This tasty slow cooker sticky chicken is the easiest meal you'll make all week! Juicy slow cooker chicken thighs are simmered in an Asian-inspired sweet and salty sauce in your crock-pot. A simple one-pan meal with amazing flavours!
These Crock-Pot Sticky Chicken Thighs are beyond good.
Get your napkins out and be ready to lick your fingers with one of my favourite slow cooker recipes!
I'm always overjoyed when there are leftovers of this dish, knowing that I'll get to experience this near-nirvana state all over again. This crockpot chicken thighs recipe is so easy and so tasty.
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❤️Why you'll love this crockpot chicken recipe
- Ten minutes to prepare.
- One pot.
- No oil.
- Super easy recipe!
- A delicious dinner-time idea.
- You'll find more convenient Slow-cooker meals like this Lentil and Sausage Stew here on Flavour and Savourl.
This slow cooker Sticky Chicken thigh recipe is a little salty and a little sweet and a little hot and spicy. It makes juicy, tender meat with an Asian-style sauce your whole family will love.
It's the easiest meal you'll make all week.
Simply mix the sticky chicken sauce ingredients together, pour over the chicken thighs and let your slow cooker work its magic.
And if you're pressed for time, you can use my recipe for Instant Pot Sticky Chicken, ready in about half an hour!
🛒 Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make this easy crock pot chicken recipe. You'll find a complete list with amounts in the printable recipe card below.
- chicken parts: I use chicken thighs because I find that thighs are better in the slow cooker than chicken breasts. Thighs have more flavour, and they don't dry out and get stringy when cooked for a long time. You could also use wings or legs (drumsticks).
- This recipe is written for either boneless skinless chicken thighs or bone-in skin-on chicken thighs. While some people shun chicken skin, it adds a lot of flavour and it keeps the meat from drying out. If you prefer to use boneless chicken thighs, this recipe works beautifully as well. You simply cook it for less time. See notes below for cooking times for each type of chicken thigh.
- tamari: (gluten-free soy sauce) (or coconut aminos for a Paleo diet)
- balsamic vinegar: adds necessary acid to balance the flavours.
- Sriracha sauce: or other hot sauce like Sambal Oelek, or you can substitute dried red pepper flakes.
- honey and coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- aromatics: garlic cloves, fresh ginger root and onion powder
- garnish: green onion or cilantro and sesame seeds
👍🏼 Instructions
- Put the chicken thighs in your slow cooker. Combine the sauce ingredients and pour the sauce over the chicken.
- Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 2.5 to 3 hours on low for boneless chicken or 5 -6 hours for bone-in thighs.
- Check for doneness with an instant-read meat thermometer. It should register at least 165°F.
- Just before serving, make a cornstarch slurry and stir it back into the slow cooker and cook for 10 - 15 minutes more, or until thickened and glossy.
- Serve over rice, noodles, quinoa, mashed potatoes, or with stir-fried or roasted vegetables.
👍🏼 Helpful Tips
Using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs results in tender, juicy chicken. However, the skin will not become crispy in this crockpot chicken recipe. If this bothers you, simply remove the skin before eating.
You could also add an extra step to this recipe and brown the chicken parts in a skillet on the stovetop before adding them to the slow cooker to help crisp the skin.
Take your family's tolerance for spicy food into account when you add the hot sauce. I find 2 teaspoons is plenty. You may want to reduce the amount.
🍽 Serving suggestions
This Slow Cooker Sticky Chicken is delicious over rice or pasta, or even mashed potatoes. If you'd like, you can serve it with stir-fried vegetables, or with a side of baby bok choy, lightly steamed broccoli, green beans or this Easy 5-minute Sesame Asparagus.
Add a simple, nutritious fruit crisp for dessert, like Cherry Crisp with Frozen Cherries or this reader favorite Pecan-Pear Crisp.
🥶 Storage instructions
Store leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave.
Freeze the cooked chicken dish in an airtight container for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
This popular crock pot sticky chicken recipe was originally published in 2014. It has been updated with extra information to make it more helpful to you and the cooking times have been re-tested and revised slightly.
🌟 Did you make this recipe?
When you make this slow cooker sticky chicken recipe, please leave a comment and a rating below. I love hearing when you've made one of my recipes. Thanks in advance! Subscribe to my newsletter and have new recipes delivered straight to your inbox once a week.
📖 Recipe
Crock Pot Sticky Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken thighs, boneless, skinless or bone-in, skin-on
- ⅓ cup tamari soy sauce, or coconut aminos for paleo diet
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar, or brown sugar
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ inch knob fresh ginger, grated or 1 teaspoon powdered ginger,
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Garnish (optional)
- 1 green onion, or chopped cilantro
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
Instructions
- Put fresh or thawed chicken thighs in slow cooker.
- Mix all remaining ingredients except the cornstarch, water, and garnish.
- Pour over chicken thighs, turning to coat all pieces.
- Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 2.5 to 3 hours on Low for boneless chicken or 5 - 6 hours for bone-in thighs.
- When cooked through and tender, mix 2 - 4 tablespoons cornstarch with tan equal amount of water and a little of the sauce from the slow cooker. (The amount of cornstarch will depend on how much liquid the chicken has released and how thick you like your sauce.) Pour over the chicken, stir and cook for another 10 - 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened and is glossy.
