Honey Garlic Chicken Rice (Printable version)

Tender chicken thighs and honey garlic sauce combine with fluffy rice for a sweet-savory main dish.

# Needed ingredients:

→ 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

# How to make it:

01 - Whisk honey, soy sauce, ketchup, minced garlic, rice vinegar, grated ginger, black pepper, and chili flakes in a medium mixing bowl until well blended.
02 - Arrange chicken thighs in the bottom of the crockpot. Pour prepared sauce evenly over the chicken.
03 - Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 to 7 hours, until chicken is tender and thoroughly 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 liquid is absorbed. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
05 - Remove chicken thighs to a plate. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with water to create a slurry. Stir slurry into the crockpot sauce to thicken.
06 - Return chicken to the crockpot and cook on high for 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
07 - Place rice on serving plates, top with chicken and sauce. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds if desired.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The honey garlic sauce turns ordinary chicken into something that tastes like you spent hours (but it's mostly hands-off).
  • It's a go-to for busy days because you can prep everything in under 20 minutes and let the crockpot work its magic.
02 -
  • I once tried to skip thickening the sauce—the result was watery and disappointing, so don't skip the slurry.
  • If you garnish too early, green onions can wilt from the steam—slice and shake over dishes just before serving.
03 -
  • Use freshly grated ginger for maximum fragrance—pre-ground is just not the same.
  • The difference-maker is rinsing rice thoroughly before cooking—it turns out fluffy every time.
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