Sticky honey garlic chicken made easy in your crock pot. Just mix the sauce, add skinless chicken breasts or thighs, and let it slow cook to tender, juicy perfection.
The sweet, garlicky sauce is packed with flavor and perfect over rice. Make it for two or the whole family.
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Featured Comment by Paul D.:
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"Fantastic recipe! My family loves it. My wife thinks I'm a genius, lol."
🧡 Why You’ll Love This Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
- Sweet and sticky sauce: Big flavor from pantry ingredients.
- Foolproof and flexible: Use skinless chicken breasts or thighs—no browning needed.
- Budget- and health-friendly: Easy on your wallet and adaptable for low-fat or gluten-free diets.
- Scales up or down: Great for two or the whole family.
- Complete meal: Just add rice or veggies and dinner’s done.
🐓Ingredients
- Chicken – Skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- Honey garlic sauce – Soy sauce, honey, fresh garlic, optional basil and crushed red pepper flakes
- Cornstarch – Optional, for thickening the sauce
- For serving – Cooked rice, toasted sesame seeds, and sliced green onions
👨🍳Quick Overview: Honey Garlic Chicken in a Crock Pot
1. Prep the chicken and sauce
Trim skinless chicken (breasts or thighs) into serving-size pieces.
Whisk together the honey garlic sauce.
✅ Pro Tip: Love extra sauce for rice or veggies? Double the sauce ingredients before cooking.
2. Combine in the crock pot
Add the chicken and sauce to a smaller crock pot and stir to coat.
3. Cook
Cook on low for 3–4 hours. Breasts are done at 165°F; thighs are best at 180°–185°F. Start checking the temp at 2 hours.
✅ Pro Tip: For thicker sauce, stir in a cornstarch slurry during the last hour.
4. Serve
Spoon over rice and drizzle with sauce. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and green onions.
👇For complete step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card or keep reading for tips, flavor options, and serving ideas.
😊 Pro Tips for Best Results
- Use skinless, boneless chicken — Breasts or thighs both work. This is not a recipe for bone-in split chicken breasts. Cut breasts into serving-size pieces for even cooking and better sauce coverage. Thighs are usually fine as-is. Bone-in, skinless thighs are okay—they’ll just take longer.
- Cook to the right temperature — Chicken breasts are done at 165°F. Thighs are safe at 165°F but are more tender at 180°–185°F.
- Want extra sauce? — Double the sauce ingredients before cooking if you plan to serve it over rice or veggies.
- Thicken the sauce (optional) — Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water, and stir it in during the last hour.
- Shred it (optional) — For a different texture, shred the chicken during the last 15–30 minutes of cooking and stir it back into the sauce. Let it simmer a bit to soak up even more flavor.
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🧂 Seasoning & Flavor Options
- Soy sauce – Use low-sodium soy sauce to keep the salt in check. Regular soy sauce can overpower the sweetness. For a gluten-free version, use Tamari instead.
- Honey – The sauce gets its sweetness from honey. Adjust the amount to suit your taste or to balance extra savory or spicy elements.
- Garlic – Fresh minced or crushed garlic is best. If using garlic powder, substitute ⅛ teaspoon per clove.
- Herbs – Basil is traditional in some versions but completely optional. Oregano is a common substitute. I skip both.
Add-ins for more flavor:
- Crushed red pepper flakes – Optional heat
- Fresh ginger – Adds depth and warmth
- Sesame oil – Just a dash for nutty, toasted flavor
- Rice vinegar – Brightens the sauce (check labels for gluten if needed)
↕️Adjusting Recipe Size & Choosing a Crock Pot
This recipe makes about 4 servings (roughly 1 cup each), but it’s easy to cut in half or double as needed.
- Half recipe – Works for two people and fits in a 1-quart crock pot, but be cautious: smaller slow cookers are often less accurate. Monitor the temperature.
- Full recipe – Ideal for a 2- to 4-quart crock pot.
- Double batch – Use a 3-quart or larger crock pot and check the final temperature carefully—larger pots can overcook smaller recipes if left unattended.
✅ Use the serving adjustment in the recipe card to scale the ingredients.
❌ Instructions won't change—only the ingredient list updates the amounts.
