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Honey Garlic Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs

Honey garlic slow cooker chicken thighs with a thick, glossy honey-soy glaze. Bone-in, skin-on thighs cook until tender, then the sauce is thickened with a cornstarch slurry for a sticky finish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
honey garlic glaze
  • 0.3333333333 cup honey
  • 0.25 cup soy sauce
  • 4 clove garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 0.5 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
cornstarch thickener
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cold water
garnish
  • 1 sesame seeds
  • 1 green onions

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Load and season
  1. Place chicken thighs skin-side up in the slow cooker.
  2. Whisk together honey, soy sauce, garlic, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, ginger, red pepper flakes, and pepper until smooth.
  3. Pour the sauce over the chicken thighs so they are coated as evenly as possible.
Slow cook
  1. Cook on low for 5–6 hours or high for 2.5–3 hours until the chicken is cooked through and tender, with the sauce visibly bubbling at the edges.
  2. Remove the chicken and set it aside on a plate.
Thicken glaze and finish
  1. Whisk cornstarch and cold water together, stir into the sauce, and cook on high for 15 minutes until thickened and glossy.
  2. Optional: broil the chicken for 3–4 minutes until the skin looks caramelized and lightly blistered.
  3. Spoon the thickened sauce over the chicken and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

Notes

For the shiniest glaze, whisk the cornstarch slurry until fully smooth before stirring it into the hot slow-cooker sauce. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; reheat gently until warm. Freezing is not recommended because the glaze can thin after thawing. For a lower-sodium swap, use reduced-sodium soy sauce and taste the glaze before serving.