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–+ servings
A plate of glazed baked chicken thighs topped with sesame seeds and chopped green onions, photographed from above on a marble surface.

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs (Whole or Shredded)

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
Bone-in, skinless chicken thighs slow-cooked in honey, soy sauce, garlic, tomato paste, and a touch of molasses, with a cornstarch slurry at the end for a glossy sauce. Serve whole over rice or mashed potatoes, or shred it for sandwiches and bowls.

Ingredients

Instructions 

  • Place the chicken thighs in your slow cooker in a mostly single layer.
    3 lb bone-in, skinless chicken thighs
    Raw chicken thighs arranged in a single layer inside a black slow cooker, ready to be transformed into flavorful crockpot honey garlic chicken thighs.
  • In a small bowl, mix the honey, tomato paste, soy sauce, molasses, oregano, and garlic. (See notes.) Pour the sauce over the chicken. Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high heat for 3-4 hours or on low for 5-6 hours. (See notes)
    ¼ cup honey, ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 teaspoon molasses, ½ teaspoon oregano, 4 cloves garlic
    A thick, dark sauce is being poured over raw chicken breasts in a slow cooker, creating the perfect base for a flavorful slow cooker honey garlic chicken.
  • Half an hour before you're ready to eat, whisk the cornstarch with the cold water, then pour it into the crockpot. Stir to thicken the sauce.
    2 tablespoons EACH: cornstarch and cold water
    A hand stirs a white powder and liquid mixture in a small white bowl with a spoon on a marble surface, preparing the flavorful sauce for crockpot honey garlic chicken thighs.
  • Serving option 1: Pour the sauce over the chicken thighs, then sprinkle with chives (or green onion) and sesame seeds.
    Sesame seeds and chives or green onions
    A pair of hands holds a plate of glazed crockpot honey garlic chicken thighs garnished with sesame seeds and chopped green onions, on a marble surface.
  • Serving option 2: Shred the chicken with two forks, and then mix in ½ cup of the sauce.
    A white bowl filled with shredded crockpot honey garlic chicken thighs coated in a glossy brown sauce, topped with sesame seeds and chopped green onions, sitting on a marble surface.

Notes

If you're planning to eat the whole thighs rather than shred them, cook them for the shorter time listed: 3 hours on high heat or 5 hours on low heat.
Serving: 2 chicken thighs with ¼ of the sauce, Calories: 365kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 40g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 194mg, Sodium: 1167mg, Potassium: 644mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 176IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 58mg, Iron: 3mg