Honey Garlic Chicken is an easy healthy chicken dinner that can be made in a slow cooker or instant pot with simple ingredients. 

Honey Garlic Chicken

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SLOW COOKER HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN THIGHS

This time of year everyone is trying to eat healthy and the nonconformist in me wants to do the exact opposite.

The more I think about eating healthy chicken or fish with veggies, the more I just want to go eat a Krispy Kreme. The defiant inner teenager inside me wants to rebel and do exactly what I’m not supposed to.

I also have it in my head that I have to eat ALL of the junk food in my house before I can properly start to eat healthy. As if it’s my duty to eat the whole pound of See’s chocolate that my sisters gave me…ahem…before I can start eating healthy.

I just think of it as taking one for the team so my husband doesn’t have to ruin his healthy eating ways.

Honey Garlic Chicken

This crockpot honey garlic chicken is my compromise to the start of eating healthy. Although the ingredients aren’t entire healthy on their own if you ate them in their entirety, the chicken only cooks in it giving it so much flavor and then just a little sauce is eaten with it. Such an easy recipe.

I think that chicken in the crockpot tends to be dry and lacking flavor that’s why it’s a great recipe for chicken thighs.

INGREDIENTS

  • BONELESS SKINLESS CHICKEN THIGHS – I like to use thighs but boneless skinless chicken breasts can be used too.
  • HONEY – Any sweetener can be used. You could substitute brown sugar for the sweet honey.
  • KETCHUP
  • LOW-SODIUM SOY SAUCE – It’s important to control the sodium in the sauce ingredients. This makes it more of a savory sauce.
  • FRESH GARLIC
  • CORN STARCH – Helps thicken up the delicious sauce.

HOW TO MAKE HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN

  1. Place the chicken in the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker. In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, soy sauce, ketchup and honey. Pour over the chicken and cover.
  2. Slow Cooker instructions: Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Be sure to check the chicken periodically. My chicken was done after 5 hours on low. Remove chicken, place on a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Keep chicken whole or shred with two forks. Transfer the remaining sauce to a saucepan. Stir together the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl until dissolved and whisk into the sauce. Bring the sauce to boil and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until thickened.
  3. Instant Pot Instructions: Cook on high pressure in the pressure cooker for 20 minutes. Remove chicken, place on a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Keep chicken whole or shred with two forks. Stir together the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl until dissolved and whisk into the sauce in the Instant Pot. Change setting to saute. Bring the sauce to boil and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until thickened.
  4. Serve a little sauce over the chicken pieces and garnish with fresh basil, green onions, or sesame seeds. Serve chicken over a bed of rice with some broccoli or green beans on the side. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS

  • Serve over white rice or brown rice.
  • Cauliflower rice can be used as a low-carb option.
  • Serve with a green vegetable like steamed broccoli or a green salad.

OTHER SLOW COOKER RECIPES

Honey Garlic Chicken

Honey Garlic Chicken

5 from 14 votes
This Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken is an easy healthy chicken dinner!
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours
Total Time: 5 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • optional fresh basil, shredded, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Place the chicken in the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker. In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, soy sauce, ketchup and honey. Pour over the chicken and cover.
  • Slow Cooker instructions: Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Be sure to check the chicken periodically. My chicken was done after 5 hours on low. Remove chicken, place on a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Keep chicken whole or shred with two forks. Transfer the remaining sauce to a saucepan. Stir together the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl until dissolved and whisk into the sauce. Bring the sauce to boil and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until thickened.
  • Instant Pot Instructions: Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Remove chicken, place on a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Keep chicken whole or shred with two forks. Stir together the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl until dissolved and whisk into the sauce in the Instant Pot. Change setting to saute. Bring the sauce to boil and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until thickened.
  • Serve a little sauce over the chicken and garnish with fresh basil. Serve chicken over rice with some broccoli or green beans on the side.
Cuisine: American
Course: Main Course
Author: Christy Denney
honey garlic chicken
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Christy Denney
Christy is the voice behind The Girl Who Who Ate Everything! She is no stranger to making meals that kids and adults will love. She grew up in Mesa, Arizona as the youngest of ten kids. She can always be found in her kitchen with music playing and cooking with her kids. She published her first cookbook in 2014. She loves party food that gets the conversations going!
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