✅ Always cook to internal temperature, not time. Time estimates are provided for planning only.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve this sweet and sticky chicken over cooked rice, cauliflower rice, or fried rice, and don’t forget to spoon on that extra sauce. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions for a fast, flavorful finish.
For a complete meal, add stir-fried vegetables or steamed broccoli—both pair well with the sweet garlic sauce and round out the plate without much effort.
🍚 More Chinese-Inspired Recipes
Looking for more takeout-style meals at home? Try these reader favorites:
❄️ Storage & Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container:
- Refrigerator: Up to 4 days
- Freezer: Up to 4 months
Reheat in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium-low heat. If the sauce has thickened too much, add a splash of water or chicken broth to loosen it up.
❓FAQs
Yes. Replace the soy sauce with Tamari—most brands are gluten-free, but always check the label. Also, check your ketchup and any other sauces or ingredients you use, as some may contain wheat-based vinegar or thickeners.
No. Starting with frozen chicken can be unsafe because it may not reach a safe internal temperature quickly enough. Also, adding frozen meat can cause ceramic crock pots to crack due to sudden temperature changes.
📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken in a Crock Pot
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds skinless chicken - breasts or thights
- ½ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- 2–4 cloves garlic - crushed or minced
- ½ teaspoon basil - optional
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes - optional
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- cooked rice
- toasted sesame seeds
- sliced green onions
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep the chicken and sauce
- Trim about 1½ pounds of skinless chicken. If using boneless breasts, cut into serving-size pieces. Thighs may not need cutting
- In a medium bowl whisk together ½ cup of ketchup, ¼ cup of soy sauce (low sodium preferred), ¼ cup of honey, four cloves of crushed garlic, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional), and ½ teaspoon basil (optional).
Combine in the crock pot
- Spread the chicken across the bottom of a 2-quart or larger crock pot coated with PAM or nonstick spray. Pour the sauce over the chicken and stir to coat.
- Optional: For a thicker sauce, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water to form a slurry, and stir it in during the last hour of cooking.
Cook
- Cook on low for 3–4 hours. Chicken breasts should reach a temperature of 165°F; thighs are best cooked to 180°F for better texture. Begin checking the temperature at 2 hours, as slow cookers can vary.
Serve
- Serve over rice with sauce as gravy. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Use low-sodium soy sauce to reduce sodium intake.
- It will fit nicely in a 2-quart or larger crockpot. Refer to the recipe post for guidance on adjusting amounts and selecting a suitable crockpot size.
- If adding vegetables, increase both the crock pot size and the sauce.
- You may want to double the sauce for serving with rice or veggies
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days or freeze for 4 months.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Originally Published January 4, 2015. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Brandy Gerhardt says
Yesterday I googled dinner recipes for two, and your web site came up. Lucky me! Within minutes, I had "Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken" in my crock pot and my fingers crossed. ('Cause you never know with a new recipe, new web site.) But it was so simple, so easy, so quick, and so delicious! I'll definitely be coming back. Thank you X 10!
Menolly says
It looks yummy. Can I make and oven bake this in a dutch oven? I don't have a crock pot.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Menolly,
Not a conversion I normally do or try but I did find this with an answer. https://learn.surlatable.com/slow-cooker-dutch-oven-conversion/#:~:text=The%20low%20setting%20of%20a,equivalent%20to%20375°F
Hope that helps.
Dan
Menolly says
Hi! I don't own a crockpot. But I have dutch ovens of every possible size. If I were to bring this to boil and cook in a 275F - 300F oven in a cast iron dutch oven, how much chicken stock should I add, and how long should I cook it? Thank you.
PS: are thawed but previously frozen chicken breasts acceptable? I wanted to use this on frozen chicken that I need to rotate out of the freezer. I typically thaw overnight in the fridge.
Barbara says
Recipe looks and sounds great. Can I start with frozen chicken breasts?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Barbara,
Welcome to the blog.
The two problems with frozen chicken in a crockpot is first, frozen chicken has been known to break ceramic crockpots during cooking, so a safety problem if the pot is ceramic. And second, a cooking time issue—be sure the chicken reaches 165°.
