Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken is tender chicken coated in a sweet and savory sauce made with honey, soy sauce, and hoisin. Then, the chicken is garnished with green onions and sesame seeds to complete the Asian-inspired dish. And, all this deliciousness can be thrown together in about 15 minutes! Let the slow cooker do the work and come home to a meal that is better than take-out! No slow cooker? No problem! Check out my pan-fried Honey Garlic Chicken, too!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Chicken: The cooking time is based on 2 pounds of chicken breasts. Adjust the time to ensure the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F. Chicken thighs would also be delicious. Or, try the recipe with pork chops. Pork chops are fully cooked when they reach an internal temperature of 145°F.
Honey Garlic Sauce: The honey garlic sauce is made with soy sauce, honey, hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, ground ginger, and green onions. If using fresh ginger, you will need about 2 teaspoons.
Cornstarch Slurry: Mix water with cornstarch to make the slurry. The slurry is added to the sauce in the saucepan to thicken it. The thickened sauce is poured over the chicken before serving. This slurry creates a glossy, smooth consistency, giving the sauce a rich texture that coats the chicken nicely.
Sesame Seeds: For the most flavor, toast the sesame seeds. It takes this dish to a whole new level! Sure, you can buy them already toasted, but the flavor is so much better when you do it at home. To toast, place the seeds in a heavy skillet over low heat. Stir them until they turn a dark golden brown. Remove them from heat and allow the seeds to cool.
Why Add Cooked Chicken Back Into The Slow Cooker?
Simple. I didn’t want to get any more dishes dirty, so I added the cooked chicken back into the bowl of the slow cooker! In addition, you want the sauce to coat every chicken nook and cranny. So, it is easier to put the chicken back in, pour the sauce over, and then stir the chicken around to coat it fully. It will also stay warm until you are ready to serve!
How To Store Honey Garlic Chicken
To store honey garlic chicken, first, let it cool completely. Next, store the chicken and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can store the sauce separately or with the chicken. It will last up to 3-4 days. Reheat it in the microwave or a skillet on the stovetop. You could also freeze the chicken for up to 2-3 months.
Slow Cooker Recipes
Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup (127.5 g) low sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup (170 g) honey
- ¼ cup (64 g) hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Place the chicken in the bowl of a slow cooker.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, hoisin sauce, vinegar, garlic, oil, ginger, and most of the green onions (reserving a few for garnish). Pour over the chicken.
- Cook on low for 3-4 hours (or high for 2-3 hours), or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Cooking times may vary, depending on the size of the chicken breasts. Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let rest for 10 minutes.
- Transfer the liquid from the slow cooker to a small saucepan.
- In a small bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons of water with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch until smooth and creamy.
- Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce. Cook on high until thick, whisking constantly.
- Place the chicken back into the slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the chicken, tossing to coat.
- Garnish with reserved green onions and sesame seeds. Serve warm.
Video
Did you make this recipe?
You can tag me at @iamhomesteader.
What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
This was super easy to make and tasted great! I love a good crock recipe for weekly meal planning.
Elizabeth
Deliciously simple! I would make this, for sure!
Bella
Such a flavorful chicken recipe, plus it is so simple since it is cooked in a crockpot! The chicken is delicious as is but I would totally eat it with a side of white rice to make it a complete meal!
Selena
Super flavorful chicken and really easy to throw in the crockpot. This would be delicious over rice or even on an Asian salad!
Made it tonight. It was very good. I overcooked the chicken a bit, it was a little dry. I think I’ll try chicken thighs next time.
I would like to know if you have a suggestion for a sauce that is a bit sweeter. Thank you.
Fantastic,Great Thank you
I tried this tonight. This was absolutely the best! Best flavors! I used Uncle Bens Converted rice with a side of steamed asparagus. As for having all the ingredients on hand, I only had to purchase the hoisin sauce which I have never used before.
I will definitely make this for my family get together.
Wanting to try this today, but I forgot to thaw out my chicken, Would you recommend using frozen chicken and increasing the time?
If you do not have hoisin sauce or rice wine vinegar – what might be a substitute for each?
I agree. Way too many not normally
Stocked
Ingredients
Looks good-plan to try soon!
Made this tonight! Absolutely delicious! I honestly was sneaking a taste of some of the leftover sauce with a spoon before rinsing out the pot! Thank you and if there were stars to give, you’d get 5++++++!
I really intend to try this recipe. I would love to email to my self but you do not offer that as an opeiton.
You can always just write down the recipe.
Take a screenshot and save in you pic 🤷♀️
You can always share in messenger to yourself……..then it is always in your messages
This looks so good and I know our family will love it. However, we have one “no-honey” eater. Could either agave or sugar be used in place? Any other ideas for a honey substitution?
I would try light brown sugar.
This slow cooker Honey Garlic chicken sons Awesome, cant wait to try it!
Great recipe husband loved it plan on making again. Easy to make