Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe: Sweet & Savory Bliss

Crafting a delectable slow cooker honey garlic chicken brings comfort right to your dinner table.

Succulent meat promises to melt in your mouth with minimal effort.

Weeknight meals can transform from mundane to magnificent with this simple approach.

Home cooks appreciate straightforward recipes that deliver maximum flavor without complicated techniques.

Sweet and savory notes dance together, creating a meal everyone will request again.

Fragrant garlic and golden honey combine to produce a dish that feels both familiar and exciting.

How to Make Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Step 1: Whisk Flavor-Packed Sauce

Grab a small mixing bowl and combine honey, minced garlic, soy sauce, dried oregano, and ketchup. Stir these ingredients until they create a smooth, glossy mixture that will infuse your chicken with incredible taste.

Step 2: Layer Protein and Vegetables

Place chicken thighs, baby red potatoes, carrots, and onions into your slow cooker. Distribute them evenly to ensure each bite gets maximum flavor coverage.

Step 3: Drench with Delicious Sauce

Pour the honey garlic sauce directly over the chicken and vegetables. Make sure every piece gets a generous coating of the tangy, sweet sauce.

Step 4: Slow Cook to Perfection

Cover the slow cooker and set it to LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-3.5 hours. During this time, the chicken will become incredibly tender and absorb all the wonderful sauce flavors.

Step 5: Add Green Vegetable Boost

Twenty minutes before serving, toss green beans into the slow cooker. If you want a thicker sauce, mix cornstarch with a small amount of water to create a quick slurry.

Step 6: Final Cooking Touch

Replace the lid and continue cooking for an additional 15-20 minutes. This will ensure green beans are perfectly crisp and the sauce reaches ideal consistency.

Step 7: Plate and Enhance

Transfer chicken and vegetables to serving plates. For extra crispy skin, quickly broil chicken thighs for 2-3 minutes.

Drizzle remaining sauce over the dish and sprinkle fresh chopped parsley on top for a vibrant finish.

Tips for Honey Garlic Chicken Perfection

• Use chicken thighs instead of breasts to ensure juicy, tender meat that won't dry out during slow cooking.
• Let the honey garlic sauce simmer with the chicken to develop richer, more complex flavors throughout the cooking process.
• Add cornstarch slurry in the last 20 minutes to create a glossy, restaurant-quality sauce without making it too thick.
• Quickly broil chicken thighs after slow cooking to get a golden, crispy exterior that adds delightful texture.
• Add green beans later in the cooking process to maintain their vibrant color and prevent overcooking.

Variations on Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

• Mediterranean Herb Chicken: Replace oregano with a blend of rosemary, thyme, and basil for a Mediterranean-inspired flavor profile.
• Spicy Korean-Style Chicken: Add gochujang, red pepper flakes, and swap ketchup with gochugaru for a fiery Korean-inspired version.
• Apple Cider Chicken: Substitute honey with apple cider and include diced apples instead of green beans for a sweet and tangy variation.
• Caribbean Jerk Chicken: Mix in jerk seasoning, replace soy sauce with lime juice, and add bell peppers for a vibrant Caribbean twist.

Pairing Ideas for Honey Garlic Chicken

• Enhance Flavor Pairing: Serve with crisp Riesling wine, its slight sweetness perfectly complements the honey garlic chicken's rich, savory profile.
• Starch Sidekick: Pair with fluffy jasmine rice to soak up the delicious sauce, creating a balanced and satisfying meal experience.
• Freshness Booster: Add a light, tangy arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette to cut through the dish's richness and provide a bright, zesty contrast.
• Herb Harmony: Sprinkle fresh chopped basil or cilantro on top to elevate the chicken's aromatic qualities and add a layer of fresh, herbaceous flavor.

Storage Tips for Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Transfer leftover chicken and vegetables to airtight containers, seal tightly, and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Keep the sauce separate in a small container to maintain texture.

Pack cooled chicken and vegetables in freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Remove excess air, label with the date, and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Avoid freezing green beans as they may become mushy.

Place individual portions on a microwave-safe plate, sprinkle a few drops of water to prevent drying, and cover with a microwave-safe lid. Heat on medium power for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through to ensure even warming.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

FAQs

• Can I use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs?

Yes, chicken breasts work well, but they tend to dry out faster. To prevent this, reduce cooking time and monitor moisture levels carefully.

• Is this recipe gluten-free?

