Crockpot Honey Garlic Bourbon Chicken
Tender, fall-apart chicken thighs slow-cooked in a sticky, sweet, and savory honey garlic bourbon sauce. This easy crockpot recipe is perfect for busy weeknights and delivers restaurant-quality flavor with minimal effort.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5-6 hours (LOW) or 2.5-3 hours (HIGH)
- Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes (LOW) or 3 hours 10 minutes (HIGH)
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari/coconut aminos for gluten-free)
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water (for slurry)
- Green onions, chopped (for garnish)
- Sesame seeds, toasted (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and trim excess fat. If using chicken breasts, cut into large chunks.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together honey, bourbon, minced garlic, soy sauce, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using) until smooth.
- Arrange chicken thighs in the bottom of the crockpot. Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken, coating all pieces.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or HIGH for 2.5-3 hours, until chicken is tender and easily shredded.
- Remove chicken to a plate and tent with foil. Skim excess fat from the sauce in the crockpot.
- Mix cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry. Stir into the sauce in the crockpot, then turn to HIGH and cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes until thickened and glossy.
- Return chicken to the crockpot, toss to coat in the thickened sauce, and let warm through for 5 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds. For shredded chicken, use two forks to pull apart before tossing with sauce.
- Serve hot over rice, noodles, or as desired.
Notes
For best texture, use chicken thighs. Substitute tamari or coconut aminos for gluten-free. Maple syrup can replace honey for a deeper flavor. Sauce thickens as it cools; add a splash of broth if needed when reheating. Make ahead for deeper flavor. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds for color and crunch.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe (about 5-6 ounces cooked chicken with sauce)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 17
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 26
Keywords: crockpot chicken, honey garlic chicken, bourbon chicken, slow cooker, easy dinner, weeknight meal, gluten-free option, meal prep, comfort food