Honey Garlic Chicken {Slow Cooker or Instant Pot}
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Easier than take-out! Our easy Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe made in the crockpot or instant pot is simple, delicious, and only five ingredients!
These Easy Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs are going to wow your family. Rich with slow cooked savory garlic, sweet honey, and a touch salty. Mmmmmmm, now I’m craving it for dinner. Serve them with roasted broccoli, yum.
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Honey Garlic Chicken
Honey Garlic Chicken {Slow Cooker or Instant Pot}
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Honey Garlic Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken thighs – With bone and skin.
- Seasoned salt – Whatever brand you like (we are partial to Lawry’s)
- Garlic – Whole peeled cloves.
- Honey – Any brand is fine.
- Soy sauce – If you are making this gluten-free, be sure to check labels as not all soy sauces are gluten free.
- Optional– Toasted sesame seeds, green onion, cornstarch.
How do you make honey garlic chicken? (step-by-step)
⭐ First, place chicken into slow cooker and sprinkle with seasoned salt.
⭐ Next, toss garlic cloves in, and make sure they get in between the chicken and into the crevices.
⭐ Then, pour honey and soy sauce over top.
⭐ Finally, cover and cook.
Preparation
How much garlic for honey garlic chicken?
When you see how much garlic this recipe calls for, you’re going to wonder if it’s a typo. It’s not a typo. Then you’re going to wonder how on earth you’re going to come up with that much peeled garlic. I like to purchase mine pre-peeled from the grocery store.
They have smaller packages at most regular markets (in the produce section), or big bags at places like Costco and Sam’s Club. They’re so super convenient. Especially when making something like honey garlic slow cooker chicken.
Should chicken be in a single layer in the crock pot?
If you’re making a small enough batch of the slow cooker honey garlic chicken thighs, then you should go ahead and place them in a single layer. But if you’re feeding a crowd, or have a giant family like mine, then it’s not a big deal to pile them in. Just try to keep things as evenly distributed as possible.
How do you brown honey garlic chicken thighs?
If the chicken doesn’t come out browned to your liking, no big deal – just throw them on a sheet pan and under the broiler for a couple minutes. Watch closely though because you wouldn’t want all that honey garlic yumminess going to waste!
Leftovers and storage
How long does honey garlic chicken last?
This will keep in the refrigerator for 3 – 4 days if stored in a sealed airtight container.
Can you freeze honey garlic chicken?
The leftovers can be frozen. Allow them to cool, then pack tightly in a freezer-safe container and store for 3 – 4 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
What to eat with honey garlic chicken? (serving suggestions)
We love to enjoy this with other Asian inspired dishes like our stir fry noodles recipe, easy fried rice, Asian coleslaw, or oven roasted broccoli. For dessert some quick oreo fluff or Italian sodas!
More Chicken Thigh Recipes
Crispy Chicken Thighs | Peanut Butter Chicken Recipe | Baked Honey Mustard Chicken | Sweet Sriracha Grilled Chicken | Slow Cooker Chicken Fricasee | Chicken and Teriyaki Pineapple Skewers | Slow Cooker Sweet Chili Chicken | Satay Inspired Chicken Thighs | Italian Dressing Chicken Thighs | See all our quick chicken recipes!
Other slow cooker favorites
- Cheesy hashbrown casserole
- Taco soup
- Apricot ham
- Grape jelly meatballs
- See all our slow cooker dinner recipes!
More recipes to try in the instant pot
- Coconut rice
- Instant pot shredded chicken
- Lasagna soup
- Sloppy joes
- See all our easy instant pot recipes!
More delicious Asian inspired recipes
- Healthy egg roll in a bowl
- Rice wrap summer rolls
- Chow mein soup with leftover chow mein
- Quick fried rice
- See all our Asian recipes!
Tools we love
- Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker – This pressure cooker is fantastic because it can be used as a pressure cooker ,a slow cooker, or just a regular pot if you run out of burners!
- Crock Pot Cook and Carry – If you’re not in the market for pressure cooking capabilities, this 6 quart crock pot is the way to go. Another one you’ve seen on the website many times, it’s a great basic slow cooker, but it gets bonus points for a sealing lid that allows you to travel without making a giant mess!
- Stainless Steel Spider Strainer – Sounds strange, but after you get one of these you’ll wonder how you lived without it! This big webbed scoopy thing is perfect for reaching into pots of hot liquid and removing the goodies. Like these delicious honey garlic chicken thighs, for instance!
- Slow Cooker Liners – These are like the silpats of slow cookers. Crock pot recipes are so easy, why not make the clean up a breeze too! They’re a must-have if you don’t love doing dishes. (So, pretty much for everyone).
