If you are looking for a quick and easy dinner with tons of flavor – you’ve found it! This slow cooker honey garlic chicken is bursting with flavor and is easy to make. Slow cook the chicken all day until it is pull apart tender and serve over rice for a weeknight dinner everyone will love!

My family loves slow cooker dinners. My kids know something good is for dinner when I start adding ingredients to the crock pot early in the morning. You could say that all my crock pot dinners are kid approved since there isn’t one they don’t like. This honey garlic chicken is no different – kid approved for sure! My whole family loves take-out so being able to make this take-out worthy meal on a busy weeknight is the best!

Honey garlic chicken

One of popular flavor combinations in Asian inspired food is honey and garlic. It is used in recipes like my sesame cauliflower and other dishes often. This chicken version combines the classic honey garlic flavor with the convenience of crock pot cooking. Your family will loves this meal because –

• it is full of flavor
• there is minimal prep required
• healthier option than take-out
• it can easily doubled and used for other meals

Crock Pot Honey Garlic Ingredients

One of the best parts of this honey garlic chicken recipe, is once you have the ingredients needed you can use them for other dishes. Most of the ingredients listed are common in Asian inspired cuisine.

• chicken
• soy sauce
• honey
• hoisin sauce
• vinegar
• sesame oil
• garlic
• scallions
• sesame seeds
• salt/pepper

Chicken – You can use any boneless, skinless chicken for this recipe. I prefer breasts, but thighs will work too.

Soy sauce – Feel free to use your favorite soy sauce here. We use coconut aminos in all of our Asian inspired recipes at home, which is a soy free substitute.

Honey – Use locally sourced honey, if possible.

Hoisin sauce – This is a staple in Asian cuisine. You can find it in the Asian food aisle at the grocery store. Same goes for rice vinegar and sesame oil. These three are often used together.

Garlic – Fresh garlic is what you need for this honey garlic chicken. I use my garlic mincer to easily dice the garlic for meals.

Sesame seeds – These are great for topping your chicken. They are optional, but a great addition.

Scallions – This is the green part of green onions. You can find these in the produce section of the grocery store.

How to make slow cooker honey garlic chicken

Once you have gathered all your ingredients, you will also need to grab measuring cups and spoons and your slow cooker. This crock pot dinner is really a dump go meal so the dishes needed for prep is minimal.

Step 1: Add ingredients. Add the chicken. Grate your garlic and then it and the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, hoisin sauce plus salt and pepper to the slow cooker. Stir to combine

Step 2: Cook. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

Step 3: Shred. Shred the chicken and serve over rice.

Side dish recommendations

This recipe makes a delicious chicken but you may be wondering what to serve with it. Here are some great side dishes that pair perfectly with this honey garlic chicken –

• Rice
• Honey roasted carrots
• Loaded broccoli salad
• Mashed cauliflower

Recipe FAQ and Tips

While this is a simple crock pot dinner, there are a few tips that can make it even easier. Here are our honey garlic chicken tips and frequently asked questions.

Do I have to brown chicken before slow cooker? No, you do not need to brown the chicken before adding it to the slow cooker. You can brown it, if you’d like, but it’s not necessary. Browning locks in flavor and keeps the chicken moist.

What type of chicken do I need? Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work best for this recipe. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs will work here as well. I do not recommend bone-in chicken as it will not shred as easily and then you have to worry about bones in the meat.

How much garlic do you need? You will need 6-8 cloves of garlic for this chicken. That may seem like a lot of garlic, but it mellows out a bit in the slow cooker.

Pro tip – Use a handheld mixer to easily shred the chicken while it’s still in the slow cooker.

Instant Pot directions

Want to make this chicken even faster? Use your pressure cooker! Follow the directions below –

• Add all of the ingredients to the Instant Pot.
• Stir to combine.
• Add 1 cup of water.
• Pressure cook for 8 minutes on high pressure.
• Let pressure release naturally.
• Shred.
• Serve and enjoy!

How to store leftovers

Place any leftover chicken in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. It will stay fresh for 3 days in the fridge. Remove and microwave to re-heat. You can also reheat it in a skillet with some water.

Can I freeze honey garlic chicken?

Yes! You can freeze this honey garlic chicken. Allow the chicken to cool and place it in a Ziplock bag. Remove all the air and lay flat on a cookie sheet. Once frozen, remove from the cookie sheet and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To re-heat – remove from the freezer and allow to thaw in the fridge. Microwave the chicken or use a skillet with some water to warm it up.

Other chicken recipes

Are you looking for other chicken dinners? Here are some of our other favorites that make dinner time easier!

• Chicken fajitas – slow cooker recipe!
• Cheesy chicken broccoli rice casserole
• Baked chicken tenders
• Enchilada casserole – slow cooker recipe!

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