Easy Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken - 15 Minute Prep

Name: Crockpot Garlic Honey Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 255 min
Ingredients: 3 pounds boneless chicken thighs (or breasts); ½ cup honey; ½ cup soy sauce; 1 tablespoon rice vinegar; 1 tablespoon sriracha; ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 2 tablespoons cornstarch

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Make tender, flavorful Crockpot Garlic Honey Chicken with just 15 minutes of prep! This slow cooker recipe uses simple ingredients for a sweet and savory dinner the whole family will love. Served over rice, on crispy buns, or wrapped up in tortillas, this easy meal is perfect for busy weeknights.

A plate of crockpot garlic honey chicken, shredded and saucy, served over white rice and topped with sesame seeds. A green checkered cloth, utensils, and small bowls of spices sit nearby, with a second plate in the background.

👩‍🍳 Seriously, if you can dump ingredients into a slow cooker, you can make this recipe! There’s no browning, no complicated steps – just throw everything in and let your crockpot do all the work while you tackle your day.

My 2 Best Tips For Making Crockpot Garlic Honey Chicken
Crockpot Garlic Honey Chicken Recipe
How To Make Garlic Honey Chicken
Recipe FAQs
More Yummy Chicken Recipes To Try

My 2 Best Tips For Making Crockpot Garlic Honey Chicken

Size Your Slow Cooker Right: This recipe is designed for a 2-4 quart slow cooker. If you’re using a larger 6-7 quart model, definitely double the recipe. Otherwise, your chicken won’t be properly covered by the sauce and won’t absorb all those amazing flavors.

Don’t Skip the Cornstarch Step: That final thickening step transforms your cooking liquid from watery to gloriously glossy. The cornstarch creates this beautiful coating that clings to every piece of chicken. Make sure to whisk it with cold water first to prevent lumps.

🩷 Melissa

The combination of sweet honey and savory garlic creates an amazing glaze that penetrates every bite — you’ll seriously love the flavor!

The sriracha adds just enough heat to keep things interesting without overwhelming the kids. If anyone at your table wants more spice, just garnish individual servings with crushed pepper flakes.

This recipe makes enough for a crowd and reheats beautifully. I love making a double batch on Sunday and having easy dinners ready for the week. The flavors actually get even better after a day in the fridge!

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Crockpot Garlic Honey Chicken

By: Melissa Griffiths

Prep: 15

Cook: 4

Total: 4 15

Servings:

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Ingredients

Instructions

Add the chicken, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sriracha, red pepper flakes, ginger, and garlic to your crock pot. Give everything a quick stir and make sure the chicken is coated in honey and soy sauce.
Put the lid on your crockpot and cook for 4 hours on high heat.
After 4 hours, whisk the cornstarch together with ½ – 1 tablespoon of water. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the crock pot and stir continually until the sauce begins to thicken.
Serve the chicken thighs whole or shred them.

Notes

Slow Cooker Size: 4-quart

Choose Chicken Thighs Over Breasts: Chicken thighs are a secret weapon in this recipe! They stay incredibly tender in the slow cooker and have more flavor than breasts. They also won’t dry out if you accidentally cook them a little too long (we’ve all been there!).

Fresh vs. Powdered Spices: You can absolutely use fresh garlic and ginger if you prefer. Substitute with 4 freshly minced garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger. Both versions taste fantastic – I just love how the powdered spices keep prep time minimal.

Garnish Game Strong: Don’t underestimate the power of a good garnish! Toasted sesame seeds add this wonderful nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the honey. Sliced green onions bring freshness and color, while extra red pepper flakes let heat lovers customize their spice level.

Serving Ideas: This honey garlic chicken is great served over a bed of warm white rice. You can also serve it alongside some stir fry veggies. It’s also great on toasted buns or even wrapped up in tortillas.

Storing & Reheating Leftovers: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. To reheat, microwave individual portions for about 45 seconds or until heated through. The sauce might separate slightly when reheated, but a quick stir will bring it back together.

Nutrition

Calories: 912kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 59g, Fat: 57g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g, Monounsaturated Fat: 23g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 333mg, Sodium: 1973mg, Potassium: 804mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 35g, Vitamin A: 308IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 38mg, Iron: 3mg

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How To Make Garlic Honey Chicken

A plate of raw chicken thighs with small bowls of soy sauce, honey, ketchup, cornstarch, oil, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper flakes—perfect for making crockpot garlic honey chicken—on a white marble surface.

Step 1: Add the chicken, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sriracha, red pepper flakes, ginger, and garlic to your crock pot.

Raw chicken drumsticks with spices, garlic, and honey sauce are placed inside a black crockpot on a white marble surface, ready to be cooked.

Step 2: Give everything a quick stir and make sure the chicken is coated in honey and soy sauce. Put the lid on your crockpot and cook for 4 hours on high heat.

A black crockpot filled with shredded garlic honey chicken in a rich, dark sauce, placed on a white marble surface.

Step 3: After 4 hours, whisk the cornstarch together with ½ – 1 tablespoon of water. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the crock pot and stir continually until the sauce begins to thicken.

Shredded crockpot garlic honey chicken being stirred with a wooden spoon inside a black slow cooker, with a green gingham cloth partially visible on the counter nearby.

Step 4: Serve the chicken thighs whole or shred them.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use boneless skinless chicken breasts instead of thighs?

Yes! While I prefer chicken thighs for their tenderness and flavor, boneless skinless chicken breasts work perfectly fine. Just keep in mind they can dry out more easily, so try not to overcook them. You might want to check them at the 3.5-hour mark.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

The recipe as written is not gluten-free because of the soy sauce. However, you can easily make it gluten-free by substituting tamari or coconut aminos for the regular soy sauce. The flavor will be nearly identical!

Can I make this recipe in an Instant Pot?

Yes! For pressure cooking, use the manual high pressure setting for 12 minutes, then do a quick release. You’ll still want to thicken the sauce with cornstarch at the end – just use the sauté function and stir until thickened.