Honey Garlic Chicken Rice (Printable Version)

Slow-cooked chicken in honey garlic sauce served on rice; tender, sweet, savory, and perfect for summer meals.

# Components:

→ 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

10 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
11 - 2 tablespoons water

→ Rice

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

→ Garnish

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

# Directions:

01 - Whisk together honey, soy sauce, ketchup, minced garlic, rice vinegar, grated ginger, black pepper, and chili flakes (if using) in a mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.
02 - Place chicken thighs in the crockpot. Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the chicken to ensure full coverage.
03 - Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6–7 hours until chicken is tender and cooked through.
04 - Rinse rice under cold water. Combine rice, water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Allow to stand covered for 5 minutes; fluff with a fork before serving.
05 - Remove cooked chicken from crockpot and set aside. In a bowl, mix cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the crockpot sauce, return chicken to the pot, and cook on high for 10–15 minutes until the sauce thickens.
06 - Serve chicken and thickened sauce over rice. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • When you taste the rich sauce, you'll know why this is the dish I make when I need an effortless dinner that still feels special.
  • Chicken thighs become incredibly tender and are never dry, so you won't have to stress over timing or technique.
02 -
  • If you skip rinsing the rice, it turns gummy—learned the hard way after one mushy evening.
  • Making the slurry in advance ensures the sauce thickens smoothly, avoiding surprise lumps.
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving so it absorbs more sauce.
  • A dash of toasted sesame oil at the end works wonders—just a tiny drizzle is enough.
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