Honey Ginger Chicken
- Total Time: 4 hours 25 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
The robust entrée is simple to make and packs complex flavors thanks to the use of a slow cooker.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 8 chicken thighs, bone-in and skinless, about 3 - 3 1/2 lb (1.35 - 1.6 kg)
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1-inch piece of ginger root, chopped
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) honey
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp corn starch
- Sesame seeds
- Thinly sliced scallions
- Hot cooked jasmine rice
Instructions
- Heat a large sauté pan to medium high heat and drizzle with a couple tsp of olive oil. Add half of the chicken thighs making sure not to crowd the pan. Brown for 4 – 5 minutes and then flip over and brown for 3 – 4 more minutes. Remove from pan and place in the slow cooker. Repeat with the remaining chicken thighs and add them to the slow cooker after they have been browned.
- Add the onion, garlic, ginger root, and red pepper flakes on top of the chicken in the slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, ketchup, and hoisin sauce. Pour over chicken. Cover the slow cooker and set for 4 hours on LOW.
- Remove chicken from the slow cooker and place on a large plate. Cover with foil. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 1/4 cup water. Stir into the sauce in the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and scallions. Serve with hot rice.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 4 hours 15 mins
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 chicken thighs
- Calories: 450
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- See Yao Gai: Cantonese Soy Sauce Chicken
- Quick Chicken Curry
- Fried Chicken, Bacon and Hot Honey Biscuits
- Chicken Khao Soi: Curry Noodle Soup
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do the chicken thighs need to be browned before going into the slow cooker?
The instructions have you brown the 8 bone-in, skinless thighs in batches (4 to 5 minutes first side, 3 to 4 minutes second side) in a hot sauté pan before adding them to the slow cooker. Browning develops a deeper, roasted flavor on the meat that a slow cooker alone cannot produce.
How is the sauce thickened at the end?
After the 4-hour LOW cook, remove the chicken and whisk 1½ tbsp cornstarch with ¼ cup water. Stir the slurry into the cooking liquid and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and glazes the chicken. 
Why use bone-in, skinless thighs specifically?
Bone-in thighs stay moist during the long 4-hour slow cook because the bone conducts heat evenly and the dark meat has more fat than breast meat. The skin is removed so it doesn’t turn rubbery in the moist slow-cooker environment.
