A flavorful slow cooker dinner is a weeknight lifesaver — just set it and forget it for a takeout-style meal at home. This easy garlic, ginger, and honey chicken brings bright Asian-inspired flavors and is tastier, healthier, and less expensive than ordering in. Prepared in the crock pot, it’s ready when you walk in the door.
Why You’ll Love This
Slow cooker recipes simplify busy evenings. With minimal prep you can feed your family a comforting, home-cooked meal without last-minute stress. This garlic, ginger, and honey chicken tastes like a favorite takeout dish but is free of added MSG, healthier, and far less expensive than restaurant versions.
It takes about 10 minutes to combine the ingredients, then the slow cooker does the rest. Serve the finished chicken over rice or noodles with steamed vegetables for a complete meal that stretches to about six servings when plated with sides.
Why This Recipe Works
Cooking boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a slow cooker is easy, but timing matters to prevent dryness. Large chicken breasts cook well on High for about 3 hours; if you use smaller or thinner breasts, they may finish sooner. Cooking on Low for roughly 6 hours is a good alternative, but avoid going much longer than that to preserve texture.
This recipe uses low-sodium soy sauce to balance the sweet and savory elements without becoming overly salty. The combination of honey, hoisin, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil delivers a bright, rich sauce that clings to the shredded chicken once thickened.
What Goes Into This
The ingredient list may seem long, but each component contributes to the layered flavor. Most items are pantry staples or single small jars that last for many uses.
- Honey — any good-quality honey works.
- Hoisin sauce — adds sweetness and depth.
- Low-sodium soy sauce — use low-sodium to control salt.
- Rice vinegar — adds a touch of acidity.
- Minced garlic — jarred or fresh both work.
- Ginger — ginger paste is convenient; fresh ginger may also be used.
- Toasted sesame oil — gives a nutty, signature flavor.
- Spices — black pepper, dried oregano, and optional red pepper flakes for heat.
- Cornstarch — combined with cold water to thicken the sauce at the end.
- Sesame seeds and sliced green onions — for garnish.
How to Make It
Follow these clear steps for reliable results.
Step 1: Place 3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2½ pounds total) in the slow cooker. If using smaller breasts, shorten the cooking time. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the low-sodium soy sauce, honey, hoisin, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, oregano, and black pepper. Pour the sauce over the chicken, cover, and cook on High for 3 hours or on Low for about 6 hours.
Step 2: When the chicken is cooked, transfer it to a plate or cutting board and shred with two forks (or dice/slice if you prefer).
Step 3: Pour the cooking liquid into a small sauté pan. Mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water to make a slurry, then whisk it into the pan. Bring to a boil and simmer 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
Step 4: Return the shredded chicken to the crock pot, stir to coat with the thickened sauce, and warm briefly. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve over rice or noodles with steamed vegetables.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tamari is a gluten-free soy sauce alternative, and coconut aminos are a soy-free option that offers a lighter flavor. Both work well if you need to avoid gluten or soy.
Yes — the sauce can be made up to three days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Absolutely. Thighs are less likely to dry out and are a good, flavorful option if you prefer dark meat.
Store cooked chicken in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Expert Tips
- If you have fresh ginger, a spoon easily peels it; ginger paste in a tube is a longer-lasting convenience.
- Jasmine rice pairs nicely with this dish, but Asian-style noodles are a great alternative.
- Steamed or microwaved frozen broccoli makes a quick vegetable side while you finish the sauce.
- To shred chicken quickly, remove it from the sauce and use a hand mixer in a bowl to pull the meat apart, then return it to the sauce.
Related Recipes
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Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake
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Creamy Chicken Cobbler
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One-Pot Chicken Creole and Rice
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Easy Strawberry Pancakes
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment to share how it turned out — I’d love to hear from you.
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Recipe
Easy Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Whisk
- Slow cooker (crock pot)
- Small sauté pan
Ingredients
- 3–4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2½ pounds)
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste (or 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger)
- ¼–½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- Sesame seeds for garnish
- Sliced green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker.
- In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, hoisin, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and oregano. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Cover and cook on High for 3 hours or on Low for about 6 hours.
- When cooked, remove the chicken and shred with two forks (or dice/slice as preferred).
- Pour the cooking liquid into a small sauté pan. Stir the cornstarch into cold water to make a slurry, then whisk it into the pan. Bring to a boil and simmer 2–3 minutes until thickened.
- Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker, stir in the thickened sauce, and warm through. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve over rice or noodles.
Notes
- The sauce can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated.
- You may cook the chicken on Low for about 6 hours instead of High for 3 hours.
- Cooked chicken will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in airtight containers.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and may vary depending on ingredient brands. To calculate exact values for the products you use, try a nutrition calculator or app.
This recipe was originally published in March 2020 and updated in 2022.