Slow Cooker Honey Ginger Chicken Thighs
Slow Cooker Honey Ginger Chicken Thighs - They're juicy, sticky, and absolutely delicious. I served them over fluffy rice, topped with green onions and sesame seeds. It's the perfect meal for a cozy night in.
Ingredients
- 4 medium-sized chicken thighs, with skin and bone in you can use boneless chicken thighs too
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup ketchup, or substitute with passata or tomato sauce but will be missing the sugar from ketchup
- 3 teaspoons (heaping) of garlic, minced or grated
- ¼ cup liquid type honey
- 1 ½ teaspoon ginger, grated
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch, + 2 tablespoon water to make a slurry
- sesame seeds and green onion/scallions, for serving
Instructions
- Clean the chicken thighs. Cleaning chicken thighs is an essential step in food preparation. Begin by rinsing the thighs under cold water to remove surface impurities, then pat them dry with paper towels. Inspect for any excess fat or unwanted skin, and trim if desired. Remember to maintain a thin layer of fat for moisture. Practice proper food safety by washing hands and utensils thoroughly. Following these steps will ensure clean and ready-to-cook chicken thighs.
- Spray a 4 quart slow cooker/crock pot (you can use larger too) with olive oil and place all the ingredients except cornstarch + water.
- Cook on HIGH for about 2-3 hours, or if you can wait a bit longer, go for LOW and let it cook for 4-5 hours. To check if the chicken is done, use a kitchen thermometer and make sure it reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken.
- Take out those delicious chicken thighs and let the honey garlic sauce hang out in the slow cooker.
- Sauce. Time to make a cornstarch slurry. Mix 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water until it's nice and smooth.
- Slowly pour that slurry into the slow cooker and give it a good whisk to incorporate it into the sauce. Let it cook on HIGH for another 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens up beautifully.
- Bring back the chicken thighs and give them a generous basting with that irresistible sauce. They deserve all that flavor!
- Serve. When you're ready to serve, sprinkle on some sesame seeds and green onions to add that extra touch of awesomeness. And if you're feeling a bit adventurous, go ahead and sprinkle on some red pepper flakes for a smoky kick.
Notes
- Chicken - you'll need medium-sized thighs with skin and bone in. Opt for bone-in chicken pieces like chicken thighs or drumsticks for more flavorful and tender results. Boneless chicken breasts can also be used, but they tend to be leaner and may become dry if overcooked. Also, for the best results, don’t use chicken straight from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature.
- Fresh Ginger - freshly grated ginger adds a warm and slightly spicy kick to the sauce. So don't skip it! It perfectly complements the other flavors in the dish.
- Soy Sauce - adds a savory umami flavor to the dish. You can use regular soy sauce or low-sodium soy sauce depending on your preference.
- Red Pepper Flakes (optional) - Red pepper flakes add a touch of heat and spiciness to the dish. If you prefer a milder version, you can omit them or adjust the amount according to your taste.
- Garlic - use fresh minced, grated, or pressed garlic instead of garlic powder. Trust me, it makes a huge difference!
- Cornstarch - to thicken up the sauce, we use a simple cornstarch slurry by mixing 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. It gives the sauce that perfect sticky consistency we all love in take-out dinners.
- Adjust the sauce consistency if needed. If the honey garlic sauce is too thin at the end of cooking, you can transfer it to a saucepan and simmer it on the stovetop to reduce and thicken it. On the other hand, if the sauce is too thick, you can add a little bit of water or chicken broth to thin it out.
- You can also use frozen chicken thighs for this recipe. You’ll need to thaw them first in cold water in the fridge until completely defrosted.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!