Not automatically. Use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari to make the recipe completely gluten-free. Always check ingredient labels to ensure compliance.

• How do I prevent the vegetables from getting mushy?

Cut vegetables into similar-sized chunks to ensure even cooking. Add firmer vegetables like potatoes and carrots at the beginning, and more delicate vegetables like green beans closer to the end of cooking.

• Can I prepare this recipe ahead of time?

Absolutely! You can mix the sauce and chop vegetables the night before. Store ingredients separately in the refrigerator and assemble in the slow cooker right before cooking.

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken: Sweet and Tender

• Craft Hearty Comfort: This slow cooker chicken delivers a warm, satisfying meal packed with rich flavors that hug your taste buds and fill your kitchen with delightful aromas.
• Minimize Kitchen Chaos: One-pot cooking means minimal cleanup, letting you spend less time washing dishes and more time enjoying a delicious family dinner without stress.
• Customize with Ease: Swap vegetables, adjust seasonings, or modify protein choices to match your family's preferences, making this recipe super adaptable for different dietary needs.
• Hands-Off Cooking Magic: Toss ingredients into the slow cooker, walk away, and return to a perfectly cooked meal that requires minimal active preparation and guarantees tender, juicy chicken.

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

• Chicken Thighs: A tender and flavorful meat that becomes juicy and succulent when slow-cooked.

• Baby Red Potatoes, Carrots, Onions, Green Beans: A colorful mix of vegetables that add nutrition, texture, and hearty flavor to the dish.

• Honey, Soy Sauce, Garlic: A classic combination that creates a sweet and savory sauce with rich umami depth.
• Oregano, Ketchup: Herbs and condiments that enhance the overall flavor profile of the dish.
• Cornstarch: A thickening agent that helps create a glossy and clingy sauce.

• Parsley: A fresh herb that adds a bright and aromatic finishing touch to the meal.

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe

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4.6 from 14 reviews

• Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

Mouthwatering slow cooker honey garlic chicken brings sweet and savory flavors together in one incredible dish. Home cooks can easily create this irresistible meal that promises tender chicken with a perfectly balanced glaze you’ll crave again and again.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Proteins:

• 2 pounds chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on

Vegetables:

• 1 pound baby red potatoes
• 1 pound carrots, peeled
• 1 cup onions, chopped
• 1 pound green beans, trimmed
• Fresh parsley, chopped

Sauce and Seasoning:

• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup soy sauce, low sodium
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste

Thickener (Optional):

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 3 teaspoons water

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Instructions

1. Craft a zesty honey garlic sauce by blending honey, minced garlic, soy sauce, dried oregano, and ketchup in a mixing bowl, whisking until smooth and well-incorporated.
2. Transfer chicken thighs into a 4-6 quart slow cooker, nestling them alongside baby red potatoes, chopped carrots, and sliced onions to create a hearty base.
3. Generously drizzle the prepared honey garlic sauce over the chicken and vegetables, ensuring even coverage and flavor distribution.
4. Secure the slow cooker lid and allow the dish to simmer on LOW setting for 6-8 hours or HIGH setting for 3-3.5 hours, enabling the meat to become tender and infused with robust flavors.
5. Approximately 20 minutes before serving, introduce fresh green beans into the slow cooker. Optional: create a cornstarch slurry to enhance sauce consistency.
6. Replace the lid and continue cooking for an additional 15-20 minutes, allowing green beans to become perfectly crisp-tender and sauce to reach desired thickness.
7. Carefully extract chicken and vegetables, arranging on serving plates. For extra caramelization, briefly broil chicken thighs at 450°F for 2-3 minutes. Cascade remaining sauce over the dish and garnish with freshly chopped parsley for a vibrant finish.

Notes

• Swap chicken thighs with chicken breasts for a leaner protein option, adjusting cooking time to prevent drying out.
• Create a gluten-free version by using tamari instead of traditional soy sauce and ensuring all other ingredients are certified gluten-free.
• Enhance vegetable nutrition by adding additional colorful vegetables like bell peppers or zucchini during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
• Reduce sauce sweetness by replacing half the honey with low-sodium chicken broth for a more balanced flavor profile.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 8 hours (on Low) or 4 hours (on High)
• Category: Lunch, Dinner
• Method: Slow Cooking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 330 kcal
• Sugar: 13 g
• Sodium: 580 mg
• Fat: 14 g
• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 20 g
• Fiber: 3 g
• Protein: 27 g
• Cholesterol: 95 mg