Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
Whole chicken thighs cook in a honey, soy sauce, ketchup, and garlic sauce until tender. The cooking liquid will look thin at first: the thighs release moisture under the slow cooker lid. Once the chicken is done, a cold-water cornstarch slurry thickens that liquid into a glossy glaze that clings to each piece. Green onions and sesame seeds go on last, with plenty of sauce left to spoon over rice or noodles.
Ingredients for Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, thawed, about 6 to 8 thighs (900g)
- 1/3 cup honey (115g)
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce (80g)
- 1/4 cup ketchup (70g)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (15g)
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons white sesame seeds
Equipment: A 4- to 6-quart slow cooker and an instant-read thermometer. Serves 4 to 6.
How to Make Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs in the Slow Cooker
- Arrange the chicken: Place the thawed thighs whole in a roughly even layer in the slow cooker. Slight overlap is fine.
- Add the sauce: Whisk together the honey, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic, and rice vinegar. Pour over the chicken. Do not add broth; the thighs will release liquid as they cook.
- Cook and check: Cover and cook on LOW for about 3 to 5 hours or HIGH for 2 to 3 hours. Keep the lid closed until the first doneness check, usually at 3 hours on LOW or 2 hours on HIGH. Check earlier if your cooker runs hot or the thighs are small. The thickest thigh is done when it reaches 165°F (75°C). Lift the thighs gently onto a plate with a wide spatula or tongs.
- Thicken the sauce: Whisk the cornstarch and cold water until smooth, then stir the slurry into the liquid in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for another 15 to 30 minutes, until the sauce is glossy and coats a spoon.
- Glaze and garnish: Return the whole thighs to the slow cooker. Turn them gently or spoon sauce over each piece. Scatter the green onions and sesame seeds over the chicken just before serving.
How to Get a Glossy Honey Garlic Sauce
Remove the thighs before adding the slurry so you can stir the sauce without breaking up the chicken. Mix the cornstarch with cold water first; dry cornstarch added directly to hot liquid can form lumps.
Thickening speed depends on how much liquid the chicken releases and how hot the slow cooker runs. If the sauce is still thin after 30 minutes on HIGH, transfer it to a small saucepan and simmer briefly until it coats a spoon. Then glaze the chicken.
When Are the Chicken Thighs Done?
Use the cook-time range as a guide, not a reason to leave finished thighs in the cooker. Once the thickest piece reaches 165°F, move on to thickening the sauce. Boneless thighs left cooking for hours beyond that point can become stringy or fall apart when lifted.
Thaw the chicken before putting it in the slow cooker so it heats safely and predictably.
Ingredient and Thigh Options
Keep the boneless thighs whole for the main recipe. Bone-in, skinless thighs can be used, but they need a longer, temperature-guided cook; do not rely on the boneless timing.
For a mild variation, whisk 1 teaspoon grated ginger or 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes into the sauce before cooking. For a gluten-free alternative to soy sauce, use tamari and check the other packaged ingredients.
Serving, Storage, and Reheating
Serve the glazed thighs over rice or noodles, with extra sauce spooned over each portion. Steamed broccoli or another simply cooked green vegetable works alongside.
Cool leftovers and refrigerate the chicken with its sauce in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave with the sauce, adding a splash of water if the glaze has become too thick. Cooked, cooled chicken and sauce can also be frozen for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
Approximate per serving, based on 6 servings: 320 calories, 30g protein, 13g fat, and 23g carbohydrates. Approximate per 100g of finished chicken and sauce: 160 calories, 15g protein, 6g fat, and 11g carbohydrates. Values will vary with portion size, cooking moisture, and the amount of sauce served.
Equipment
- 4- to 6-quart slow cooker
- Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Sauce
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, thawed, about 6 to 8 thighs (900g)
- 1/3 cup honey (115g)
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce (80g)
- 1/4 cup ketchup (70g)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
For Thickening and Garnish
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (15g)
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons white sesame seeds
Instructions
- Arrange the thawed chicken thighs in a roughly even layer in the slow cooker; slight overlap is fine.
- Whisk together the honey, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic, and rice vinegar. Pour the sauce over the chicken without adding broth.
- Cover and cook on LOW for about 3 to 5 hours or HIGH for 2 to 3 hours. Keep the lid closed until the first doneness check, usually at 3 hours on LOW or 2 hours on HIGH.
- Check the thickest thigh with an instant-read thermometer. Once it reaches 165°F (75°C), gently transfer the thighs to a plate.
- Whisk the cornstarch and cold water until smooth, then stir the slurry into the liquid in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for another 15 to 30 minutes, until the sauce is glossy and coats a spoon.
- Return the thighs to the slow cooker and gently turn them or spoon sauce over them.
- Scatter the green onions and sesame seeds over the chicken just before serving.
Tips
- Thaw chicken before adding it to the slow cooker.
- Check the chicken early if your slow cooker runs hot or the thighs are small.
- Remove the thighs before stirring in the slurry to avoid breaking them apart.
- Mix cornstarch with cold water before adding it to the hot cooking liquid to prevent lumps.
- If the sauce is still thin after 30 minutes on HIGH, simmer it briefly in a small saucepan until it coats a spoon.
Variations
- Ginger Honey Garlic Chicken: Whisk 1 teaspoon grated ginger into the sauce before cooking.
- Spicy Honey Garlic Chicken: Whisk 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes into the sauce before cooking.
- Gluten-Free Honey Garlic Chicken: Use tamari instead of soy sauce and check the other packaged ingredients.
- Bone-In Chicken Thighs: Use bone-in, skinless thighs and cook longer as needed, checking the temperature rather than relying on the boneless timing.