boneless skinless chicken thighs crock pot

Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs

Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs Recipe Ingredients

• 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed (about 2.5 lbs)
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp sriracha
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch + 2 Tbsp water
• Sliced green onions and sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

How to Make Slow Cooker Thighs

• Place chicken thighs in a slow cooker (5 to 7 quart).
• Mix sauce ingredients: In a mixing bowl whisk together ketchup, honey, soy sauce, sriracha, sesame oil, garlic and ginger.
• Pour mixture evenly over chicken thighs in slow cooker.

How Long to Cook Chicken Thighs in Crock Pot

• Cover and cook boneless chicken thighs in crock pot on low heat until cooked through and tender, about 3 to 4 hours. Center of thighs should register 165°F.
• Transfer chicken to a serving plate, cover with foil to keep warm.

Thickening the Sauce for Chicken Thighs

• Pour juices from slow cooker into a medium saucepan (you should have 2 cups liquid), add vinegar. Heat over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
• Thicken with cornstarch slurry: Meanwhile in a small mixing bowl whisk together cornstarch with 2 Tbsp water until well blended. Pour mixture into sauce in skillet.
• Simmer sauce, whisking constantly for 1 minute.
• Pour thickened sauce over chicken (or baste over chicken) and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds if desired.

Helpful Tips and Variations

• Using bone-In chicken thighs: This recipe can also be made using bone-in chicken thighs if that’s what you have and you don’t want to remove bones. You’ll still want to use 8 thighs. Just remove the skin before adding to slow cooker, and increase cook time by about 30 minutes.
• Honey substitute: In a pinch if you are out of honey you can try brown sugar.
• Make sauce tangier: For more sour tangy flavor you can add more vinegar to taste.
• Make spicy or mild: The amount of sriracha can be adjusted to make them mild or more spicy.
• Cook time: Note that every slow cooker brand/model cooks a bit different. Some cook lower and some cook quite hot. It should take about 3 to 4 hours on low heat but if your slow cooker cooks very low you may need to increase time slightly.
• Be careful not to overcook too much or thighs will just fall apart and shred. But on the other hand cook at least to 165 °F in center for food safety.
• Don’t skip thickening sauce: Yes it’s an extra step we all want to skip but simmering and thickening the sauce on the stovetop with cornstarch is a must. It wouldn’t thicken properly in the slow cooker.

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Ingredients