Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken And Broccoli

Steam curls up from the valve and your stomach starts talking back. You gotta admit this smell is something special. It kinda wraps around you, making the whole kitchen feel warm and inviting.

You notice the sealing ring working overtime, keeping all that steam locked in tight. The valve hisses just a little every now and then, letting you know the pressure build is doing its thing right. It’s one of those moments where you pause to appreciate slow cooker magic, sorry, I mean how it all just works so well.

When you spot the tender pull on the chicken later, you know it was worth waiting the full cooking time. It’s juicy and soft, soaked with those honey garlic flavors, kinda like a slow dance for your taste buds. This is comfort food done right with hardly any fuss.

The Real Reasons You Will Love This Method

• You get that rich honey garlic flavor deep in every bite thanks to the slow cooking process.
• The chicken turns out super tender, like it just melts apart when you touch it.
• Minimal hands-on time means you can get other stuff done while it cooks.
• The sauce thickens up perfectly after cooking, giving it that finger-lickin’ finish.
• It’s perfect over rice or quinoa for a complete meal, all in one pot.

Your Simple Ingredient Checklist

• 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
• ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce to keep things balanced without too much salt
• ⅓ cup honey for that sweet touch that sticks to the chicken
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste for richness and a little tang
• 2 teaspoons chili paste sambal oelek, sriracha, or any hot sauce you like for a kick
• 4 cloves garlic minced to bring that punchy garlic flavor
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar to brighten things up a tad
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch to help the sauce thicken after cooking

You’ll also want some prepared brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice for serving. Toss on toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onion to garnish and add some crunch at the end.

How It All Comes Together Step by Step

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, tomato paste, chili paste, garlic, and rice vinegar until it’s all smooth and blended.
2. Place your chicken thighs or breasts right into the slow cooker. Pour that sauce mixture straight over the top, coating every piece good.
3. Cover the slow cooker and set it on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours. Let it do its thing until the chicken is fully cooked and tender with that perfect seal and steam cues showing it’s ready.
4. While it cooks, mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to make a thin slurry for thickening the sauce later.
5. Once the chicken’s done, carefully remove it from the slow cooker and set aside. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the sauce left in the cooker.
6. Cover again and cook on high for another 15-20 minutes until the sauce thickens up nicely. Shred the chicken with two forks, then toss it right back into the sauce so every bite gets that sticky coat.

Serve the honey garlic chicken hot over the grain or veggie rice you prefer. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onion on top and you’re good to go.

Easy Tweaks That Make Life Simple

• If you’re in a big rush, using the high setting shortens cooking time but keep an eye on steam cues so you don’t overcook.
• Swap out chicken thighs for breasts if you want leaner meat, just watch it so it doesn’t dry out too much.
• Can’t find tomato paste? Try a little ketchup or even a mild barbecue sauce for a quick substitute.

These tweaks let you manage leftovers or what you got on hand without losing that great flavor. Trust me, it works real good when stuff gets busy.

Your First Taste After the Wait

You pull that chicken apart with gentle pressure and the steam rises up again, carrying that sweet garlic smell straight to your nose. You sense the tang from the vinegar and heat from the chili paste blending perfectly.

Each bite you take is tender and juicy, kinda like the chicken soaked up all the flavors while slowly cooking away. The sauce clings just right, sticky but not too thick, making every mouthful super satisfying.

You spot hints of toasted sesame seeds and fresh green onion adding little pops of texture and flavor that round out the whole dish wonderfully. This is one you’ll wanna make again and again for sure.

How to Store This for Later

• Fridge storage is best in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Just reheat gently in the microwave or on the stove.
• If you wanna keep it longer, freezer is your friend. Portion the chicken with sauce into freezer-safe bags or containers and freeze up to 3 months.
• Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating to keep texture nice and tender.
• For quick meals later, store the chicken and sauce separately from the rice to avoid sogginess. Reheat and combine just before eating.

Your Most Asked Questions Answered

• Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs? Yeah, you can. Just keep an eye on cooking time ’cause breasts dry out faster. Low and slow works best.
• Do I need to use a slow cooker or can I do this in a pressure cooker? Slow cooker is good for this recipe but pressure cooker can speed it up. Just reduce cooking time and watch the valve hiss carefully.
• Can I make this spicier? Totally. Add more chili paste or even sprinkle fresh chopped chili when serving.
• What if I don’t have cornstarch? You can use flour or arrowroot powder as a thickener, just mix with cold water the same way.
• Can I prep this ahead of time? Yep, you can mix the sauce and chicken, then refrigerate a few hours before cooking to let flavors develop more.
• Is this recipe keto-friendly? It can be if you skip the sugar-heavy ingredients and serve over cauliflower rice instead of grains.

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

This easy Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken features tender chicken slow cooked in a sweet, tangy garlic sauce – perfect served over rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice for a simple and satisfying one-pot meal.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time 4 hours hrs 35 minutes mins

Course Soup

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4 servings

Calories 329 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Mixing bowl medium
• 1 Slow cooker 6-quart or larger

Ingredients

  

Main Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds chicken thighs or chicken breasts boneless, skinless
• ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• ⅓ cup honey
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons chili paste sambal oelek, sriracha, or hot sauce of choice
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch for sauce thickening
• prepared brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice for serving
• toasted sesame seeds for garnish
• chopped green onion for garnish

Instructions

 

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, tomato paste, chili paste, garlic, and rice vinegar until smooth.
• Place chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken, coating each piece evenly.
• Cover with the lid and cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
• In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to create a slurry.
• Remove the cooked chicken and set aside. Add the cornstarch slurry into the sauce left in the slow cooker and stir.
• Cover and cook the sauce on high for another 15-20 minutes, or until thickened to your preference.
• Shred the chicken with two forks and return it to the slow cooker. Mix well to coat the chicken in the sauce.
• Serve hot over rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice of your choice.
• Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onion before serving.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently and serve fresh rice to avoid sogginess. Customize heat level with more chili paste or garnish with additional chili flakes.