Go Back

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken and Veggies

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken and Veggies features glossy honey-garlic sauce simmered around bone-in chicken thighs with broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, and zucchini. Cook low for 4–5 hours for tender chicken and finish with a quick cornstarch thickening so the sauce clings to every bite.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

chicken thighs
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
vegetables
  • 2 cup broccoli florets
  • 2 large carrots, sliced into rounds
  • 2 cup cremini mushrooms, halved
  • 1 zucchini, sliced
honey garlic sauce
  • 0.33 cup honey
  • 0.25 cup soy sauce
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 0.5 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
thickener and serving
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cold water
  • 1 sesame seeds
  • 1 cooked rice

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Load the slow cooker
  1. Place the chicken thighs skin-side up in the slow cooker so the skin can stay exposed as it cooks.
  2. Add the carrots and mushrooms around the chicken in an even layer to help them absorb the sauce.
Make and add the honey garlic sauce
  1. Whisk honey, soy sauce, garlic, apple cider vinegar, ground ginger, red pepper flakes, and black pepper, then pour over the chicken and vegetables.
Slow cook
  1. Cook on low for 4–5 hours or on high for 2–3 hours, until the chicken is tender and the vegetables are softened.
  2. During the last 45 minutes, add the broccoli and zucchini, then stir them into the sauce so they stay bright and crisp-tender.
Thicken the sauce
  1. Whisk cornstarch and cold water together, then stir into the sauce to dissolve the starch.
  2. Cook on high for 15 minutes until thickened and glossy, stirring once if needed so the glaze coats everything.
Serve
  1. Serve the honey garlic chicken and veggies over cooked rice.
  2. Garnish with sesame seeds for a finishing touch and added texture.

Notes

For the most even thickening, whisk the cornstarch slurry until fully smooth before adding it, then keep the sauce at a steady high simmer for the full 15 minutes. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; freeze the cooked chicken and vegetables (without fresh rice) for up to 3 months. For a gluten-free option, use tamari instead of soy sauce.