Honey Garlic Chicken Rice (Printable)

Slow-cooked honey garlic chicken with fluffy rice—tender, savory, and perfect for summertime meals.

# What You Need:

→ 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

→ 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 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the honey, low-sodium soy sauce, ketchup, minced garlic, rice vinegar, grated ginger, black pepper, and chili flakes until fully incorporated.
02 - Arrange chicken thighs in the base of the crockpot. Distribute the sauce evenly over the chicken.
03 - Secure the lid and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 to 7 hours, ensuring the chicken becomes tender and reaches a safe internal temperature.
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. Rest, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
05 - Once chicken is cooked, remove thighs to a plate. In a small mixing bowl, blend cornstarch and water to form a slurry. Stir the slurry into the crockpot sauce.
06 - Return chicken thighs to the crockpot. Set to high and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce achieves desired consistency.
07 - Arrange the cooked chicken and sauce over the rice. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce turns beautifully glossy and coats the chicken like a secret restaurant trick.
  • You can walk away for hours and still be greeted with a meal that tastes as if you fussed over it all day.
02 -
  • If you rush thickening the sauce, it stays watery and lacks that luscious finish—learned the hard way.
  • Letting the rice rest covered for a few minutes makes it fluffier and keeps grains separate.
03 -
  • Let the sauce cling to the chicken by stirring after thickening, not before.
  • Using a spoon to peel ginger saves time and prevents waste.
Go Back