Slow-Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Since I first acquired my crock-pot a little over a year ago, I have used it countless times to make tons of different recipes. I use it year ’round, in both the hot summer + the cool winter, on busy weekdays + lazy weekends alike. In short, I think it’s one of the greatest creations ever! So, when I’m making my weekly meal plan + have an empty spot available, I almost always think, I should try a new slow-cooker recipe. And that’s exactly how I stumbled across this fantastic recipe, for Slow-Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken. And y’all, it turned out SOOO good.

I had never used bone-in chicken breasts in a slow-cooker recipe, but I used them here, as the recipe suggested. I am SO glad I did. While I’m sure boneless/skinless chicken breasts would’ve turned out great, the bone-in chicken made for the most tender, juicy slow-cooker chicken I’ve ever had. The sauce is delicious – sweet, tangy, + garlicky, with just a slight kick. Next time, I think I’ll try adding some fresh ginger + more crushed red pepper to the sauce to give it a little bit more punch + complexity. But it was still amazing just as it was – it was wonderful the first night, served with white rice + stir-fried veggies. And I loved it even more the second day, as the flavors has deepened, served with rice noodles. Y’all have to give this recipe a try – I think you’ll love it!

Slow-Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

serves 4, adapted from Just A Taste

Ingredients:

3 large bone-in, skinless chicken breasts (2 1/2 to 3 pounds total)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup blackberry jam
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
sliced scallions, for garnish
sesame seeds, for garnish

Directions:

Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in the bottom of the slow-cooker.

In a medium bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, blackberry jam, hoisin sauce, olive oil, garlic, onion + crushed red pepper flakes, then pour the sauce over the chicken. Turn the chicken breasts several times to coat well with the sauce. Cover the slow-cooker + cook on LOW for 4-5 hours until the chicken is fully cooked + fall-apart tender.

Using tongs, remove the chicken from the slow cooker (leave the liquid in the crock-pot) + place it on a cutting board or rimmed baking sheet. Remove the bones from the chicken, then, use two forks to shred the chicken. Place the shredded chicken into a separate large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of cold water to make a slurry.

Pour the slow-cooker liquids into a small saucepan set over medium-high heat + whisk in the slurry. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer + cook until it has thickened slightly, about 3-4 minutes. Pour as much of the the sauce as you like over the shredded chicken, tossing to combine. You can use all the sauce to make a saucier chicken, or just a portion of the sauce, if you want a slightly less-saucy chicken.

Serve the chicken with white rice or rice noodles, topped with sliced scallions + sesame seeds.

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