Slow Cooker Sweet Garlic Chicken

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken is a dish you can whip up in a flash and let the slow cooker do the rest of the work. Most of the sauce ingredients are ingredients that are already found in a well-stocked pantry. The other ingredients like Soy Sauce and Hoisin are also great pantry staples to keep in your pantry if you want to make awesome Asian dishes like this. 

This recipe was updated on 10/25 with brand new pictures and recipe tips and tricks. 

My old blogger self liked to post about the weather and it was -35 below the day I had made this recipe and posted it on my blog back in 2013. That’s super cold here and I’d say that still is true here but doesn’t happen that much anymore. Maybe once or twice a Winter.  In the Midwest it can snow 6 months out of the year here and my Wardrobe is mostly layering pieces and cozy sweaters. 

Recipe Tips and Tricks 

Chicken breasts – can sub chicken thighs or chicken tenders 

Honey – sub equal parts Agave in place of honey 

Soy sauce – sub fish sauce or Coconut Aminos 

Hoisin sauce – Sometimes called Chinese BBQ sauce is used in a lot of Asian dishes. Normal BBQ sauce is ok here but I like the flavor of this better in this recipe. 

For the ginger and garlic you can use garlic powder or ground ginger. I’d definitely try to get the fresher ingredients. 


Sesame oil
 – no substitute 

Use sesame seeds and sliced scallions for garnish. (optional) 

The cornstarch and water help to thicken the sauce. 

Serve with rice or orzo pasta.

For a low carb meal, I’d serve with no rice and a side of cooked steamed broccoli.

How to Make Slow Cooker Garlic Chicken 

1. In a 5 quart slow cooker add the chicken breasts. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, hoisen sauce, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.


2. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred. Whisk together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Whisk it into the sauce in the slow cooker. If you find the sauce is already thick enough skip the cornstarch step.

Return the shredded chicken back to the slow cooker and let cook for another 15 minutes to let the sauce thicken. 

Other Recipes to Try 

Fresh Blueberry Pie 

No Stir Easy Parmesan Risotto 

Roasted Shrimp Salad 

Perfect Pie Crust 

Garlic Roasted Potatoes 

If you’ve tried this Slow Cooker Sweet Garlic Chicken or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out. Snap a picture and upload it to share on Pinterest or Instagram! Make sure to tag me in the photo.

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