When I know I’m going to have a really busy day, I put dinner in the slow cooker in the morning to make life a little easier. Some of our favorite crock pot recipes include BBQ ribs, sweet and sour meatballs and these Asian style chicken thighs.
The slow cooker is one of my favorite kitchen devices – it’s just so easy and convenient to have dinner waiting for you when you come home after a long day! These slow cooker chicken thighs are tender, juicy and coated in the most delicious sauce.
How do you make slow cooker chicken thighs?
First, cook your chicken thighs in a pan with oil until golden to unlock the flavor. Whip up some honey garlic sauce which features garlic, honey and soy sauce. Place the thighs in the slow cooker slathered in the honey garlic sauce. After a few hours, you’ll want to add a little cornstarch to thicken the sauce. Once the chicken is cooked, sprinkle sesame seeds on top and it is ready to serve.
Tips for slow cooker chicken thighs
Instead of using boneless chicken thighs, you can use bone-in chicken thighs or boneless skinless chicken breasts. Feel free to use whichever cut of chicken you prefer or have available. I like to brown the chicken thighs before placing them in the slow cooker to bring out the flavor of the chicken and to give the meat some texture. If you don’t have time to brown the chicken, you can skip that step and simply place the raw thighs in the crock pot with the sauce. The honey garlic sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance. This chicken stays fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can enjoy these thighs as leftovers and they are a great candidate for meal prep.
Slow cooker chicken thigh variations
This honey garlic sauce is one of my personal favorites and it garners me a lot of compliments. You can add some other flavors to this great sauce for a little variety.
Honey Ginger: Use 2 teaspoons of fresh minced ginger instead of the garlic. Honey Lime: Add 1 tablespoon of lime juice to the sauce. Sweet and Spicy: Add sriracha to the sauce to taste. Orange Chicken: Add 2 tablespoons of orange juice and 1/2 teaspoon of orange zest to the sauce.
Can you put frozen chicken in a slow cooker?
I don’t recommend putting frozen chicken in a slow cooker. You should always thaw chicken before slow cooking it. Frozen chicken in the slow cooker can cause problems. The main problem is the risk of bacterial growth. Frozen chicken takes longer to heat up in a slow cooker than thawed chicken meaning the frozen chicken may allow bacteria to grow while it slowly heats. Another problem can occur with frozen chicken in a slow cooker if there is not enough liquid. The frozen chicken touching the cooker may get overcooked before the interior of the chicken has finished cooking because the frozen interior takes longer to cook. You will be safer and you may get better tasting food if you thaw your chicken before placing it in a slow cooker.
Can you overcook chicken in a slow cooker?
You can overcook chicken in a slow cooker. Overcooked chicken will be dry and may be tough. Take care to watch the time on your slow cooker chicken to make sure it stays tender and juicy. If you are worried about overcooking chicken, use a chicken thigh recipe (like this one) instead of a chicken breast recipe. The extra fat in chicken thighs helps protect them from drying out.
This slow cooker recipe uses one of my best sauces to make extraordinary chicken thighs. This sweet and tangy sauce over tender chicken dish will become one of your favorites.
More slow cooker recipes you’ll love
Slow Cooker Chicken Drumsticks Slow Cooker Chili Sweet and Sour Meatballs (Slow Cooker) Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin Ham and Bean Soup (Slow Cooker)
