This Slow Cooker Honey Soy Chicken recipe will give you a taste of magical, effortless cooking. Throw the ingredients into the slow cooker, then set and forget!
The ingredients gradually cook and the flavors meld together for a mouthwatering dish. The combination of sweet honey and savory soy sauce means this easy recipe is guaranteed to become a family favorite.
💚 About This Recipe
This shredded garlic soy chicken is the perfect way to make a quick and easy weeknight dinner. It cooks away in the crock pot throughout the day and results in a tender and flavorful protein that's great to pair with rice.
Just like my Easy Cilantro Lime Chicken and Chicken in Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce, this is a fantastic poultry dinner the whole family will love!
Serve it over Cilantro Lime Rice and add a veggie on the side for an unforgettable chicken dinner that's perfect for meal prep.
🧂 Ingredients Needed
- fresh garlic - you can use jarred garlic for a shortcut as well.
- chicken breasts - boneless, skinless chicken breasts cook to tender perfection in the crock pot.
- soy sauce - provides a nice savory umami flavor. I like to use a low sodium soy sauce for a slightly lighter result.
- honey - for the perfect amount of sticky sweetness.
- hoisin sauce - adds a nice saltiness that pairs well with the honey.
- rice vinegar - cuts through some of the rich and savory flavors with a bit of tangy acidity.
- sesame oil
- salt and black pepper
- scallions and sesame seeds - for garnish.
🔪 Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in the slow cooker.
- Add soy sauce, honey, hoisin, garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, salt, and pepper.
- Stir until well combined, then cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 7 hours.
- Once the chicken is fully cooked, shred using 2 forks or an electric beater. Serve over rice and garnish with sliced scallions and sesame seeds.
❔ FAQs
Yes, as long as you cook it all the way through there's no issue with raw chicken in the crock pot!
This recipe is savory and salty, but doesn't have any kick to it. You can definitely add ingredients like sriracha or red pepper flakes to give it some heat if you like!
The sauce should thicken up on its own, but if you want an even thicker sauce you can mix a little bit of flour or cornstarch with water and mix the cornstarch slurry into the sauce.
💭 Expert Tips and Tricks
- Use a digital meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- To shred the chicken, you can use a pair of forks or even an electric hand mixer. Just be careful, as the chicken will be hot after slow cooking.
- Avoid mixing or lifting the slow cooker lid once the chicken has started cooking. This will help lock in moisture for nice juicy chicken.
📌 Packed with flavor, this hoisin chicken is so easy to make and yields a tasty dinner without much effort! Serve it over rice and with a veggie on the side for the perfect meal on busy weeknights.
💡 Substitutions and Variations
- You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer dark meat. Opt for the longer cooking times for thighs, as they take longer to cook.
- For a kick of heat, add some red pepper flakes, sriracha sauce, cayenne pepper, or chili pepper to the sauce.
- Instead of honey, you can sweeten this dish with agave or maple syrup.
- If you prefer, you can also serve this chicken without shredding.
🥫 Storage and Reheating
Transfer leftover hoisin chicken with honey garlic sauce to an airtight container or zip top bag. In the fridge, it should be good for 4 to 5 days. You can also freeze it for at least 3 months. Allow frozen chicken to thaw before reheating.
Reheat by zapping it in the microwave for about a minute. Add a splash of chicken broth or plain water to keep it juicy and tender.
🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
This garlic soy chicken is incredible served over top my Cilantro Lime Brown Rice with Asparagus or your favorite noodles. You could also serve it over plain brown rice, white rice, cauliflower rice, or jasmine rice and pair with a healthy veggie like Air Fryer Broccoli, green beans, a Cucumber Salad, or these Oven Fried Crispy Green Bean Fries.
✔️ More Slow Cooker Recipes You'll Love
- Crock Pot Chicken Thighs in Honey Beer Sauce - These tender chicken thighs are smothered in a rich and hearty sauce made with your favorite beer!
- 2 Ingredient Pulled Pork - It doesn't get much easier than this slow cooker pulled pork featuring your BBQ sauce of choice
- Best Crockpot Apple Pie - If you've never tried making a sweet dessert in your slow cooker, this apple pie is a must-try recipe.
- Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes - This comforting recipe from JZ Eats results in the perfect creamy mashed potatoes that are ideal as a side with all of your favorite main courses!
Garlic Soy Hoisin Chicken
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📋 Recipe Card
Slow Cooker Honey Soy Chicken With Garlic and Sesame
Equipment
- 1 Slow cooker
Ingredients
- 6 garlic cloves
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 scallions
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Grate the garlic.6 garlic cloves
- Place the chicken, soy sauce, honey, hoisin sauce, garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and salt and pepper. Stir until well combined.2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 cup reduced sodium soy sauce, ½ cup honey, ¼ cup hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours.
- Once fully cooked, shred the chicken.
- Serve with rice and top with chopped scallions and sesame seeds2 scallions, 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Notes
- If desired, you can substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the breasts.
- For a shortcut, use 6 teaspoons jarred minced garlic instead of fresh garlic cloves.
- Shred the cooked chicken with 2 forks or use a hand mixer.
- Season with additional salt and/or pepper if desired.
- Serve over rice or noodles.
- This dish often tastes even better the next day as the flavors have had more time to meld together. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
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Happy cooking!
Kate
The soy made this shredded slow cooker chicken so savory and delicious! We had it on rice bowls.
Sara Welch
This was such a simple and delicious meal that does not disappoint! Easily, a new favorite recipe; my whole family loved it!
Elisa
Love this Slow Cooker Honey Soy Chicken recipe, such a delicious and easy recipe. Will make it soon for dinner. Thanks for sharing 🙂