Tender, juicy bites of shredded chicken simmered in a paleo honey garlic sauce. This 5 ingredient crockpot chicken makes for the perfect weeknight dinner.
If you struggle to get dinner on the table on busy nights, slow cookers will save your sanity- seriously, here are 30+ dairy and gluten-free slow cooker recipes. As a mom of three, I use my slow cooker at least twice a week as it makes for tasty, easy dinners and great meal prep (like slow cooker taco meat).
As a Certified Nutrition Coach, this paleo honey garlic chicken recipe has been a staple in the house for about a year now because it’s so easy. Naturally sweetened with honey means that the chicken comes out sweet enough that the kids devour it. Plus, leftovers can be used in a stir fry, pasta, or chicken bowl. It's definitely one of our favorite high-protein slow cooker meals.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy to make: With just 5 main ingredients this crockpot chicken comes together with pretty little effort.
Healthy: Naturally sweetened, dairy-free, gluten-free, and paleo-approved means that this recipe makes for a healthy dinner.
Versatile: There are lots of ways to reuse the chicken once it’s cooked or jazz it up if you want new flavors.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Below is an image of what you need to make the recipe. This 5 ingredient crockpot chicken uses coconut aminos in place of soy sauce. If you don’t need the honey garlic chicken to be paleo-friendly, just use gluten-free soy sauce.
Chicken thighs will work in place of chicken breasts; just know that they give off a ton of liquid.
Personally, I use a ton more garlic than listed but I LOVE garlic. If your kids aren’t a fan, use just the tablespoon.
Expert Tips To Make It
The recipe results in a decent amount of sauce in the slow cooker. If you want a thicker sauce texture, whisk in 2 teaspoons of arrowroot powder to 3 tablespoons of sauce and pour it in about 30 minutes before you need it. In this slow cooker teriyaki chicken, I coat the breasts in it before I slow cook them, that works too.
How To Make 5 Ingredient Crockpot Chicken
I used a white slow cooker insert for this recipe, so know that it looks like a baking dish. I wanted to make that chicken pop though so you could really see it.
Step 1: Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker, ideally not layered over one another. Mix together the remaining ingredients and pour it on top of the chicken.
Step 2: Slow cooker for 6 hours on low.
Step 3: Use two forks two forks to shred the chicken when you’re ready for it.
Step 4: Serve over rice.
How To Store It
In the fridge: Paleo honey garlic chicken makes for wicked meal prep. If you have extra, let it cool fully first. Then, store it in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
In the freezer: You can freeze the shredded chicken as well for up to 3 months. To do this, let it cool and place the chicken along with the remaining sauce into a freezer-safe bag. Lay it flat to freeze. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before you need it.
Reheating: Reheat the crockpot chicken either on the stove over low heat or if you have enough of it, pop it back in the slow cooker over low until warmed through.
Flavor Variations
If you want to add some new tastes to the 5 ingredient crockpot chicken, below are some favorites we’ve tried.
Seasonings: Sprinkle some ginger or extra garlic in the mixture. Likewise, adding a splash of sesame oil is delicious too (though some people don’t believe this is paleo so use your judgment).
Spice: If you like a spicy kick with dinner, slice up some jalapenos and toss them in, or use hot honey in place of regular.
How To Serve Honey Garlic Chicken
You can serve this shredded chicken basically any way you wish but below are some ideas.
- Over the top of steamed rice and roasted vegetables (or cauliflower rice to cut carbs)
- Mixed into gluten-free noodles for a pasta dish
- On top of a salad the next day
- In a wrap or as the base of fajitas or quesadillas for a new taste
FAQs
I personally don’t advise using frozen chicken for crockpot recipes. It changes the cooking time and because you’re thawing it with heat I don’t feel comfortable it hits the proper temperature in the time it should.
You can but again, it changes the cooking time. You’ll have to cook the chicken longer than listed. It will also give off a bit more grease so the texture of the sauce may change a bit.
More Slow Cook Recipes You'll Love
Paleo Honey Garlic Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Chicken breasts
- ½ cup Honey
- ½ cup Coconut aminos or gluten-free soy sauce
- ¼ cup Water
- 1 tablespoon Garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons Apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in a 5 quart (or larger) slow cooker.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together honey, coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, water, and minced garlic. Pour this mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker.
- Cook the chicken on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours until the chicken is fork tender.
- Use forks to shred the chicken, then serve it hot over rice.
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
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