This crock pot sticky honey garlic chicken is made with boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs cooked in a sweet, garlicky sauce that clings to every bite—perfect over rice or with vegetables.
With no browning needed, it works in any-size crock pot, scales easily for two, and is packed with flavor. 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."
🧾 TL;DR Recipe Summary
What it is: Crock pot sticky honey garlic chicken made with boneless, skinless chicken in a sweet, glossy garlic sauce.
Why it works: No browning, pantry ingredients, and reliable results in any-size crock pot—from mini to family size.
How to make it: Mix the sauce, add the chicken, cook on low until tender, and thicken at the end if you want a thicker sauce. Serve chunked or shredded.
Jump to the Recipe Card or continue for tips, flavor options, and serving ideas.
🐓What You'll Need
- 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: Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
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.
✅ Pro Tip: Cooking for two? Cut the recipe in half and use a smaller crock pot. See the Adjusting section below.
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 boneless, skinless chicken only—breasts or thighs both work, but bone-in or skin-on cuts will not cook correctly in this recipe. Cut larger breasts into chunks for even cooking.
- Cook to the right temperature — Chicken breasts cook faster (done at 165°F). Thighs are juicier and best 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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🧂 Honey Garlic Sauce & Flavor Options
The sweet, sticky honey garlic sauce is the heart of this recipe, and you can tune the balance of salty, sweet, and heat to match your taste.
- 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 the Recipe Size
This recipe makes about 4 servings (roughly 1 cup each), but it’s easy to scale down for two or up for a family dinner.
- Half recipe – Great for two people. Use a 1–2 quart crock pot. Just keep an eye on the temperature since very small slow cookers can run hot.
- Full recipe – Fits nicely in a 2–4 quart crock pot.
- Double batch – Use a 3-quart or larger crock pot. Larger pots can overcook smaller batches if left too long, so check the final temperature carefully.
✅ Use the serving adjustment in the recipe card to scale the ingredients. Cooking time doesn’t change—always cook to internal temperature, not by the clock.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve this sweet and sticky chicken over cooked rice, cauliflower rice, or fried rice, and spoon plenty of sauce on top. A sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions adds a fast finishing touch.
For a complete meal, pair it with stir-fried vegetables or steamed broccoli—both balance the sweetness and round out the plate without extra work.
🍚 More Chinese-Inspired Recipes
Looking for more takeout-style meals at home? Try these reader favorites:
❄️ Storage & Leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container:
- Refrigerator: Up to 4 days
- Freezer: Up to 4 months
Reheat gently in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium-low heat. If the sauce thickens too much after chilling, stir in a splash of water or chicken broth to loosen it back 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 you use, as some may contain wheat-based vinegar or thickeners.
Absolutely. Boneless thighs stay juicier in the crock pot and are more forgiving if cooked longer. Breasts should be checked earlier so they don’t dry out.
If you want more to spoon over rice or vegetables, just double the sauce ingredients. Cooking time doesn’t change.
Yes. Cut the recipe in half and use a smaller slow cooker (about 1–2 quarts). Just watch the temperature since small crock pots can run hot.
Yes. Shred the chicken during the last 15–30 minutes and stir it back into the sauce. It soaks up even more flavor.
📖The Recipe Card
Crock Pot Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken with Boneless Chicken
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.
Lindsay says
This recipe bursts with flavor! My entire family LOVED it! The only substitution that I made was Braggs liquid aminos vs soy sauce. Thank you!
anna says
I'm not very good with season I vs, but learning. If you don't have basil, what can be substituted instead?
DrDan says
With this recipe, I would just leave it out... there is lots of other flavor.
DrDan
Ashley says
Definitely use low sodium! I used regular soy sauce and it is terribly salty for my taste :/ i think im going to have to whip up something else for dinner tonight.
Ray says
Just bought my first ever crock pot and this was my first ever dish! So delicious and easy, I am hooked. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe!!
Mike says
Great and easy! I added broccoli after everything was cooked. Over rice or was great!
DrDan says
Thanks for the note
DrDan
Racquel says
Really amazing recipe! Easy to make, nutritious and easy to clean up. The flavor is wonderful - unique and robust. If I change anything next time, I will half the amount of soy sauce because it was a tad salty.
DrDan says
Hi Racquel
I do agree that the sodium was at the high end. I would do low sodium soy sauce in the future.
Thanks for the note and rating.
DrDan
Andrea says
Can I mix everything together and let it set in the fridge overnight before tossing it all in the crockpot?
Dawn says
I only have 8 and 10 low or 4 or 6 high. Was yours 4 low? If so guess, I will just do 8 n then check it at 4. Will rate when we try tonight. Thanks! Looks great. I use my crock pot often and am always looking for new stuff.
DrDan says
4 hours on low is enough. So start on 8 low and check at 4 hours and pull the plug.
DrDan
Skyla Ellis says
This was good but I think unused to much garlic & honey! It was too much taste and a little too sweet.
But I'm glad I tried. Thanks for the recipe!
Joe Ferriero says
Hi Dr Dan, just made it for 1st time . Its great but wish the sauce was thicker. Any suggestions?
DrDan says
Hi Joe, You can thicken it some with corn starch. Try 1 tablespoon corn starch in 2 tablespoons of cool water mix well then add to the liquid in the pot about 30 minutes before completing and turn up to high. When you mix it in either take the chicken out briefly to get all the liquid treated or move the chicken to the side and mix well. And don't forget to go to high for the last 30 minutes or so.
DrDan
Stephanie says
Yummy!! So good!
Stephanie says
I made this tonight! I put on slow for close to 8 hours and it was delicious! I only added a dash of lemon juice and a little less basil. So good!
Dandy Sandy says
This recipe is delicious! I substituted 2 planks of Tempeh for the chicken. I cut Tempeh in halves then sliced lengthwise to make patties. Soooo goooood! Will make again!
Theidahopotato says
This recipe has real potential, but I made it as is and my husband and I didn't love it. I think the real problem was the basil; it just added a very strange flavor. However, my two year old and ten month old loved it and chowed down. I'll make it again, omitting the basil and adding a splash of rice vinegar or a squeeze of lime. Then I'll top the adult portions with a bit of siracha!
Amy says
Googled "slow cooker chicken breast" for cook time and found this recipe. I didn't expect it to be good at all. But I ate the whole thing by myself at once. (3 chicken breasts.) Whoops!
DrDan says
Hi Amy,
I'm working some variations of this. I just hope they do as well.
Thanks for the note.... you ate all three????
DrDan
Michelle says
I googled same thing
Michelle says
I googled slow cooked chicken breast too. This was delicious. I added some Chinese and white wine as someone else suggested (in place of the basil). I needed to add cornflour to make it thicker and could have added more. Next time I'll probably remove the juice and reduce it on the stovetop. I didn't have low salt soy and noticed the saltiness but it wasn't bad. Definitely a great recipe.
DrDan says
Thanks for the note. It is a good basic start. Like all recipes, they are just guidelines to get where you want to go.
DrDan
Alfin says
Great stuff