Honey Garlic Chicken with Rice (Printable Version)

Slow-cooked chicken in sweet garlic sauce paired with fluffy rice creates a comforting summer meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ Protein

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

→ Sauce

02 - 1/3 cup honey
03 - 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
04 - 1/4 cup ketchup
05 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
09 - 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)

→ Slurry (for thickening)

10 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
11 - 2 tablespoons water

→ Rice

12 - 1.5 cups jasmine or basmati rice
13 - 3 cups water
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Garnish (optional)

15 - 2 green onions, sliced
16 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

# Steps:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic, rice vinegar, ginger, black pepper, and chili flakes until thoroughly combined.
02 - Place chicken thighs in the bottom of crockpot. Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the chicken.
03 - Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6–7 hours until chicken is tender and fully cooked.
04 - Rinse rice under cold water. Combine rice, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
05 - Remove cooked chicken thighs to a plate. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with water to create a slurry. Stir slurry into crockpot sauce.
06 - Return chicken thighs to crockpot and cook on high for an additional 10–15 minutes, allowing sauce to thicken.
07 - Serve tender chicken and sauce over cooked rice. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The honey garlic sauce is so addictive, you might find yourself sneaking spoonfuls straight from the pot.
  • The recipe is hands-off enough for busy days but special enough for sharing with friends.
02 -
  • If you dump in the cornstarch without mixing with water first, the sauce gets lumpy and weird.
  • Letting the rice stand covered after cooking makes it much easier to fluff and keeps it from turning gummy.
03 -
  • If the sauce tastes too salty, add an extra tablespoon of honey to mellow it out.
  • To get the chicken even more tender, slice it before returning to the sauce for the last cook.
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