Glazed Chicken stays juicy with savory glaze or seasoning—an easy anchor for dinner with simple sides.
Slow-Cooker Honey-Soy Chicken That Stays Juicy
A hands-off, flavor-forward slow-cooker supper where a glossy honey-soy glaze keeps chicken thighs tender and turns the vegetables into a saucy, savory side.
This is the kind of dinner that feels like effort but truly isn’t: a quick 20-minute prep and then you let time do the work. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are the hero here because their higher fat content means the meat stays moist through the long cook, while a sweet-and-tangy glaze of honey, brown sugar, soy, Dijon and apple cider vinegar builds deep flavor without fuss.
A quick brown in a hot skillet before the slow cooker is worth the extra minute — those golden edges add savory depth and help the glaze cling to the meat. Toss halved Yukon golds, carrot rounds, rough-chopped onion and smashed garlic around the thighs, then pour the whisked glaze and low-sodium chicken broth over everything. As it simmers for about 4½ hours, the sauce becomes glossy and the vegetables soak up the juices, turning into a nearly complete meal right in the pot.
When it’s done the chicken shreds or serves whole with a spoonful of the glaze-slicked vegetables. It’s perfect over steamed rice, buttery mashed potatoes, or alongside a simple green salad; crusty bread is a satisfying, no-fuss sponge for the sauce. Leftovers are even better the next day, when the flavors have had time to marry, and the dish reheats gently on the stovetop or in a low oven.
Small, practical notes: pat the thighs dry and salt lightly before browning, and don’t worry if the meat isn’t cooked through when you transfer it to the slow cooker — it will finish there. Makes about six servings and is an ideal make-ahead option for busy weeknights or a relaxed weekend dinner.
Ingredients
How to Make Glazed Chicken
- Pat chicken thighs dry and season both sides with 1/4 tsp of the salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, then brown chicken thighs 2 minutes per side until golden (they do not need to be cooked through). Transfer thighs to the slow cooker.
- Roughly chop the onion, slice carrots into 1/2-inch pieces and cut potatoes into 1-inch chunks; add all to the slow cooker around the chicken along with smashed garlic cloves.
- In a bowl whisk together chicken broth, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, Dijon, apple cider vinegar, and tomato paste until smooth; pour the glaze mixture over the chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker.
- Add dried thyme, bay leaf and the remaining 1/4 tsp salt, cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours (or HIGH for 2.5–3 hours) until chicken is tender and vegetables are fork-tender.
- Remove the bay leaf and transfer chicken to a cutting board; optionally shred or leave thighs whole, then return to the cooker.
- Make a cornstarch slurry by mixing the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water, stir into the slow cooker liquid, then turn the cooker to HIGH and cook uncovered 20–30 minutes to thicken and concentrate the glaze.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch more salt or pepper if needed, then serve hot spooned over the vegetables and glaze; garnish with a sprinkle of fresh thyme or chopped parsley if desired.
Recipe Card
Glazed Chicken
Glazed Chicken stays juicy with savory glaze or seasoning—an easy anchor for dinner with simple sides.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 4 hr 30 min
- Servings
- 6
Ingredients
Instructions
- Pat chicken thighs dry and season both sides with 1/4 tsp of the salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, then brown chicken thighs 2 minutes per side until golden (they do not need to be cooked through). Transfer thighs to the slow cooker.
- Roughly chop the onion, slice carrots into 1/2-inch pieces and cut potatoes into 1-inch chunks; add all to the slow cooker around the chicken along with smashed garlic cloves.
- In a bowl whisk together chicken broth, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, Dijon, apple cider vinegar, and tomato paste until smooth; pour the glaze mixture over the chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker.
- Add dried thyme, bay leaf and the remaining 1/4 tsp salt, cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours (or HIGH for 2.5–3 hours) until chicken is tender and vegetables are fork-tender.
- Remove the bay leaf and transfer chicken to a cutting board; optionally shred or leave thighs whole, then return to the cooker.
- Make a cornstarch slurry by mixing the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water, stir into the slow cooker liquid, then turn the cooker to HIGH and cook uncovered 20–30 minutes to thicken and concentrate the glaze.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch more salt or pepper if needed, then serve hot spooned over the vegetables and glaze; garnish with a sprinkle of fresh thyme or chopped parsley if desired.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 38
- Saturated Fat
- 7
- Sodium
- 650
- Fiber
- 3.5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 20
- Protein
- 43
- Fat
- 27
- Cholesterol
- 160
- Trans Fat
- 0.1
- Calories
- 580
- Sugar
- 18