Dan
Paul D. says
Fantastic recipe! My family loves it. My wife thinks I'm a genius, lol. I added chopped red, yellow, and orange bell pepper to the sauce and it was fantastic. I see a lot of comments about the sauce being a bit watery. My suggestion would be to use a fresh, dark honey in the recipe. The viscosity of the dark honey holds up better in the slow cooker. Just a suggestion. I'm lucky enough to live in the country, so it's readily available. If people have access to a farmer's market, you can probably find it there. My family wants me to make it again, so great job!
Sara says
My sauce wasn't nearly as dark as the picture and I followed the directions to the T. Plenty of it and it was very flavorful, but looked more like a watered down blush colored sauce. Very wet and runny.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Sara,
Welcome to the blog.
The color is determined by the ingredients, mainly the soy sauce and ketchup so perhaps one of those broke down some with cooking. Another possibility is the chicken releasing more fluid during cooking. This would happen if it had been previously frozen. At least the taste was good.
Dan
Jackie says
I use this for both chicken and pork. Right now I'm using it with cubed pork - just a couple of boneless chops go a long way So easy I feel like I'm cheating. I find the sauce comes out tangy - almost like sweet and sour, perhaps that is because of the vinegar in ketchup. My secret ingredient is to add sliced water chestnuts. If I have a green pepper on hand I'll throw that in. Love your recipes since I don't have to run around looking for things I don't normally have on hand. Who would have thought such a simple sauce would be so great and versatile!
Kerry Bianchi says
Can this recipe be made with thin chicken breasts? That's all I have in the house. Will cooking time be different?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Kerry,
Welcome to the blog.
Go by the internal temperature of the chicken. It should be 165 degrees to be done and safe. The time will vary by the thickness of the chicken you have. It could be as little as 2 hours but go by the temperature.
Dan
Robin says
Quick and easy recipes. Next time I'll add less ketchup as it was a little too tomato for me. Delicious all the same.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Robin,
Welcome to the blog and sorry for the delayed response.
Glad you enjoyed the chicken.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Ji Hee Kim says
Thank you so much for this WONDERFUL RECIPE. This recipe is simple and very tasty. For the Maple Syrup, I've added sugar free maple syrup. When I get up very early in the morning like 3:00 a.m., I usually cook for my family or my 4 dogs. For the vegetables, I usually add whatever I can find in my Refrigerator. This morning I will probably add sesame seed at the end as someone has suggested. My four dogs go crazy smelling this food being cooked in the crock pot. Too bad that I cannot feed them this dish. Thank you again for sharing this recipe.
DrDan says
Hi Ji Hee,
Welcome to the blog.
This is a very flexible recipe to just use up what you have with easy results. I generally sprinkle some sesame seeds on at the end.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Katy says
Hi Dr. Dan, thank you for this recipe. I have made it a few times now, and love the simplicity of the ingredients and the incredible flavour. I omit the basil, but do the cornstarch/water mixture and shred the chicken after about two hours of cooking, add some shredded carrots and sliced green onion and cook for another hour or more. Served over rice it is DELICIOUS!
DrDan says
Hi Katy,
Welcome to the blog.
This is an interesting recipe. I found the taste very surprising. And it is so easy to modify as you found.
Thanks for the note. And Happy Holidays.
Dan
Jon says
I came across this recipe while I was in the army. I made it and planned on having leftovers for quite some time. My squad could smell it from my barracks door and everyone quickly ate it up. It was sooooo good. I now make it for every platoon function and it's always a hit.
DrDan says
Hi Jon,
Welcome to the blog.
Glad it works well for you. It does make the house smell good for a while so I'm not surprised they found you out.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Beverly Barndt says
Wow, WE! Loved it all the way around. I can't believe the easiness of it all. I have tried so hard with so much that I had or didn't have and never got a GREAT FLAVOR or close to what I was trying to get. Again you are a ROCKSTAR! I feel like I have won the LOTTERY here! Thanks again so much for your time.
Elizabeth says
I came across this recipe line others, Google! I'm super excited to try this for me and my daughter this coming Sunday, looks line it'll be a winner!
Glenda says
My daughter served this recipe using thighs last summer, I had chicken breasts intending to BBQ, but we are having a thunderstorm so looked up crock pot chicken and found your recipe, and the crock pot is cooking ... had no basil so used some thyme and oregano, no fresh garlic, but had ground garlic, was a little short on Ketchup but added a little water, hopefully it will work out...