- Garnish with thinly sliced green onion or chopped cilantro and sesame seeds and serve.
Liane @ Foodie Digital
Quick, easy and delicious!
Elaine
Glad to hear you liked this recipe! Thanks for the 5-star rating!
Avery
Always a favorite here--thought I'd let you know that I make this at least once a month. Thanks for a tasty recipe!
Elaine
You're welcome! So happy to hear this one is on your table regularly!
Patricia
OMG this is easy and tasty. I don't like sauces such as Siracha nor really spicy flavorings. I used Tabasco instead. This was sooooo good. Looking for more of your recipes like this (easy, crock pot friendly) because I am now sold on your site.
Elaine
Thanks so much, Patricia! That makes my day! I'm working on more slow cooker recipes this month!
Deanna
Easy-peasy. Kids loved it! 5 stars.
Elaine
Thanks so much for the 5 stars, Deanna!
Sandy
Awesome recipe! Made it today. Did not change a thing. Used chicken thighs (boneless) will make again! Thx!
Flavour & Savour
That's great to hear! Thanks for the five stars, too.
Coral
So what is the serving size? 1 thigh, 2 thighs? I want to try this but the carbs are high for one thigh. Thanks!
Flavour & Savour
Hi Coral, The nutrition info is for 1 thigh. Hope this helps! Thanks for your question.
Coral
Thank you
Flavour & Savour
Hi Karen,
You could substitute sambal oelek if you have it (start with just a teaspoon) OR add a teaspoon or two of dried red pepper flakes for a little heat. I haven’t tried it with chili powder but if you don’t have these first two suggestions, you might try it. Just start with a little as you can always add more later if you like your food spicy. Thanks for your question!
Sarah
How long should 2lbs total of mixed boneless skinless thighs & bone-in wings cook? (I'm new to crockpot cooking) Making this for dinner tonight, looks delish!
Flavour & Savour
Hi Sarah,
There are lots of variables to consider, such as the size of the wings, the thickness of the thighs, the type of slow cooker you have, etc. but I would estimate that they would need 4 - 6 hours on High or 2 - 3 hours on low. Great question! Good luck.
Justin
Hope you get this soon. I was going to use boneless skinless chicken breast cut into cubes for this recipe. Will that change the cooking duration? I was hoping to be able to get away with cooking it for 6 to 7 hours on high.
Flavour & Savour
Hi Justin,
I'm afraid that would be much too long for boneless chicken breast cubes and they'd be overdone. You may want to cook it on low for half that time.
Ruth
All I had was chulula in the house...looked everywhere for the Sriracha as we were SURE we had it in stock! 🙂
The dish is currently cooking in the slow cooker as I type. Do you think it will turn out okay with the chulula? I hope so!
Thank you!!
Flavour & Savour
Hi Ruth--It should be fine--the flavour will just be a little bit different. Enjoy!
Ruth
Thank you so much! I appreciate your reply. I'll let you know how it goes down with the hubby. 🙂
Christa Groen
My son, who lives in Florida bought me a crockpot. So i was looking for recipes and found yours.
Today my daughter and i enjoyed your sticky chicken in the Netherlands,
Definitely gonna make it again. Thanks for sharing.
Flavour & Savour
Hi Christa!
That's so great to hear my recipe is loved on the other side of the world! Thanks so much for commenting.
Nikki Manago
Making it right now....SMELLS DELISH SO FAR!!!!!
Flavour & Savour
Mmmm . . . I can smell it from here! 🙂 Enjoy!
OregonLaura
Had this for dinner tonight and we all enjoyed it. While the flavor in this was outstanding, next time I will use more Sriracha sauce as I like more kick. I used BLSL chicken breasts cut into chunks which did get a little dry but I poked all pieces with a fork several times before adding the cornstarch and that helped rehydrate the chicken. I will definitely be adding this to our dinner rotation.
Flavour & Savour
Thanks for commenting and sharing your great idea to use boneless skinless chicken breasts. I know what you mean about wanting an extra kick--the older I get, the spicier I like my food! Glad this one will become a regular in your home!
Dottie
Hi. This looking quite tempting. But how does the thigh skin turn out ? Most of my slow cooker recipes either brown the chicken first or put it under the broiler after finished to make the skin more "edible".
Thank you.
Flavour & Savour
Hi Dottie,
Great question! I know just what you mean about chicken skin in slow cookers! The skin will not be crispy without browning it first or putting it under the broiler afterward, but in this recipe, the sauce is quite strongly flavoured and it tends to flavour the skin too. You could always remove the skin before cooking. Thanks for your question!
Susie
Thank you!!!
Flavour & Savour
You're welcome! Glad you liked it!
Jane Amstutz
Looks so delicious--and I have all the ingredients for the sauce! Just need to get the chicken.
Flavour & Savour
Hope you enjoy it as much as we did! This is bound to become a favourite in our house.
tracey
i always find that the water from the chicken makes it too runny?? but im deffo going to try this!!
Flavour & Savour
Hi Tracey,
I haven't had that problem. If you mix the cornstarch and water with some of the sauce and cook it for a little longer, it thickens right up. We love this chicken dish. Thanks for commenting!