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Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe

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4.2 from 41 reviews

  • Author: Ezabella
  • Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings

Description

This Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken is a delightfully easy and flavorful dish combining smoky barbecue sauce with sweet honey and aromatic garlic. Perfect for busy days, it delivers tender, melt-in-your-mouth chicken thighs cooked low and slow, and can be served in a variety of ways such as over rice, mashed potatoes, or in sliders. A versatile and comforting meal that requires minimal prep and lots of flavor.

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 1 ½ cups barbecue sauce (your favorite, such as Sweet Baby Ray’s, Trader Joe’s, mild, spicy, or garlicky)
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 4-5 cloves, finely minced)

Chicken

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 8-10 thighs; boneless skinless chicken breasts may be substituted, pounded thinner if thick)

Optional Garnishes

  • Green onions, sliced into thin rounds
  • Sesame seeds
  • Salt and pepper (to taste)
  • Red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Slow Cooker: Lightly spray the insert of your 6-quart or 7-quart slow cooker with cooking spray to prevent sticking, though this step is optional.
  2. Make sauce mixture: In the slow cooker, combine barbecue sauce, honey, and minced garlic. Stir well to thoroughly blend the flavors.
  3. Reserve sauce: Remove approximately ½ cup of this sauce mixture and place it in the refrigerator for later use to add extra flavor and moisture to the chicken after cooking.
  4. Add chicken: Add the chicken thighs to the slow cooker and toss gently to coat evenly with the sauce, ensuring all sides are covered. Arrange the chicken evenly in a flat layer for even cooking.
  5. Cook chicken: Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 2 ½ to 3 hours or on LOW for 5 to 6 hours. The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Cooking times may vary based on your slow cooker model and quantity of chicken.
  6. Optional shred: Once cooked, if desired, transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred it with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
  7. Toss with reserved sauce: Add the reserved ½ cup sauce back into the slow cooker and toss the chicken thoroughly to coat it with the extra sauce, ensuring it is moist and flavorful.
  8. Garnish and serve: Optionally garnish with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if you like some heat. Serve the honey garlic chicken over rice, mashed potatoes, with vegetables, or use it as a filling for enchiladas, tortillas, or sliders.

Notes

  • Using barbecue sauce with honey in it may reduce the distinct honey flavor in the finished dish; adding pure honey ensures a balanced sweetness.
  • Monitor cooking times closely as slow cooker heat output varies between models and chicken thickness.
  • For a lighter option, boneless skinless chicken breasts can be used but may need to be pounded thinner for even cooking.
  • The dish is highly versatile and can be customized with your preferred barbecue sauce intensity and additional spices.
  • Leftover sauce can be refrigerated and used as a condiment or marinade for other dishes.
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 3 hours
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Slow Cooking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://kitchenloving.com/slow-cooker-honey-garlic-chicken-recipe/