Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

I’m a busy mom of two, so when I’m creating recipes, I think about the kind of food I want to be eating, not how long it will take to prepare.
This honey garlic chicken slow cooker recipe is created with those goals in mind! I want healthy meals that are easy to make and don’t require a lot of prep work or fancy ingredients. Also, we can’t forget flavor! This slow cooker honey garlic chicken recipe is made with some of my favorite things: sweet honey and garlic. You can taste the honey’s sweetness. The garlic doesn’t overpower, but it adds a savory note that compliments the sweetness well.

Ingredients:

For the Chicken:

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp chili paste
• 4 cloves garlic minced

For Serving:

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

Instructions:

1. In the bottom of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker, place the chicken.
2. Whisk together the soy sauce, honey, tomato paste, chili paste, garlic, and rice vinegar in a medium mixing bowl, and pour the sauce over the chicken.
3. Cook with a cover over high heat for 2 to 3 hours or on low heat for 4 to 5 hours, or until a quick-read thermometer reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have the opportunity, turn the chicken halfway through to cover both sides.
4. Transfer the chicken to a platter and set it aside to cool. In a slow cooker, whisk together the cornstarch and the cooking liquid.
5. Cook for 15 minutes on HIGH, stirring regularly until the sauce thickens slightly. If you want the sauce to be extra thick, simmer it in the slow cooker for an additional 30 minutes OR use the stovetop method below.
6. Reduce the sauce on the burner to thicken it faster (Transfer the simmering liquid to a medium pot after mixing in the cornstarch).
7. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 to 10 minutes over medium heat until the sauce thickens.
8. Shred the chicken with two forks (or your fingers if the chicken is cool enough) and place it in the slow cooker. If the sauce was reduced on the burner, return it to the slow cooker now.
9. Dip the chicken in the sauce to cover it, then serve it with sesame seeds and green onions over rice.