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The sauce on this Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken is dangerously good. Like, mop it up with rice, drizzle it over everything, maybe “accidentally” taste it straight from the spoon kind of good. After a long day, there is nothing better than walking through the door to the smell of honey garlic chicken bubbling away in the slow cooker, knowing dinner is already handled and you barely had to lift a finger.
These chicken thighs turn meltingly tender after a few hours, soaking up all that sticky, garlicky sweetness until they practically fall apart. Even more succulent than our honey lemon chicken, this slow cooker honey chicken delivers rich flavour, glossy edges, and that irresistible sauce you will want on everything. Trust me, once this joins your rotation of chicken slow cooker recipes, it is not leaving anytime soon.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Be Making This Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken On Repeat
- A sauce worth fighting over: The honey and garlic cook down with soy into a thick, glossy glaze that wraps around every piece of chicken and turns simple ingredients into full blown honey garlic chicken magic.
- True set and forget dinner: Add everything to the slow cooker, walk away, and come back to a meal that tastes like you put in far more effort than you actually did.
- Fall apart tender chicken thighs: Bone in, skinless thighs stay juicy, soak up all that flavour, and turn meltingly soft after a few hours of gentle cooking.
- Sticky caramelised edges: As the sauce thickens, it coats the chicken and creates those slightly charred, syrupy bits that make this honey garlic chicken impossible to resist.
- Weeknight hero status: It is reliable, family friendly, and bold enough in flavour to stand out among your favourite chicken slow cooker recipes.
What You’ll Need For This Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
From the spice rub to the honey garlic butter sauce, each ingredient works together to build flavour and texture. These are the key components that give this Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken its rich, sticky finish.
- Chicken Thighs: Bone in, skinless thighs are perfect for slow cooking. They stay juicy, absorb all that honey garlic goodness, and become meltingly tender.
- Honey: The base of the sauce, adding natural sweetness and helping create that glossy glaze that makes this slow cooker honey chicken so irresistible.
- Unsalted Butter: Brings richness and depth, turning the sauce into something silky and full flavoured.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic softens as it cooks, delivering the bold savoury flavour that defines a great honey garlic chicken.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
Add-Ins And Substitutions
Want to shake things up a little? These additions are not in the original ingredient list, but they work beautifully with the sweet savoury base of this Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken.
- Fresh Ginger: Add a teaspoon of finely grated ginger to the sauce for a warm, subtle heat that pairs perfectly with the honey and garlic.
- Chilli Crisp Or Sambal Oelek: Stir in a spoonful if you love heat. It cuts through the sweetness and gives the sauce a bold, slightly smoky kick. If you’re craving something with even more texture and crunch, you might also love these Crispy Garlic Chicken Strips with Sweet Chilli Mayo for a crispier garlic chicken option with a sweet heat finish.
- Orange Zest: A small pinch added at the end brightens the entire dish and gives the honey garlic chicken a fresh citrus lift without making it sour.
- Toasted Sesame Oil: A drizzle right before serving deepens the flavour and adds that nutty finish you usually only get from restaurant style honey garlic chicken.
- Fresh Thyme Or Rosemary: A sprig added during cooking gives the sauce an unexpected herbaceous note that balances the sweetness beautifully.
How To Make Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
- Prep And Season: Pat the bone in, skinless chicken thighs completely dry with paper towel. Combine 1/2 tablespoon oil with the rub ingredients, then massage the mixture evenly over each thigh until fully coated on all sides.
- Optional Sear: Heat remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil in a large pan over medium heat. Sear the chicken for about 2 minutes per side until lightly golden, remembering this step builds flavour only and does not cook the chicken through.
- Transfer To The Slow Cooker: Arrange the seasoned chicken thighs in a 6 quart slow cooker bowl in an even layer. Make sure they sit snugly so they cook evenly and stay well coated once the sauce is added.
- Make Honey Garlic Butter Sauce: In same pan, melt butter while scraping up browned bits left. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, then stir in remaining sauce ingredients and simmer for 1 minute before removing from heat.
- Cook Until Tender: Pour sauce over chicken, turning each thigh to coat thoroughly. Cover with the lid and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours or on low for 5 to 6 hours, basting once halfway through cooking.
- Rest The Chicken: Transfer the cooked chicken to a serving platter and tent loosely with foil. Let it rest for 5 minutes so the juices settle while you prepare the sauce for thickening.
- Thicken The Sauce: Pour the cooking juices into a pot set over medium high heat and bring to a simmer. Whisk water or broth with cornstarch into a smooth slurry, stir it in, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until thick and glossy.
- Broil And Finish: Place chicken on a lined baking sheet and baste with the thickened sauce. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes per side to lightly char the edges, then slice and serve with extra honey garlic butter sauce spooned over the top.
Serve this Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken over fluffy Garlic Butter Rice to soak up every drop of that glossy sauce. If you want something a little lighter but still satisfying, Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice adds freshness and a subtle citrus lift that balances the sweet savoury glaze beautifully.
For a veggie side that holds its own, Garlic Green Beans with Parmesan bring crisp texture and a salty finish that cuts through the richness of the honey garlic butter sauce. Together, these sides turn your honey garlic chicken into a full, balanced dinner that feels generous but still weeknight friendly.
Tips For The Best Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
- Pat the chicken completely dry before seasoning: This helps the rub stick properly and gives you better browning if you choose to sear first.
