My recipe for Lacquered Honey Ginger Chicken is the result of careful slow cooker research. Searing the bone-in chicken thighs gives them a golden-brown exterior—just be sure not to crowd the pan, or the chicken will steam instead of sear. Once browned, the chicken is added to the slow cooker with chopped red onion, garlic, fresh ginger, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
A rich sauce made with honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sweet, smoky hoisin infuses the chicken as it cooks, turning it a beautiful caramel color. The result is tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken that’s packed with flavor.
How to Make Slow Cooked Honey Ginger Chicken
1. Brown the Chicken
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons of olive oil.
- Add half of the chicken thighs to the pan, ensuring not to crowd them.
- Brown the chicken for 4–5 minutes on one side, then flip and brown for another 3–4 minutes.
- Remove the browned chicken and place it in the slow cooker. Repeat with the remaining thighs.
2. Prepare the Sauce
- In the same sauté pan, sauté the chopped onion, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes for 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Transfer this mixture to the slow cooker, pouring it over the browned chicken.
3. Make the Honey Ginger Sauce
- In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, ketchup, and hoisin sauce until fully combined.
- Pour this sauce mixture over the chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker.
4. Slow Cook
- Cover the slow cooker and set it to LOW for 4 hours. Allow the chicken to cook until tender and fully cooked through.
5. Thicken the Sauce
- Once the chicken is cooked, carefully remove the thighs from the slow cooker and set them on a large plate, covering with foil to keep warm.
- In a small bowl, whisk 1 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch with ¼ cup water.
- Stir this slurry into the sauce in the slow cooker, set to HIGH, and cook for an additional 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened.
6. Serve
- Pour the thickened sauce over the chicken thighs. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced scallions.
- Serve the chicken alongside hot jasmine rice for a complete meal.
Recipe Notes
- Adjusting the sweetness: If you prefer a slightly less sweet dish, you can reduce the honey to 1/3 cup.
- Adding extra spice: For a spicier kick, feel free to double the red pepper flakes or add a sliced fresh chili.
- Substitute for hoisin sauce: If you don’t have hoisin, you can substitute it with a mixture of soy sauce and a bit of sugar or honey.
Yield
- Serves: 4-6 people
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 4 hours 15 minutes
- Cuisine: Asian-inspired, Slow Cooker
Slow Cooked Honey Ginger Chicken
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8
- Diet: Omnivore
Description
Comfort food at its finest! Tender chicken thighs in a sweet and savory honey-ginger sauce – perfect for a busy weeknight.
Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 8 (3 lbs) chicken thighs
- 1 medium red onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 inch piece ginger root
- 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
- 0.5 cups (120 ml) honey
- 0.5 cups (120 ml) reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil
- 2 tbsp (30 g) ketchup
- 2 tbsp (30 g) hoisin sauce
- 1.5 tbsp (23 g) cornstarch
- Sesame seeds
- 3 scallions
- Hot cooked jasmine rice
Instructions
- Brown the Chicken
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Add half of the chicken thighs to the pan, ensuring not to crowd them. Brown the chicken for 4–5 minutes on one side, then flip and brown for another 3–4 minutes. Remove the browned chicken and place it in the slow cooker. Repeat with the remaining thighs.
- Prepare the Sauce
- In the same sauté pan, sauté the chopped onion, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes for 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant. Transfer this mixture to the slow cooker, pouring it over the browned chicken.
- Make the Honey Ginger Sauce
- In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, ketchup, and hoisin sauce until fully combined. Pour this sauce mixture over the chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker.
- Slow Cook
- Cover the slow cooker and set it to LOW for 4 hours. Allow the chicken to cook until tender and fully cooked through.
- Thicken the Sauce
- Once the chicken is cooked, carefully remove the thighs from the slow cooker and set them on a large plate, covering with foil to keep warm. In a small bowl, whisk 1 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch with ¼ cup water. Stir this slurry into the sauce in the slow cooker, set to HIGH, and cook for an additional 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened.
- Serve
- Pour the thickened sauce over the chicken thighs. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced scallions. Serve the chicken alongside hot jasmine rice.
Notes
- For a spicier dish, add 1-2 extra teaspoons of red pepper flakes.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute tamari or coconut aminos for the soy sauce.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheated gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 20
- Sodium: 700
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 100
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the honey ginger chicken need to cook in the slow cooker?
Plan for 4 to 6 hours on low or about 3 hours on high. The chicken should be tender enough to shred easily with two forks when it is done. 
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs for this recipe?
You can, but thighs hold up better during the long cook time and stay juicier. If you use breasts, check them earlier since they can dry out more quickly.
Should I use fresh ginger or powdered ginger?
Fresh ginger gives you a brighter, more pronounced flavor that pairs well with the honey. If you only have ground ginger, use about a teaspoon as a substitute, though the result will be milder.
Made this for a cozy family dinner last night. The honey and ginger combo had everyone asking for seconds. So simple but really comforting!
Glad to hear Lars!!
I may have cooked mine for toooooooo long, but the taste was still delicious.
Was really good, added some spice to kick it up a notch.
I made a double batch of this last night and it was incredible! The ginger and honey combo was so good, and my family went back for seconds.
My husbands favorite!! Do you think I could put everything in freezer bag and freeze then thaw over night and put in crockpot? I wanting to prep for college son
Yes, you can prepare the ingredients ahead and freeze them in a freezer bag. Be sure to cool the cooked chicken completely before freezing. When ready to cook, thaw the bag overnight in the fridge, then place everything in the crockpot the next morning. This will make the process convenient for your college son, but be cautious to ensure proper food safety by freezing and reheating correctly.
Tried this with chicken breasts instead of thighs—still turned out tender and juicy. Great weeknight recipe!
I love the balance of sweetness and spice. I added a bit more red pepper flakes for an extra kick, and it was perfect.
Super easy and the honey and ginger flavors were great. Definitely recommend adding extra garlic if you’re a garlic lover like me. Thanks for a new favorite recipe!
This is the official message that this recipe has been awarded the Holy Crap This is Good Award by me, the Official Taster. There is not higher honor, of course.
wow this looks delicious!!