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How to Make Honey Garlic Chicken
Honey Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs with bone and skin
- 1 tablespoon seasoned salt
- 1 heaping cup whole peeled garlic cloves about 60 cloves
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- optional: toasted sesame seeds, green onion, cornstarch
Instructions
- Place chicken into inner pot and sprinkle with seasoned salt.
- Toss garlic cloves in, and make sure it gets in between the chicken and into the crevices.
- Pour honey and soy sauce over top.
- SLOW COOKER: Cover and cook 4 - 5 hours on high or 7 - 8 hours on low.
- INSTANT POT: Add additional 1/4 cup broth or water, seal and cook on manual (high pressure) 10 minutes, then allow a 5 minute natural pressure release.
- Optional: To thicken remaining sauce, stir in a cornstarch slurry (2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water) and simmer. Repeat until desired consistency is reached.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Still want more chicken ideas? How about this crack chicken made with cream cheese and ranch!
Honey Garlic Chicken {Slow Cooker or Instant Pot}
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Recipe FAQS
Can you put frozen chicken in the crock pot?
You should not cook chicken from frozen in a slow cooker, according to crock pot manufacturers.
Can you put raw chicken in a slow cooker?
Yes, you can put raw chicken in a slow cooker.
How long does it take chicken to cook in a crockpot?
About 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low.
I don’t know about you, but I really truly immensely appreciate food that you can just throw in a pot and walk away from for hours at a time. I think that’s why I make so many soups and stews.
In the pot they go, and when I come back from my day, there’s a delicious meal just waiting for us. Short of hiring a cook, it doesn’t get a whole lot better!
This Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken recipe definitely fits in that category. And the smell it will fill your house with is kind of incredible.
Chicken, honey, garlic, a touch of soy sauce – it’s reminiscent of my favorite childhood Chinese food restaurant. It’s not really an Asian dish, but we served it with instant white rice and roasted broccoli. Mmmmmm.
03-11-15
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I cooked this recipe last week. My family loved it! This recipe is a keeper!
Great recipe! So nice to make it at home.
It is a very convenient recipe! I will want to cook this for my family! They are like a dishes like this, especially with some rice. We have eaten a rice quite often since bought this: http://cooker.guru/zojirushi-rice-cookers-reviews
Thank April the recipe was so good to me! Chicken tasted very delicious. My husband love it a lot!
it WOULD be a very convenient recipe, if i could get my hands on 60 cloves of already-peeled garlic! where did you get that sack o' cloves, peeled & ready to go? not that my Walmart would carry them :/ i steep all my honey in ghost chili pods, so the chicken will have a real kick!
Costco and Sams's Club 😉
My husband really liked this. Said it reminded him of chicken from childhood in Hawaii. Did not have enough garlic to use whole pods so used chopped garlic from a jar. Worked really well. Will definitely make again.
I'm amazed how good this turned out, I love this receipt. Thank you Mama 🙂
Saving this for meal planning in the new year!
awesome! hope you love it 😀
The best flavor combination for chicken ! And I love that it is made in the slow-cooker !
thanks!
This chicken looks phenomenal! I have to make this for dinner this week!
yay! i know you’ll love it!
Would like your cook book Valtrtan@att.net
Hi Valerie! Our ecookbooks are available here: https://www.mamalovesfood.com/mama-loves-soup-ebook/
Thanks!
Amazing ! keep it up
Looks GREAT will try soon. m-m-m-m.
Trying this today. Do you think it would be ok with skinless and boneless thighs?
sure do 🙂 you won’t need to cook quite as long if they’re boneless, just FYI
how can you take these recipes can convert then to make on the stove
Hi Barbara – I’m sorry, this is not a stovetop recipe. You could do them in the oven though. Just put the ingredients in a covered dutch oven (like this one), place on the middle rack of your COLD oven, and set the temp for 250 degrees. It will be ready in about 3 – 4 hours. <3
It’s so yummy! Every chicken lover should definitely try this. The recipe given here is really awesome.
You made me so hungry, it looks super delicious! Great review!
I know that chicken is a healthier alternative to red meat and you can get some good deals on it, but I also know people get tired of getting “chickened to death.” After all, how many recipes can you come up with for chicken? Turns out, more than you can imagine. This honey garlic recipe sounds delicious. I like the idea of soy sauce and sesame seeds too. Sounds like a nice blend of flavors. I also plan on checking out that sweet chili chicken thigh recipe. Chicken thighs are so good when cooked right. I know my cat prefers thighs to white meat.
I want to make this tonight! But I don’t believe I can get my hands on that many unpeeled cloves! If I used chopped garlic from a jar, how much do you think I would need to use??
Hi Josey! There is usually conversion information on the side of the garlic jar. I would check that. Thanks!
Aww!! That seems really mouth-watering. Chicken and honey seem to make a perfect combination of splendid zest! Can I add nuts to add a bit twist to this recipe?
i think cashews would be yummy!