Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken: Easiest Dump & Forget Dinner!
This dump-and-go crockpot chicken is a weeknight lifesaver! Tender, juicy chicken slow-cooked in a sticky honey garlic sauce — minimal prep, maximum flavor, and perfect for meal prep or feeding the whole family.
Equipment
- Slow cooker
- Whisk
- Measuring cups
- Mixing bowl
- forks (for shredding)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or bone-in, skin-on, see notes)
- 0.5 cup honey
- 0.25 cup soy sauce (low sodium recommended)
- 0.25 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger)
- 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tbsp cornstarch (optional, for thickening sauce)
- 2 tbsp cold water (optional, for thickening sauce)
- green onions, sliced (for garnish)
- sesame seeds (for garnish)
Instructions
- If using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, optionally sear them in a skillet with a little oil over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes per side for color and flavor.
- In a slow cooker, whisk together honey, soy sauce, ketchup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes.
- Add chicken thighs to the crockpot and toss to coat evenly in the sauce.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours until chicken is cooked through and tender.
- If desired, mix cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl. Stir the slurry into the crockpot during the last 30 minutes to thicken the sauce.
- Optionally shred chicken with two forks inside the crockpot before serving for saucy shredded meat.
- Serve hot, garnished with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve over rice, noodles, quinoa, or in lettuce wraps.
Notes
Use boneless chicken thighs for best results. Thicken sauce at the end with a cornstarch slurry. Sear chicken for added flavor (optional). Store leftovers in the fridge for 3–4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.