Slow Cooker Shredded Honey Garlic Chicken

Shred the chicken while the honey garlic sauce thickens in the slow cooker. When you tip the chicken back in, the sauce clings to the ragged edges and settles between the strands. Scoop it onto rice with broccoli on the side and finish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

This slow cooker shredded honey garlic chicken gets its sticky coating from honey, soy sauce and tomato paste. The paste gives the sauce body, while rice vinegar and a little chili paste balance the sweetness. Boneless thighs pull apart easily, and chicken breasts work in the same sauce if that’s what you have on hand.

Whisk the sauce before it goes into the slow cooker

Mix the soy sauce, honey, tomato paste, chili paste, garlic and rice vinegar in a bowl or large measuring cup. Press any lumps of tomato paste against the side as you whisk so it blends into the honey and soy sauce. Pour it all over the chicken and cover the cooker. If you’re nearby halfway through, turn the pieces over so both sides spend time in the sauce.

When to take the chicken out

Cook the chicken for 4 to 5 hours on LOW or 2 to 3 hours on HIGH. Start checking near the early end of the range, especially if you’re using breasts. Slide a thermometer into the thickest part of a piece and look for 165°F. Move the chicken to a plate and give it a moment to cool before pulling it apart with two forks.

How to get a sticky honey garlic sauce

With the chicken out of the way, whisk the cornstarch into the cooking liquid. Cover the slow cooker and give the sauce 15 minutes on HIGH, stirring occasionally. If you want it thicker, keep cooking it for up to 30 minutes in all. You’re looking for a sauce that leaves a coating on the back of a spoon.

For a quicker finish, pour the liquid into a saucepan after whisking in the cornstarch. Stir it over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until it thickens. Return the sauce to the slow cooker along with the shredded chicken and toss gently so it gets into all the little crevices.

Build a chicken and broccoli rice bowl

Steam the broccoli while the sauce is thickening. Spoon the chicken onto brown rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice and use the broccoli to catch some of the sauce around the edge of the bowl. Scatter green onions and toasted sesame seeds on just before serving. For a dinner with the chicken left in whole pieces, see the whole-thigh honey garlic chicken recipe.

Save the leftovers with their sauce

Refrigerate the shredded chicken and sauce together in a covered container and use it within four days. Reheat a portion in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add a splash of water or broth if the chilled sauce is too thick. You can also freeze the cooked chicken and sauce for up to three months and thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.

Slow Cooker Shredded Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe

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Slow Cooker Shredded Honey Garlic Chicken

Slow cooker shredded chicken coated in a sticky sauce of honey, garlic, soy sauce, tomato paste, chili paste and rice vinegar.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 4–5 hours on LOW or 2–3 hours on HIGH, plus 15–30 minutes on HIGH to thicken

Total Time About 4 hours 30 minutes on LOW

Servings: 4

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the chicken and sauce

• 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
• 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 serving

• Prepared brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Chopped green onion

Method

 

Slow cooker method

1. Lay the chicken in a slow cooker that holds at least 6 quarts.
2. Whisk together the soy sauce, honey, tomato paste, chili paste, garlic and rice vinegar. Pour the sauce over the chicken.
3. Cover and cook for 4 to 5 hours on LOW or 2 to 3 hours on HIGH, until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F. If convenient, turn the pieces over halfway through cooking.
4. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Whisk the cornstarch into the liquid left in the slow cooker.
5. Cover and cook the sauce on HIGH for 15 minutes, stirring now and then. For a thicker sauce, cook for up to 30 minutes in all. For a faster finish, transfer the sauce to a saucepan after adding the cornstarch and stir over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until thickened.
6. Pull the chicken apart with two forks and return it to the slow cooker. If you used a saucepan, pour the sauce back in. Toss to coat.
7. Serve over your choice of rice or quinoa and finish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Steamed broccoli makes a good side.