Honey Garlic Chicken with Rice (Printable)

Sweet and savory chicken meets fluffy rice, topped with fresh green onions for a summer table pleaser.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein

01 - 1.5 pounds 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 for thickening

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 (optional)

15 - 2 green onions, sliced
16 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together honey, soy sauce, ketchup, minced garlic, rice vinegar, grated ginger, black pepper, and chili flakes if desired.
02 - Arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer at the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the chicken.
03 - Secure the lid and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 to 7 hours, until the chicken is tender and fully cooked.
04 - About 30 minutes before serving, rinse the rice with cold water. Combine rinsed rice with 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. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
05 - When chicken is cooked, transfer thighs to a plate. Mix cornstarch with water to create a slurry.
06 - Stir the slurry into the sauce in the slow cooker. Return the chicken to the pot and cook on high for 10 to 15 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken.
07 - Plate the rice, top with chicken and spoon over the thickened sauce. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • This sauce is the kind you’ll want to sneak extra spoonfuls of straight from the crockpot.
  • The recipe is as forgiving as it is crowd-pleasing, which is why it’s in heavy rotation around here.
02 -
  • One time I forgot to rinse the rice, and the result was sticky and clumped—not the fluffy grains you want beside this chicken.
  • Waiting to add the cornstarch slurry until after the chicken is cooked keeps the sauce lush rather than gloopy or broken.
03 -
  • Grating fresh ginger directly into the sauce means every bite gets fragrant warmth—skip the powdered kind for this.
  • A light drizzle of sauce over the rice right before serving makes the whole plate feel special, even when reheating leftovers.
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