Slow Cooker Hot Honey Chicken Thighs

A slow cooker with raw chicken thighs covered in a brown sauce, chopped garlic, and red pepper flakes.

Slow Cooker Hot Honey Chicken Thighs

Easy slow cooker hot honey chicken thighs with a sweet, spicy sauce. Serve whole or shredded for sandwiches, bowls, or meal prep with just 5 ingredients.

Course dinner

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword crock pot, Crockpot, easy, hot honey chicken, meal prep, one pot, Slow Cooker, slow cooker hot honey chicken, spicy

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 2

Total Time 2 5

Servings servings

Calories 255

Author Robyn Conley Downs

Equipment

Slow Cooker

Ingredients

Hot Honey Sauce

⅓ cup honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 garlic cloves minced
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Chicken

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Cook the Chicken

Make the hot honey sauce by whisking together the honey, brown sugar, vinegar, garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes until well combined.
Add the chicken to a 6-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle evenly with ½ teaspoon salt.
Pour half of the hot honey sauce (about ¼ cup) over the top of the chicken, tossing the chicken to coat evenly in sauce. Cover the remaining sauce and set aside, as you will use this at the end.
Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours, or low for 4-5, or until the chicken is very tender.

Finish

For Sticky Glazed Hot Honey Chicken: Preheat the broiler to high. Carefully remove the cooked chicken thighs to a foil lined broiler safe pan, and discard the cooking liquid.
Thinly brush each thigh with the reserved hot honey sauce. Broil 3-4 minutes, until just browned, keeping a close eye to avoid burning.
For Shredded Hot Honey Chicken: Carefully remove the cooked chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Discard all but 1/4 cup cooking liquid from the slow cooker.
Add the shredded chicken back to the remaining cooking liquid along with the reserved hot honey sauce. Stir to warm through and serve.

Notes

Serving: For the perfect hoy honey chicken sandwich, I like to serve the chicken on buttered buns piled high with my dill pickle slaw. So good!
Mike's Hot Honey: You can swap in any prepared hot honey, such as Mike's Hot Honey, for the hot honey sauce in this recipe. You'll need just over 1/2 cup, adding 1/4 cup to the chicken while it cooks, and the remaining 1/4 cup (plus a bit more) for serving.
Sliders: If you'd like to make sliders with the hot honey chicken, slice a pack of Hawaiian rolls in half the long way, keeping the top and bottom connected. Pile shredded chicken onto the bottom half, drizzle with the reserved hot honey, layer with provolone, and pop under the broiler or in a 375°F oven until the cheese melts. Add pickles if that's your think, replace the top, and slice into individual sliders for an easy weeknight dinner or wrap in foil for a to-go option.

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