Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken

An easy Asian-inspired slow cooker chicken recipe with honey and garlic similar to Bourbon Chicken the whole family will love!

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1. JUMP TO THE RECIPE
2. FAQ ON HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN
3. WHAT TO SERVE WITH IT

When we travel to Canada to visit Husband's family, I usually bring a few items of food that aren't available there (at least not in the area of Ontario we visit).

And there are things I bring back across the border that we can’t get down here in the South.

Some of these things are very, very important to bring back home for Husband. Like 'All Dressed' potato chips and Lay's ketchup chips.

My mother-in-law makes a super simple crock pot meal like this one using a jar of honey garlic cooking sauce that's readily available there.

It's a perfect meal to make the day of our arrival because it keeps well in the slow cooker until we finally arrive and I've come to look forward to it!

To my knowledge, we don't have anything like the prepared, jarred cooking sauce here to I decided to recreate it.

I've tweaked it a good bit over the years and think I've finally nailed down the perfect recipe!

One thing I learned early on was that you can't cook the honey in the recipe the whole time because the sugars in the honey will take on a burned flavor so I add it at the end.

I also discovered that chicken thighs hold up WAAAAY better and have better texture than chicken breasts but, yes, technically, you can use breasts instead of thighs (but I don't recommend it).

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN

This recipe uses common ingredients and doesn't require any hard-to-find or never-gonna-use-again items. All you need is...

• Chicken Thighs
• Black Pepper
• Fresh Garlic
• Soy Sauce
• Ketchup (just a little)
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Honey
• Green Onions
• Cornstarch

FAQ ON HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN

Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?  Technically, yes. I much prefer the texture of thighs in most slow cooker recipes but breasts can be used. I suggest reducing the cooking time to 2 hours on High or 4 hours on Low if using boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

Can bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs be used?  Absolutely! You'll just need to remove the skin and bones before adding the chicken back to the sauce in Step 6.

Why is ketchup in this recipe?  Ketchup is a great way to add a nip of acid (which most savory recipes need when there are sweet elements), body and color.

What can I substitute for ketchup?  Add 1/2 tsp vinegar (any kind... white, balsamic, apple cider, rice wine, etc.).

Can I use low sodium soy sauce?  Of course! Taste for seasoning then add salt if needed.

Is this recipe spicy?  Not so much that my kids have ever noticed or reacted but you can certainly use less red pepper flakes if desired.

Can garlic powder be used instead of fresh garlic? Use 1.5 teaspoons garlic powder

WHAT TO SERVE WITH HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN

I always, always serve white rice with this recipe. In addition, I typically serve one of the following as well:

• Steamed Broccoli - My go-to method when I'm in a hurry is to fill a large microwavable bowl with fresh broccoli florets, sprinkle on 2-3 tablespoons water and kosher salt to taste, cover bowl with a plate then microwave on High for 5 minutes. 
• Korean Cucumber Salad 
• Quick & Easy Asparagus 
• Garlic Parmesan Roasted Broccoli - I usually plan to have this the same week as the Honey Garlic Chicken because I always have leftovers. The roasted broccoli heats up like a dream and is a quick fix when I need a green side dish.
• Cucumber Tomato Salad 

Recipe for How to Cook Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken

Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken

Yield: 6 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 4 HourTotal time: 4 H & 10 M

An easy Asian-inspired slow cooker chicken recipe with honey and garlic similar to Bourbon Chicken the whole family will love!

Ingredients

• 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2/3 cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 cup honey
• 1 bunch green onions, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions

1. Season chicken liberally with black pepper then place in a medium-sized crock pot. chicken thighs, 1 tsp. black pepper
2. Combine garlic, soy sauce, ketchup and red pepper flakes in a small bowl then pour over chicken. Cook on High for 3-4 hours (or low for 5-6 hours) or until chicken is cooked through and tender. 6 garlic cloves, 2/3 c. soy sauce, 3 Tbsp ketchup, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3. Remove chicken from crock pot then cover to keep warm.
4. Add honey to crock pot, increase temperature to High (if not already) and replace lid. 1 c. honey
5. Add cornstarch to a small bowl then stir in 1/4 cup cold water until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture to crock pot, stir, cover and heat until sauce thickens (about 30 minutes). 2 Tbsp cornstarch
6. Cut chicken thighs into large bite-size pieces. Gently stir cooked chicken and diced green onions into sauce, reserving some onions for garnish if desired. Reduce heat to “warm” until ready to serve. 1 bunch green onions, finely diced
7. Serve chicken and sauce over white rice.

Notes

• Feel free to thicken the sauce on the stove to speed things along. Cook rendered broth, honey and cornstarch slurry over medium-high heat until thickened.
• I prefer the chicken to remain in pieces (rather than being shredded) which is why I say to cut it into large pieces and gently stir it into the sauce.

https://www.southyourmouth.com/2013/09/honey-garlic-chicken.html

Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2013

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