Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

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Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken is an easy, delicious meal that you can pull together any day of the week. The sauce is honey, soy sauce, hoisin, garlic, and ginger, with enough red chili flakes to give it a little warmth but not so much that kids will holler about it being too spicy. Our method ensures that you get the best, most flavorful sauce every time. Spoon it over rice, scatter green onion and sesame seeds on top, and supper is done.

A plate of shredded meat with sauce served over white rice, garnished with sesame seeds and green onions. A bowl of rice and a bowl of meat are in the background.

Blue cursive text reads "Lucy's notes" on a transparent background.

Y’all probably know that I’m not big on crockpot meals. If I’m cooking something low and slow, I generally prefer an oven braise, like with my Braised Pork Shoulder. However, sometimes you just don’t have time to be home while something roasts in the oven, and that’s when I’ll pull out the slow cooker.

I love this honey garlic chicken recipe because it’s got so much good flavor, and it’s so darn easy to make. And the leftovers freeze well, too, so you can have dinner another night that’s even easier. Think tacos, quesadillas, over rice or sesame noodles, or in a bun. This recipe gives you lots of possibilities.

Testing results for slow cooker honey garlic chicken

I shredded one batch of slow cooker honey garlic chicken with two forks and another with an electric hand mixer. The mixer was faster and pulled the meat into finer strands, and those finer strands took on noticeably more sauce. However, I still usually just use two forks because I’m lazy and don’t want to dirty up the mixer.
In the first test batch, I left the sauce in the slow cooker and added the shredded chicken back. The sauce wasn’t as thick and glossy as I wanted, so I decided to try giving it a quick boil on the stovetop. This thickened the sauce and made it much better. This step is optional, but for best results, I highly recommend it. Only takes about 5 minutes.

Person with shoulder-length blond hair and blue glasses smiling indoors in front of a red brick wall.

I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!

Black cursive text that reads xo Lucy as a signature.

Bowl of shredded meat topped with sesame seeds and chopped green onions, placed on a white surface next to a striped towel and cutting board.

Ingredient notes

Here are a few things to know about the ingredients in this recipe.

➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.

Boneless skinless chicken breasts: Four large ones, about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds. Slow cooker honey garlic chicken breasts pull apart into long, fine strands that hold onto the sauce. You can chop those strands if you want them smaller.

Low-sodium soy sauce: I only ever buy low-sodium soy sauce (although my Filipino friend fusses at me, especially for putting it in her mother’s fried rice recipe), and it’s especially important in this recipe. Regular soy sauce makes this chicken way too salty.

Hoisin sauce: Thick, dark, and sweet, sold right next to the soy sauce. A quarter cup gives the sauce most of its body.

Fresh garlic and ginger: Fresh really is best in this recipe so that you get plenty of flavor over this long, slow cook. But I won’t tell if you cheat and use the paste in those refrigerated tubes.

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How to make slow cooker honey garlic chicken

This honey garlic chicken slow cooker recipe works on either setting. Low runs 5 to 6 hours and high runs 2 to 3 hours. Slow cookers vary, so start checking at the early end of whichever range you’re using.

Grease the slow cooker insert and lay the chicken breasts in the bottom.
Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a bowl, pour the mixture over the chicken, cover, and cook.
Lift the chicken out and leave the sauce in the slow cooker. Shred the meat with two forks or a hand mixer.
Move the sauce to a saucepan, bring it to a boil, whisk in the cornstarch slurry, and let it thicken.
Put the honey garlic shredded chicken back in the crockpot, pour the sauce over it, and stir until all the chicken is coated.

A white plate with slow cooker honey garlic chicken in a brown sauce served over white rice, garnished with sesame seeds and green onions. A cutting board with chopped green onions is nearby.

Why the sauce needs the stovetop

A slow cooker is like a sealed box. Steam rises, hits the lid, and drips right back down into the pot, so almost nothing evaporates over the hours the chicken is cooking. The chicken releases its own juices into the sauce too. What you have at the end is thinner than what you poured in.

That’s why I like to finish the honey garlic sauce on the stove. Cornstarch only thickens once it reaches a full boil, and a slow cooker won’t accomplish this. Five minutes at a hard boil in a saucepan drives off water and sets the starch at the same time, and the sauce turns glossy enough to cling to the shredded chicken instead of pooling in the bottom of the bowl.

Variations

Chicken thighs. Boneless skinless thighs are the usual cut for a slow cooker, and they will work here. I haven’t tested them in this recipe, largely because I don’t like chicken thighs unless they’re on a plate of fried chicken.
More heat. A quarter teaspoon of red chili flakes leaves this chicken dish mild. Double it if you want the sauce to have some real bite, or try adding a little Sriracha sauce.
Sliders. Shredded chicken piles onto soft rolls beautifully, which makes this a good one for a crowd.

For sliders, I split a batch of Buttermilk Dinner Rolls and spoon the chicken on while both are still warm.

What to serve with slow cooker honey garlic chicken

We almost always have this chicken over white rice, but it’s also delicious in tortillas as tacos or quesadillas. You could also spoon the chicken over Easy Riced Cauliflower instead.

If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below!

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Questions and tips

Storage

Make ahead. Slow cooker honey garlic chicken keeps beautifully overnight, so this is a good supper to cook the day before. Warm it in a covered saucepan over low heat or in the microwave.

Storage. Let the chicken cool, then refrigerate it in a sealed container for up to 3 days. For longer than that, freeze it in a sealed food-safe container for up to 2 months, thaw it in the refrigerator, and reheat before serving.

Can I use frozen chicken breasts in the slow cooker?

No. Frozen chicken spends too long at a low temperature before it reaches a safe temperature, and that’s the range where bacteria grow. Thaw the breasts in the refrigerator first, then put them in the slow cooker.

Is this recipe gluten free?

Not as written. Both soy sauce and hoisin sauce usually contain wheat. Swap in a gluten-free soy sauce or tamari and a gluten-free hoisin, and check both labels.

What can I use instead of hoisin sauce?

I don’t recommend leaving it out or swapping it. Hoisin carries the dark, savory depth underneath the honey, and without it the sauce tastes like sweetened soy sauce. It keeps for months in the refrigerator once it’s opened, so one jar lasts a long time.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes, in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker so the breasts still sit in a single layer. Start checking the temperature at the same point you would for a single batch and keep cooking if it needs longer. Double the cornstarch and water for the slurry too.