- Do not skip the sear if you have time: While optional, a quick sear builds deeper flavour and gives the finished honey garlic chicken a richer taste.
- Baste halfway through cooking: Spoon some of the sauce over the thighs during cooking to keep them glossy and evenly flavoured.
- Thicken the sauce properly: Let the cornstarch slurry simmer long enough to activate. The sauce should look shiny and slightly syrupy before you stop the heat.
- Broil for that sticky finish: A quick blast under the broiler caramelises the edges and takes this slow cooker honey chicken from good to seriously impressive.
- Adjust sweetness to taste: If you prefer it less sweet, add a small splash of rice vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice at the end to balance the sauce.
Recipe FAQ’s
The sauce needs to simmer after adding the cornstarch slurry. Let it cook for a few minutes until thick and glossy, and remember it will continue to thicken slightly as it cools.
Yes. Cook on high for 2 to 3 hours or on low for 5 to 6 hours. If using high, keep an eye on it toward the end to prevent the sauce from reducing too much.
This usually happens if it cooks too long, especially on high, or if you used chicken breasts. Stick to thighs for best results and avoid lifting the lid too often during cooking.
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Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
CHICKEN:
- 6 large chicken thighs skinless and bone-in
- 1 tablespoon olive oil divided
RUB:
- 1 teaspoon paprika mild or smoked
- 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper optional
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper
HONEY GARLIC BUTTER SAUCE:
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 6 cloves garlic finely chopped or minced
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or cider vinegar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
ADDITIONAL:
- 1/4 cup water or chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Instructions
CHICKEN:
- Pat dry bone-in, skinless chicken thighs with paper towel. Combine 1/2 tablespoon of oil with rub ingredients. Season chicken, rubbing the mixture into the chicken.
- OPTIONAL SEAR: Heat remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil in a large pan or skillet over medium heat. Sear chicken for 2 minutes each side to get a nice sear. (Do not cook chicken all the way through, this step is purely for flavour.)Transfer chicken thighs to a 6-qt (litre) slow cooker bowl.
SAUCE:
- Melt butter in the same pan the chicken was in, scraping up any leftover browned bits in the pan. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in remaining sauce ingredients; bring to a rapid simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
SLOW COOK:
- Pour sauce over chicken in slow cooker bowl, flipping thighs in the sauce to evenly coat. Cover with lid and cook on HIGH heat setting for 2-3 hours, or LOW heat setting for 5-6 hours. Baste with sauce half way through cooking.
- Transfer chicken onto serving dish and tent loosely with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes.
- While chicken is resting: pour juices from the slow cooker bowl into a pot large enough to fit the liquid. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Whisk 1/4 cup water (or broth) with 2 teaspoons of cornstarch/cornflour into a lumpfree slurry. Whisk into sauce and let simmer for a good 2-3 minutes, or until thickend into a syrup-like consistency. (Please note: sauce will thicken as it cools). For a thicker sauce, repeat this step with 1 teaspoon extra cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water. Add into sauce and cook until thickened. Continue this step until reaching your desired consistency.
BROIL:
- Place slow cooked chicken thighs on a lined baking sheet. Baste chicken with some of the thickened sauce, about 2 tablespoons per thigh. Broil briefly for 1-2 minutes each side to char the edges.
- Slice chicken and serve drizzled with Honey Garlic Butter Sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
At the beginning of the recipe it calls for bone-in thighs, then in the tips section it says boneless. Which is it?
Hi Michelle, my bad on that one. Thanks for catching it— the chicken thighs should be bone-in. Happy cooking!
Thank you for posting this delicious recipe! I prepared it as written. The flavor is incredible! This is the first time cooking with butter and soy sauce…what a combination!
thank you so much for all the delicious recipes you share with us. But could you please add a Pinterest pin so we can save these to our boards? Thanks so much!!
I made this using two boneless, skinless frozen chicken breasts. I did not brown them, but put them straight into the crockpot, frozen and cooked them on high for two hours. Then followed the rest of the recipe. They tasted really good and my chicken breasts were not dry at all. Thanks for the recipe!
I Carrie, that’s fantastic to hear! I’m glad the recipe worked well with frozen chicken breasts, and that they turned out tasty and moist.
This recipe was absolutely perfect, so delicious. Hubby could not stop praising it. I served with steamed rice and broccolini.
Thank you for sharing.
I think this may have been the BEST meal I have ever cooked myself (& with the help of a four year old)! Utterly amazing, thanks so much for the recipe, we most definitely will be making it again!!
I followed this recipe exactly using boneless skinless chicken thighs. I will try it with bone in next time. It was delicious!! The sauce IS ALL THAT! I will definitely be making this a regular meal rotation. Thank you so much!
Mmmm Yummo!
…but you should clarify some words. The intro and ingredients said “bone-in,” but the instructions and notes said, “boneless.” Maybe your instructions should be to debone the thighs. I used boneless, and 2 hrs on high/low was plenty in the crockpot. So good. I will make it again.
Is it okay to leave the skin on? I’m excited to try this!
I followed this recipe almost exactly as written except I add seasoning salt to my chicken instead of plain salt. I used the tip to thicken the sauce with cornstarch. I served it with mashed potatoes. The sauce made a delicious gravy. Total hit! This is definitely going to be a new fav!