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Honey Garlic Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs

Honey garlic slow cooker chicken thighs with sticky soy-honey glaze are cooked until tender and fall-apart. The sauce thickens in the pot with a quick cornstarch slurry for a glossy finish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours 5 minutes
Total Time 5 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and garnish
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 0.25 cup sesame seeds
  • 0.25 cup green onions
Honey garlic soy sauce
  • 0.333 cup honey
  • 0.25 cup soy sauce
  • 4 garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 0.5 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
Thickened sauce
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cold water

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Load the slow cooker
  1. Place the bone-in skin-on chicken thighs skin-side up in the slow cooker.
  2. Whisk together honey, soy sauce, garlic, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, ground ginger, red pepper flakes, and black pepper until smooth.
  3. Pour the honey garlic sauce over the chicken thighs so they’re mostly covered.
Cook until tender
  1. Cook on LOW for 5–6 hours (or HIGH for 2.5–3 hours) until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
  2. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and set aside while you thicken the sauce.
Thicken and finish
  1. Whisk cornstarch with cold water, then stir the slurry into the sauce.
  2. Cook on HIGH for 15 minutes until the sauce is visibly thickened and glossy.
  3. Optional: broil the chicken for 3–4 minutes to caramelize the skin.
  4. Spoon the thick honey garlic sauce over the chicken and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

Notes

For the best glaze, let the sauce thicken on HIGH until it coats a spoon; it will keep thickening as it cools. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 4 days; reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot. Freezing is yes—freeze chicken and sauce separately for up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat. For a lower-sugar option, use sugar-free honey or a honey substitute in the same amount.