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Honey Garlic Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs

Honey garlic slow cooker chicken thighs with a thick, glossy honey-soy glaze cooked until tender. Skin-side up slow-cooked, then finished with a quick cornstarch thickening for a caramel-like drip.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs and glaze
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 0.33333333333333 cup honey
  • 0.25 cup soy sauce
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 0.5 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cold water
  • 1 sesame seeds garnish
  • 1 green onions garnish

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Slow-cook the chicken
  1. Place the bone-in skin-on chicken thighs in the slow cooker skin-side up.
  2. Whisk together honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, ground ginger, red pepper flakes, and black pepper until smooth and blended.
  3. Pour the honey garlic sauce over the chicken thighs so they’re coated.
  4. Cook on low for 5–6 hours, or high for 2.5–3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender (visible bubbling is not required in the slow cooker).
  5. Remove the chicken and set it aside while you thicken the sauce.
Thicken the glaze and finish
  1. Whisk cornstarch and cold water together, then stir into the sauce in the slow cooker.
  2. Cook on high for 15 minutes until thickened and glossy, with the sauce clinging to a spoon.
  3. Optional: broil the chicken for 3–4 minutes to caramelize the skin, watching for browned edges.
  4. Spoon the thick honey garlic sauce over the chicken and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

Notes

For best texture, keep the chicken skin-side up during the slow cook so it stays intact under the glaze. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop until warm. Freezing is not ideal because the glaze can thin after thawing, but you can freeze if needed. For a lower-sodium option, use reduced-sodium soy sauce and adjust the pepper/red pepper flakes to taste.