Wednesday Eats and Treats: Honey Garlic Chicken for the Slow Cooker

This is a kid-friendly chicken recipe. The sauce is made with ketchup, honey, and soy sauce -- need I say more? I like it because it is nice enough for serving guests, can be cooked in the slow cooker, and we can have a nice Sunday lunch when we get home from church.

I originally found this recipe on Stephanie O'Dea's blog -- A Year of Slow Cooking. She has three children, and every recipe of hers that I've tried has been sensible and child-approved.

Honey Garlic Chicken Slow Cooker Recipe

from Stephanie O'Dea - Crockpot 365

This is a quick, easy, and super-tasty chicken recipe. I'd highly recommend using thighs--- they hold up better in the slow cooker and dark meat just tastes better. :-) I use boneless, skinless thighs. If your thighs have bones and skin, fish them out of the pot before serving (the chicken will separate from the bone and it'll be pretty easy).

The Ingredients.

serves 8*

3 to 4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (4 or one thigh per family member)
6 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 cup  soy sauce (La Choy or Tamari wheat-free are gluten free)
1 cup ketchup
2/3 cup honey


The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Check after 3 hours on high, 5 hours on low)

Put the chicken into your cooker. In a small bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, then pour evenly over the top.

Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3-4 (I'd go with low---).

Serve with basmati rice and steamed or roasted vegetables.

The Verdict.

My kids adore this chicken. The ketchup and honey taste a bit like barbecue sauce, but slightly more tart. The basil gives it a different, herby flavor which I like a lot. If you are into freezer meals, this is a great candidate--- load all the ingredients into a freezer bag (raw chicken, the sauce ingredients) and then freeze. Thaw the bag overnight in the fridge, then plop the ingredients into your cooker for a fast morning plug-in.

*Original recipe served 4.