and a little water. A small fix at the end adjusts the whole pot.
Swaps and variations
For a lighter plate, use chicken breast tenderloins and serve over cauliflower rice. For more heat, add a spoon of sriracha or chili garlic sauce. Swap honey for brown sugar for a deeper flavor. Add broccoli florets in the last 30 minutes if you want a vegetable in the pot.
Do not add the cornstarch at the beginning. It will clump and leave the sauce gummy by the end of the cook. Pineapple chunks stirred in near the end give a sweet and sour feel that kids tend to like. Toss in sliced bell peppers during the last hour if you want more color.
What to serve with it
Steamed white or jasmine rice soaks up the sauce best. Add stir-fried green beans, snap peas or steamed broccoli on the side. For a bowl, layer rice, chicken, shredded carrot and cucumber, then drizzle extra sauce on top. This dish also works well for meal prep. Divide it into four containers with rice and vegetables, and lunches are ready for the week.
Storing and reheating
Cool and refrigerate the chicken in its sauce for up to 4 days. Freeze in zip bags for up to 3 months; the sauce freezes well because there is no dairy.
Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water so the glaze loosens. The microwave works in 1 minute bursts with a lid on top. Stir between rounds.
Few Ingredients Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken at a glance
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cooking time: 6 hours
- Servings: 6 servings
- Ingredients: 14, led by boneless skinless chicken thighs, kosher salt, black pepper, honey
Tips for Few Ingredients Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken
Use chicken breasts if you prefer, but cut the time to 3 to 4 hours on LOW. Swap honey for maple syrup. For a gluten-free dish, use tamari. Leftovers keep 4 days in the fridge and freeze for 3 months. Serve with steamed broccoli or sauteed green beans.
Few Ingredients Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken FAQ
How long does Few Ingredients Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken take?
Few Ingredients Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken takes 6 hours of cooking after 10 minutes of prep.
How many people does Few Ingredients Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken serve?
This recipe makes 6 servings.
What do I need to make Few Ingredients Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken?
14 ingredients, led by boneless skinless chicken thighs, kosher salt, black pepper, honey. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
